What’s Your Remail Strategy?
In direct mail, a well-crafted remail strategy can drive customer growth and enhance brand awareness. Some marketers may not be using remail at all, while others have built sophisticated remail programs that run like well-oiled machines. Wherever you fall on that spectrum, refining your remail approach can improve response rates and maximize marketing efficiency.
Audience Segmentation
The first step in a successful remail strategy is segmenting your audience into two key groups:
Responders Who Did Not Convert
This segment includes consumers who initially engaged but did not complete the desired action. Since they’ve already expressed interest, they represent the highest conversion potential.
To maximize effectiveness:
- Acknowledge their previous engagement in the follow-up message.
- Send the remail within a week of the initial contact—delaying too long increases the risk that they’ve moved on.
- Automate follow-ups to ensure timely and consistent outreach.
For this group, remailing serves as a reminder to take action.
Non-Responders
This group consists of recipients who did not engage with the initial mailing. Since they require a more strategic approach, consider the following tactics:
- Basic Approach: Simply resend the original mail piece (though this often results in lower response rates).
- Enhanced Approach: Modify the creative by adding urgency-driven messaging like “Second Attempt” or “Don’t Miss Out.”
- Creative Variation: Use a different format, such as a new letter structure or a snap pack, to capture attention.
For non-responders, remailing helps reinforce brand awareness and provides another chance to engage.
Three Approaches to Remailing Non-Responders
Because the non-responder segment is typically larger, it requires targeted remail strategies to optimize results. Here are three common approaches:
- Full Remail
This approach involves resending the mail piece to all non-responders. While not the most cost-effective, it provides valuable data and insights for future campaigns.
- Random Sample Remail
Instead of remailing everyone, you send a randomly selected portion of non-responders. This method is more budget-friendly while still offering meaningful data to refine future strategies.
- Top-Tier Remail
By targeting the highest-scoring non-responders (based on model scores or engagement metrics), this approach delivers the best return on investment. It can also be expanded gradually, starting with the most promising prospects.
Why Remailing Works
A well-executed remail strategy offers several key advantages:
- Increased Reach and Response Rates
Factors like timing, mail delivery issues, or consumer distractions can impact initial engagement. A follow-up mail piece can catch recipients at a more receptive moment, improving response rates.
- Cost Efficiency
Remailing allows you to re-engage potential customers without incurring the full costs of a new direct mail campaign. Since you already have the recipient data, you eliminate data acquisition costs, and you can reduce production and postage expenses.
- Increased Follow-Up Engagement
For responders who didn’t convert, a remail serves as a timely reminder, nudging them to take the next step. For non-responders, it helps reinforce brand awareness, keeping your company top-of-mind for future opportunities. By maintaining consistent yet strategic follow-ups, remailing fosters higher engagement and strengthens brand recall over time
The Bottom Line
A remail strategy is not a one-size-fits-all approach—it requires testing, measurement, and ongoing refinement. By carefully segmenting your audience, tailoring your creative, and tracking results, you can develop a remail program that drives long-term success. In direct marketing, what’s worth doing once is often worth doing again.
Need Help Refining Your Remail Strategy?
If you’re looking to optimize your direct mail campaigns, contact Shannon Santos at ShannonB@InformativeResearch.com to discuss strategies tailored to your business needs.