Let’s Get Physical: The (Everlasting) Case for Direct Mail and Our New Integration With Lob
Optimove’s quest to equip brands with the most holistic and robust multichannel platform that brings together the best of both integrated suites and best-of-breed just got to another important milestone: partnership with a direct mail tech solution, data, execution, and measurement included
Let’s start from the end: in 2022, Direct Mail is alive and kicking, thank you very much. What makes us say that? Just pretty much every piece of data out there:
6 in 10 Americans say they enjoy learning about new products via Direct Mail (via Epsilon’s direct mail advertising statistics)
60% of Direct Mail catalog recipients visit the website of the brand (via the United States Postal Service)
Direct mail recipients purchased 28% more items and spent 28% more money (via the United States Postal Service)
Convinced yet? Okay, one more: Up to 90% of direct mail gets opened, compared to only 20-30% of emails (via Data & Marketing Association).
Last one! An Optimove client ran a campaign that targeted 415.5K unique customers with a retail brand’s catalog, while 27.4 K consumers acted as a control group and received nothing. The brand generated a whopping additional $1 million via the catalog campaign, and 94% of consumers made an order due to receiving the catalog. That’s further evidence that Direct Mail should not be underestimated if anyone’s still looking.
So, would it really surprise you that we’re announcing a new partnership with Lob, a leading direct mail automation platform? Didn’t think so.
More channels for us, more freedom for you
Lob is a software platform that automates the creation and delivery of personalized direct mail. Over 8,500 brands, including Twitter, Expedia, Booking.com, Betterment, Clover Health, Root Insurance, and ThredUp, have already used Lob’s platform to automate direct mail workflows. In this light, it’s easy to see how one in two U.S. households have received mail generated from Lob’s platform.
But the fact direct mail can still be so effective as a marketing channel and the fact a platform such as Lob exists – are not all the reasons why this partnership happened. It’s the way it all perfectly ties back to our core mission statement that makes it such a strong match.
See, “helping marketers do more of what they are great at” is one of our core values here at Optimove, a prominent part of our mission statement. As such, giving marketers the freedom to roam the marketing realm, find their own path, and design personalized customer experiences brings joy to our clients and us.
And so, the more channels we offer through our platform, the more freedom – or options- marketers have to execute their vision from a single login (so: without needing to leave the Optimove Marketing Hub).
That’s why, for instance, we recently acquired Kumulos, a personalized mobile marketing solution in addition to existing channels in Optimove’s cross-channel CRM Marketing solution, which now consists, basically, all of them: email, mobile push, SMS, pop-up, social media, and others (see all). We integrated Kumulos into Optimove because mobile works. And so does Direct Mail.
Native channels and world-class integrations
This is all part of a larger movement. After all, up until not too long ago, marketers had to choose between “integrated suits” or “best-of-breed.” Now, using Optimove, they can eliminate that pickle for good by using our myriad of homegrown solutions and world-class integrations, all developed with the expertise of best-of-breed and now available in one login. This integration with a physical direct mail tech vendor is another significant step in our constant journey to expand marketers’ freedom to control and direct their CRM Marketing activities.
We especially love this new partnership because it allows marketing teams to step out from the digital for just a sec, treat their audience to a tangible message, and add a fresh (yet traditional) marketing channel to their arsenal. And judging by how effective this channel is (dare us!), this integration is definitely a game-enhancer for brands and their audiences, if not a game-changer.
Now, imagine having it fully integrated – data, execution, and measurement – all into an industry-leading multichannel marketing hub.
Like Captain Picard on the bridge of the USS Enterprise, our mission is to “give you the bridge” as you explore new the frontiers of marketing. To make sure marketers don’t worry about the “how” and only focus on what human marketers are best at – creatively building effective marketing strategies.
Erik is Optimove’s VP Partnerships Development. He has 20 yrs. of corporate / business development, product strategy, and management experience at leading enterprise technology and digital marketing companies. With a BA from Penn State and an MBA from Villanova University, Erik brings not only tons of business+tech experience but also some significant amounts of Philly into the Optimove DNA. This is where we spell E-A-G-L-E-S.
