Direct mail for B2B at first glance seems pretty much like B2C mail: both are about sending materials to convert prospects into customers. Many of the processes and fundamentals are the same. And mail’s value proposition – the tactile power of ink on paper – has taken on even greater importance as digital channels become cluttered with messaging.

Thanks to improvements in digital targeting and printing technologies, B2B direct mail has many opportunities to be more impactful in reaching the right prospects and customers and moving them along the sales funnel to take action. In this post, we’ll look at strategies to get the most effective and efficient use of mail to drive engagement at all stages of the sales funnel and move a customer to respond.

B2B marketing strategies and tactics have changed a lot in the last 20 years. They’ve become much more omnichannel, using data-driven nurturing across media to reach customers at the right time with the right message. But to support these efforts fully, as well as invest for the future, it’s vital to first break down silos within organizations.

Challenges facing today’s successful B2B marketing marketers today include:

A key difference between today’s direct mail for B2B and mail from years past is the growth of the role of data in reaching and targeting audiences. B2B data isn’t about volume anymore but rather, value, putting quality over quantity. Besides accuracy, your data must be relevant – and demonstrate it – to the target audience.

Variable Data Printing (VDP), for example, lets you leverage any of hundreds of data points to target prospects at any stage of the sales funnel with personalized sales copy, content, marketing messages, and offers.

Direct mail for B2B is a powerful channel because of how it engages prospects. Because it is a physical medium, it immediately cuts through the clutter created by digital communications.

Highly targeted mail pieces that are personalized are more relevant to the audience. When they address potential pain points, they build trust as they move the business prospect closer to converting. Additional credibility is achieved by aligning direct mail efforts with other channels with their own touchpoints, such as email and social media. Brand consistency helps differentiate your company from your competitors.

Statistics also show the effectiveness of direct mail for B2B:

According to the 95-5 rule, 95% of potential buyers aren’t always ready to buy now but will be in the market in the future. Companies can grow long term by investing in brand-building activities like content marketing, to target that 95%. Owned media and channels keep these prospects engaged and build trust by providing answers and even a sense of community.

The remaining 5% who are ready to buy now can be reached directly with lead generation.

Direct mail for B2B can be used throughout the main steps of the customer lifecycle. For example:

With account-based marketing (ABM), you can bridge the gap between marketing and sales by using direct mail to focus on your most valuable prospects. It can be useful at any point along the sales funnel. An initial broad-based approach, for example, centers on building from initial brand awareness. Next, as consideration or evaluation of your product or service continues, mail can target specific pain points or questions. And finally, late in the decision-making process, a highly-targeted and personalized mail package provides any last-minute needed information as well as a high-value incentive.

Direct mail response is all about numbers – what you spend versus what you get back. And it’s important to know all of these metrics because you have to figure out how they align with the goals of your campaign.

B2B marketers measure success by tracking key performance indicators (KPIs) such as:

One of the most promising innovations in B2B direct mail is incorporating artificial intelligence (AI) into everyday processes when crafting marketing campaigns.

Today, you can use AI to:

This and other tactics are potential ways to save time in the buying process. According to the Outlook for Advertising, Marketing, and Data 2024, a January 2024 study by the Winterberry Group, 58% of B2B marketers said that customers are spending more time on vendor websites and social media researching products and services before making purchasing decisions. 

Also, 51% of marketers in that survey said that personalization is becoming more important in content and media consumption to buyers.

And here’s an area of opportunity. According to a recent Gitnux study, while 70% of B2B sales organizations claim to have an AI in their sales strategy, only 21% have actually implemented it. With the pairing of AI and VDP, relevant and engaging direct mail pieces that connect with prospects have the power to generate leads more quickly and affordably than in the past.

Direct mail for B2B can be a powerful way to reach prospects and make a sale as part of a long-term, multi-touch strategy. Your marketing messages, when delivered to targeted accounts and audiences, help to build trust and confidence in your brand. The right branding makes and keeps your company’s products and services top-of-mind in a competitive marketplace where everything seems the same. Just remember that above all else, you’re talking to people – not buildings – so understand how to provide solutions for their pain points.

At mailing.com, we have 50+ years of experience working with marketers trying to reach audiences with powerful and persuasive B2B direct mail campaigns. Reach out to us to find out more how we can help.