The aim of direct mail campaigns is to engage with customers and generate sales, helping businesses to increase their profits.

Birmingham, West Midlands -- (ReleaseWire) -- 12/11/2014 --However many companies attempt direct mail campaigns with little to no success and this is usually as a result of poor execution.

In order for a direct mail campaign to be successful it needs to involve recipients and make it as easy and convenient as possible for them to respond to the call to action. Whether you are looking to generate sales from existing customers or acquire new ones with your direct mail campaign, integrating it with USB web keys is sure to maximise its results.

Add a USB web key to your campaigns

Whilst direct mail already offers the benefit of being tangible, attaching a USB web key to it is sure to peak the recipient's curiosity and encourage them to plug it into their computer and experience more of what your business has to offer. Seeing as minimal effort is involved (they won't even have to type in a URL) there is little to deter consumers from being put off the intended task.

Using a USB web key and online content (videos, infographics etc.) will allow you to provide prospects with even more information about your products that will hopefully encourage them to make a purchase. Taking things a step further by using USB web keys to direct recipients to landing pages with personalised content and offers can also increase the chances of them completing the call to action, thus making your direct mail campaign more profitable.

Other benefits of a campaign

Direct mail campaigns and USB web keys also have the advantage of longevity, allowing brands to make a higher return on investment over time. If you think about it, direct mail lasts much longer than other forms of advertising e.g. TV adverts and emails (which can be skipped and deleted) and USB web keys are usually kept for long periods of time, with research from the British Promotional Merchandise Association revealing 87% of people keep promotional items for longer than a year. The longer they keep and re-use the promotional items, the more familiar they will become with your brand and the more they will trust it.

Both direct mail and USB web keys are relatively cheap to produce and are therefore able to offer even higher returns on investment than other forms of advertising like radio and TV.

A proven success, some case studies

One of the great things about integrating USB web keys with direct mail is that it has already been tried and tested. Numerous brands have already experienced fantastic results from using USB web keys in their direct mail campaigns. One such company is Rolls Royce, which after sending out 10,000 mailshots including USB drives with pre-loaded videos had a total of 594 responses, generating an initial sales pipeline of £5.9 million.

UK construction company Conquip Construction also rolled out an innovative direct mail campaign over three years, which involved sending out USB web keys that had been designed as a Conquip character. This memorable character USB was an instant hit with their target audience and helped them to win many deals both in Europe and other territories over the three year period.

"Integrating USB web keys with direct mail is a great way to pique the interest of recipients and encourage them to take another step to get to know more about your brand and products," says Lorraine Burnell, Managing Director of the UK mailing house, Baker Goodchild. "Consumers will need little encouragement to plug in the USB, especially if it has a great design and what's even better is that they will continue to use it afterwards and constantly remind themselves of your brand."

Supporting research

Research from the British Promotional Merchandise Association in 2012 found that 56% of those asked said their impression of a company improved after receiving a branded item and 79% would be likely to do business with the company again. This just goes to show how effective USB web keys can be as part of a direct mail campaign aiming to increase brand awareness and improve brand loyalty.

When it comes to developing a direct mail campaign, your creativity is only limited by your own imagination. Effective designs and captivating content are both essential, but if you are looking to really make a good impression on prospects, attaching a USB web key filled with engaging online content is sure to do the trick.

Take your direct mail campaigns to the next level and integrate them with USB technology with the help of mail fulfilment experts, Baker Goodchild.

For further information, the full range of Technology Integrated with Direct Mail infographics can be found here:

- Technology Integrated with Direct Mail
- Direct Mail combined with QR and PURL Codes
- Augmented Reality (AR) Technology integrated with Direct Mail
- USB Web Keys integrated with Direct Mail
- Direct Mail integrated with Google AdWords and Remarketing
- Near Field Communication (NFC) Integration with Direct Mail

Find out more about Baker Goodchild's direct mail fulfilment services at http://www.bakergoodchild.co.uk

Contact information:
Telephone: 0800 612 1972
Fax: 0121 248 8550
Baker Goodchild
257 Great King Street
The Jewellery Quarter
Birmingham
B19 3AS

Image credits: redtouchmedia and Pure Metal Cards