How Personalized URLs Work and How to Use Them
A direct mailing campaign can be very effective. In fact, studies show that direct mailers typically get 37x the response of an email campaign. As much as 54% of customers report preferring direct mail marketing, and 80% say they open the mailers as soon as they get them. But to make your direct mail campaign effective you need to make sure you’re including the right personalized URL.
What’s a Personalized URL?
This is a special URL created for each direct mail recipient. The person’s name is incorporated into the URL (hence the term “personalized URL”) and each person who opens a piece of direct mail from one of your campaigns gets to see their own name in print on the URL.
How Does the Personalized URL Work?
A personalized URL will take the customer to a very specific and personalized landing page with information that directly supports what you included in your direct mailer. This tends to keep people engaged and motivated to complete the call to action; almost as important, it gives you real insight into who is responding and when. This way you can know exactly how and how well your direct mailer campaign is working. In fact, a personalized URL is one of the top three tracking methods for direct mail marketing, along with telephone numbers and codes or coupons.
How Should a Personalized URL Be Included?
For best results, the personalized URL should appear at least twice in your mailing, along with other ways for the customer to respond to the mailer. For example, it could be included in the header, in the main body of information, and again in a P.S. to remind them where to go.
Who Gets the Most From a Personalized URL?
The most common use of personalized URLs is to increase membership and connect with customers in a way that will allow you to get phone numbers and emails for future connections at a lower cost. A personalized URL is also great for encouraging people to sign in and complete a survey in order to prequalify for something. These surveys then give you very specific and direct insights into customer and potential customer base and demographics. The personalized URL also works well at cross-selling certain products, if you can get existing customers to come and discuss with you something they already have. Finally, you can use the personalized URL method to get leads for advertisers.
Personalized URLs are just one part of an effective direct mail campaign. Make sure you’re using your personalized marketing and mail tracking in the way that brings your company the most benefit.