Last month when I read about JCPenney's new integrated marketing strategy I was excited to see how the retailer would execute on the direct mail component of their plan. Through the approach described in the article, JCP seemed to understand the value of highly targeted and personalized direct mail as part of an integrated mix and the role it could play in getting people into physical store locations.
'We're focused on targeting our customers through an integrated marketing campaign, and direct mail is a key component to this outreach strategy,' says Kate Coultas, spokesperson for jcpenney. Source: Deliver Magazine
This month, I received my first direct mail postcard from JCPenney. The oversized square format along with their bold new logo caught my eye; however, they failed to keep my attention and motivate action. In this post, I'll outline a few things they can do to make future direct mail touches more effective.
Deconstructing JCPenney's April Marketing Postcard
Upon review of JCP's direct mail postcard, I noticed several missed opportunities to:
- provide relevant content
- track the performance of offers and channels
- collect key data that could aid in refining future messages
Weakness: Poor Targeting and/or Lack of Personalized Content
The front of JCPenney's postcard features a large, colorful photo that fills the entire frame. Images that are colorful, simple, and direct'like the one on their postcard'often work well for conveying a message quickly. However, this image did not resonate with me. It was a photo of a yawning baby. The back of the piece included the message: 'Don't let another precious moment go by without making it memorable. Capture their smiles, the surprises and event the sleepy times that fill your heart.'
I do not yet have children or grandchildren. There are no small children living in my house.
Recommendation #1: Segment your mailing list. Use demographic selections to narrow down your list to target recipients that more closely match your service offering or message. By doing so, JCPenney could have saved money, reduced waste, and realized better return on investment.
Recommendation #2: Personalize mail pieces and include relevant content that matches the interests and/or needs of the target audience. JCPenney could have easily increased the efficacy of their direct mail campaign by using variable data printing to swap out images and copy. Rather than include a photo of a baby, they could have advertised their 'business portraits' service to me or let me know if I could get a portrait taken with my pet (my husband and I have two dogs and a cat).
Weakness: No tracking mechanisms to measure campaign response
If you were JCPenney, wouldn't you like to know if you were generating more business due to a direct mail piece vs. newspaper ad vs. online ad vs. social media campaign, etc? Digital technologies available today'like PURLs (personalized URLs and landing pages), QR codes, and SMS text elements'make it possible to track responses to traditional media. The call to action on JCPenney's postcard directs recipients to a general website and generic telephone number.
Recommendation: Integrate digital technologies on direct mail and print pieces to track campaign performance and measure response. Print providers and direct marketing fulfillment partners could have included QR codes and PURLs on the postcards that are specific to each recipient. Then, whenever a recipient scans their QR code or visits their PURL to get more information, JCPenney's team is instantly notified of the activity. JCPenney could also use information about responses to bolster existing data sets and refine messaging for future campaigns.
Weakness: No ability to collect additional consumer data to refine future messaging
Studies have shown that consumers are willing to answer short surveys or provide personal information to obtain coupons that are relevant to them. The JCP postcard includes no opportunity to exchange information in order to download the coupon, tailor future promotional offers to fit the recipient's interest/needs, or customize how recipients receive upcoming promotions based on their channel preference.
Recommendation: Rather than direct recipients to a generic website, take them to a customized landing page that is specific to the promotion. This not only provides the opportunity to 'sell' the offer and track conversions, but also acts as a platform to serve up a questionnaire or ways to share the offer with friends on social networks.
What other ways would you improve their direct mail marketing campaign?
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