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Saturation vs. Targeted Direct Mail Marketing

By: Andrew Glover
October 28, 2019

There is a multitude of marketing solutions for organizations to choose from when planning new campaigns. Saturation marketing is when you flood an area with direct mail content. The area could be a particular neighborhood or specific location around a city or state. The idea is someone should express interest in your mail when you are mailing content to such a large quantity of people. But sometimes, less is more.

Targeted marketing is a different approach that allows you to pinpoint your ideal receiver based on various aspects like demographic or economic status. Targeted marketing is a better option for many because it enables organizations to define a more ideal selection of members or potential members based on characteristics other than location.

What is Saturation Marketing?

Saturation marketing is when an organization decides to mail letters to every address in a region. The organization is saturating a specific area with its direct mail content. Bulk mailing like this is not beneficial to many organizations because the targeted audience may not live within the pinpointed region.

What is Targeted Marketing?

Targeted marketing is when an organization narrows down its desired audience based on their geographic location, demographic characteristics, economic status, or based on their industry. Targeting your audience in this way allows your organization to send direct mail to a particular group of people.

Advantages of Targeted Direct Mail Marketing

There are several advantages to choosing targeted direct mail marketing instead of using the saturated marketing method. Modeling your core member is one of the most critical aspects of a successful marketing campaign.

Reach a More Specific Audience

Targeting your audience allows you to reach a more specific audience than just saturating one area with your mailers. Understanding who will be interested in your organization will provide you with better response rates and help you establish more loyal members.

The old method for direct marketing was mass marketing. The thought was if you mailed information to as many people as possible, someone must be interested. However, materials and postage costs are always increasing. Organizations have changed their ways of thinking because they don’t want to waste money on people who may not have any interest in their goals or mission. You need to target individuals who share the same interests and values. That’s the most significant difference between saturation marketing and targeted marketing. Targeted mailing lists pinpoint your best leads. There is less waste, and you will have a higher percentage of prospects responding to your mailers.

Tailor Your Messaging to the Needs of the Member

You can tailor your messaging to the needs of the members when you choose a targeted audience. If you go the saturated marketing route, your messaging needs to remain generic, which results in many people not connecting with the content. Tailored messaging is appreciated by many because the communication feels like you are speaking to them directly. People want a unique interaction, and your organization can provide that by personalizing direct mail to your intended audience. Be specific and provide detailed content to your ideal audience.

Higher Relevance Leads to Greater Engagement and Response

The more relevant your content is, the more likely a person is to engage with and respond to your direct mail. If a material does not apply to a person, they are more likely to throw the mailer away without a second glance. But when the message is relevant to them, recipients want to learn more and are more likely to reach out to you. Forming a connect with prospects and current members is valuable to the life of your mission. Focus on providing relevant content to your targeted audience, and your marketing campaign is more likely to flourish.

Targeted Direct Mail Campaigns with Valtim

Valtim is an expert in designing and operating direct mail campaigns. We work closely with our clients to develop member profiles that will best benefit your targeted audience. We know that targeted direct mail improves response rates and helps an organization convert leads into loyal, supporting members. We can help you create a targeted mailing list that focuses on geographic, demographic, economic, or industry-specific information. You can mix and match multiple targeting options as well.

Contact Valtim to get started with building your next targeted direct mail marketing campaign.

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