Guest column: The relevance of direct mail and the art of personalisation

sle of Man Post Office’s Lisa Duckworth on how to make the most of an alternative marketing source

According to the Royal Mail, UK Direct Mail is set to grow by 2.9% in 2016. This is further proof that DM has adapted to the technological revolution, maintaining its niche as both a standalone channel and as part of the wider marketing mix.

The i-gaming sector accounts for a substantial proportion of this growth, which has resulted primarily from the development of improved data handling and print technology, leading in turn to enhanced personalisation and higher response rates.

Direct Mail works for i-gaming businesses because it helps you stand out from the crowd. In an online world, where the average punter can receive over 50 promotional emails a day, this is a great asset.

However, with so much competition and a greater unit cost, DM needs to be done right in order to deliver ROI, and the key driver of success is design and content that’s both pertinent and relevant to each recipient.

Of the technological enhancements that have boosted DM, from improved data processing to bespoke printing technology, personalisation has been the strongest. Customers like to think that a mailer has been designed and crafted specifically for them, even if deep down they know they’re one of many.

So what is the art of good personalisation? It’s a multi-stranded science that’s not all about sticking someone’s name in the copy. The recipient will see straight past a half-hearted effort, which might even invoke a negative reaction. You either need to do it properly, or not at all.

The key is to first determine who you want to target with your mailer, then identify where they are in the customer journey. For instance, you could specifically target players who require activating, reactivating or retaining. Once you have decided on your strategy, you can then create your personalised message tailored for the intended recipient, along with a suitable incentive, which could include a discount or a free play.

If you want to achieve consistent results, you need to drill deep into the way the customers are playing, the games they prefer, how often they are active, and how much they spend. You can then use this information to tailor each mailer. Key pointers to remember include:

• Get the basic contact details correct

• Take account of previous contacts or interaction

• Ensure imagery and copy suit the target demographic

• Tailor to the age and gender of the recipient

• Take account of hobbies and interests

Like all the secrets of good DM, this isn’t rocket science, but the extent to which you can personalise will always be dependent on the level of data you are able to mine. The best advice I can give is to make the most of whatever data you’ve got so that you can tick as many of these five boxes as possible.

Lisa Duckworth joined Isle of Man Post Office from Manx Airlines and has worked for the business since 2003. Since 2010 she has been the Post Office’s Commercial Director, tasked with developing and implementing strategies for all commercial activities across the business and identifying new markets and new products and services, and then in January 2016 she took on the additional responsibility of Operations Director. Lisa also leads the development of our direct mail services into new global sectors.