Automated Direct Mail vs Traditional Direct Mail

Automated direct mail and traditional direct mail refer to two different approaches to executing direct mail marketing campaigns.

Traditional Direct Mail

Traditional direct mail refers to a method of sending direct mail Campaigns to customers through postal mail services. This approach typically involves manually selecting the target audience, printing and sending physical mailers to those individuals. It's a time-consuming and often expensive process, but it can be effective for building a personal connection with the target audience.

Automated Direct Mail

Automated Direct Mail, on the other hand, leverages technology to automate the process of selecting the target audience and sending direct mail Campaigns. This approach uses data and algorithms to determine the most appropriate recipients for a given Campaign, and then automatically generates and sends personalised mailers to those individuals. Automated Direct Mail can be more cost-effective and efficient than traditional direct mail, as it eliminates the need for manual selection and printing processes. Additionally, Automated Direct Mail can be more targeted and effective, as it can use data to select the individuals most likely to respond to a given Campaign.

In summary, traditional direct mail is a manual and often costly approach to direct mail marketing, while Automated Direct Mail is a technology-driven, data-driven and more efficient way of executing direct mail campaigns.

Pre-requisites for Automated Direct Mail

1. Data: Automated direct mail relies on data to determine the target audience and to personalise the direct mail Campaigns. You need to have access to data about your target audiences, such as demographic information, purchasing habits, past response rates, and of course, their address.  

2. Technology: To execute automated direct mail, you will need access to technology platforms and tools that can automate the selection of the target audience, generate personalized mailers, and send the direct mail Campaigns.  Fortunately, you are in the right place for this.  ZAP~POST is Automated Direct Mail.

3. Marketing strategy: Before implementing automated direct mail, you need to have a clear understanding of your target audience and your marketing goals. This information will inform the development of a targeted and effective campaign. If you want help or advice, get in touch or, to see some examples from other successful campaigns, head to Impact Stories

4. Compliance: All direct mail must comply with laws and regulations regarding privacy and data protection. This includes complying with regulations such as the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) in the UK and Europe and the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) in the United States.  ZAP~POST is GDPR compliant.  You can send to any Customer or Contact under Legitimate Interest, even if they subscribe to MPS, on the proviso the Contact has previously interacted with your Company.

5. Data security: Automated direct mail requires the collection and processing of sensitive customer data. It is important to ensure that your data management processes are secure and meet industry standards for privacy and data protection. ZAP~POST is ISO27001 certified so you can rest assured here. The Certificate is linked in the footer should you need it.

6. Integration with other marketing channels: Automated direct mail should be integrated with other marketing channels, such as marketing platforms like Klaviyo, Ometria, Emarsys, Bloomreach and many more.  Ecommerce platforms like Shopify, Salesforce Commerce Cloud etc. are also fabulous sources of data for automated direct mail campaigns, to provide a consistent and seamless customer experience.  Integrating with ZAP~POST is a simplifies through the Data Sources tile in the Zap App

By having these pre-requisites in place, you can ensure that your automated direct mail campaign is effective, compliant, and secure. And yes, you guessed it, ZAP~POST is built to make all the above a walk in the park, for all brands and businesses looking to build lasting relationships with their Customers and Contacts.

If you think these pre-requisites sound complex, you'd be right. That's exactly why ZAP~POST was built - to remove the burden & complexity from you, the marketeer.  Your only concern should be thinking about what makes for effective content, which is covered in this article.

Or, if you're ready, take out a trial today and test how ZAP~POST can work for you.