Direct mail automation bridges the gap between physical and digital marketing. When you connect it to your digital marketing tools, you can send targeted, personalized mail triggered by customer behavior and track results with the same precision as your online campaigns. Done right, it becomes part of a seamless, data-driven strategy that combines the best of both worlds.
Why bring direct mail into your automation workflows
With Lob, direct mail automation lets you send physical mail based on digital triggers, customer data, or specific behaviors. It works like your other digital channels by being personalized, targeted, and measurable.
The results speak for themselves. Campaigns that combine direct mail and digital channels see response rates up to 63% higher than digital-only campaigns. Adding direct mail to email campaigns increases conversion rates by 28%.
Benefits of integrating direct mail with Lob:
- Break through digital noise: Physical mail grabs attention when inboxes and feeds are full.
- Create tangible connections: A printed piece delivers a physical moment with your brand.
- Reach across channels: Connect with customers who might miss your emails or ads.
- Track and measure results: Lob makes offline engagement measurable with real-time tracking and analytics integrations.
Key tools for digital direct mail and marketing integration
An effective direct mail automation program relies on the right tech stack. Lob connects these tools so you can build, send, and measure campaigns from a single workflow.
CRMs for a unified customer view
Your CRM holds the data that powers personalization. With Lob’s integrations, CRMs like Salesforce, HubSpot, and Zoho connect directly through APIs or native connectors, keeping your customer data consistent across channels.
This connection makes it possible to:
- Send birthday or anniversary cards automatically
- Reactivate dormant customers with targeted offers
- Follow up with leads after a sales conversation
- Create audience segments for precise targeting
Marketing automation for event-triggered mail
Your marketing automation platform lets you create workflows that respond to customer actions. When connected to Lob, you can:
- Send a postcard after a cart is abandoned
- Mail a catalog when someone browses certain products
- Deliver a thank-you note after a first purchase
- Send an exclusive offer when engagement drops
These triggers work just like your email or SMS automations, but deliver a physical piece that cuts through digital fatigue.
Analytics platforms for real-time insight
Analytics tools help measure and optimize campaign performance. Lob’s real-time delivery tracking integrates with your analytics platforms so you can:
- See which mail pieces generate the most website visits
- Track conversions from QR codes or personalized URLs
- Compare response rates by audience segment
- Measure ROI alongside your digital channels
How Lob’s direct mail integration solves common marketing challenges
| Marketing challenge |
Digital-only approach |
Lob's direct mail advantage |
| Digital fatigue |
More emails and ads |
Physical mail breaks through the noise |
| Limited attribution |
Pixels and cookies |
QR codes and PURLs connect offline to online |
| Personalization gaps |
Dynamic email content |
Variable data printing for physical pieces |
| Timing |
Instant delivery |
Coordinated send windows aligned with digital |
| Customer reactivation |
Retargeting ads |
Tangible offers that prompt action |
Steps to build a data-driven direct mail program
1. Define clear campaign goals
Start with measurable objectives:
- Acquisition — attract new customers with introductory offers
- Retention — keep existing customers engaged with loyalty rewards
- Reactivation — win back lapsed customers
- Cross-sell/upsell — introduce new products to current customers
2. Clean and sync your data
With Lob, address verification happens automatically at send time so you can:
- Eliminate undeliverable mail
- Remove duplicates and outdated contacts
- Format addresses to meet postal standards
- Sync CRM, ecommerce, and automation tools
3. Create personalized mail templates
Lob’s variable data printing lets you personalize at scale without extra setup:
- First names and personal details
- Location-specific messaging
- Product recommendations
- Offers tailored to customer segments
4. Automate triggers and workflows
Connect Lob to your marketing automation so you can send mail based on:
- Abandoned carts
- First purchases
- Loyalty tier changes
- Subscription renewals
5. Test and optimize regularly
Use Lob’s tracking and analytics integrations to run A/B tests with different:
- Offers
- Designs
- Calls-to-action
- Send timings
Tracking performance and measuring ROI
With Lob, you can track and measure offline engagement just like any digital channel.
Ways to measure success:
- QR codes: QR codes on direct mail connect physical mail to digital actions and track scans.
- Personalized URLs (PURLs): Deliver tailored landing pages and track responses at the individual level.
- Unified dashboards: See mail results alongside your other channels for full cross-channel attribution.
Ensuring compliance and security
Lob keeps your customer data secure at every stage:
- SOC 2 Type II and HIPAA compliant
- Automatic suppression list management
- Encrypted data transfer and storage
- Full GDPR and CCPA compliance
Make it happen today with a connected tech stack
An integrated marketing approach with Lob lets you send personalized mail based on digital behavior, track performance in real time, and deliver consistent experiences across every customer touchpoint.
We make it easy to connect direct mail to your existing tech stack through our API and pre-built integrations. Book a demo to get started.
