How To Track Direct Mail Using Tracking Links

You know direct mail is an important component of your omnichannel marketing strategy, but maybe you don’t realize just how nimble and precise this offline communication channel can be. Your business can utilize automated direct mail to achieve unparalleled insights into your customers through incredibly detailed data analytics and reporting capabilities.

From scheduling customized delivery and in-home dates to tracking production, progress, and delivery in real-time, your business can work more efficiently with an easy-to-implement, cutting-edge automated direct mail campaign. This critical marketing channel, done correctly, will provide a higher return on investment (ROI), increase customer retention, capture an influx of new customers for your organization, and increase customer LTV.

How can I get in-depth analysis from direct mail?

You already know how to track your digital campaigns online, but you can also track your offline direct mail campaigns using similar tactics. You can use detailed UTM links just like you use in your digital campaigns to see how successful each program is. You can also use tactics like personalized URLs and QR codes to easily track the conversions from your campaigns.

What is a UTM and how can it help track my direct mail?

UTM stands for “Urchin tracking module.” Urchin on Demand was the company that popularized tracking visitors to websites through coded URLs, and Google Analytics purchased the company back in 2005. The name remained.

Get highly detailed analytics using a short URL that utilizes UTM codes

Create a short, custom URL to a custom landing page that uses UTM coding. This URL is used ONLY on your direct mail or offline marketing materials, ensuring that you can accurately measure your direct response rate. Use an URL that redirects from your domain name.

An example of a short URL used on a direct mailer to measure response rate might be YourDomain.com/coupon. You can also direct customers to this address using a scannable QR code printed on your mailer to track your direct mail response.

What can UTMs track?

When a customer receives your direct mailer and uses the information to enter your trackable URL on their phone, laptop, or tablet, UTM codes embedded in the URL are trackable using Google Analytics.

If you’re wondering how to track direct mail with a customized UTM, the following fields are available to create each personalized URL that is printed on your direct mail pieces:

• Campaign source: This is the spot your traffic originated from — i.e., your direct mail.
• Campaign medium: This is a more detailed breakdown of your campaign source, indicating the marketing channel such as email or social media that brought a customer to your website.
• Campaign name: This is to identify the specific direct mail campaign that brought your customer to you. “Fall Coupon,” “Retention,” “New Customers,” etc.
• Campaign content: This UTM can be used for even deeper detail — inside a three-part direct mail campaign, for instance, or if you’re testing two versions/images for the same campaign.
• Campaign term: You may not need to use this parameter in your direct mail pieces. “Term” is often used to identify paid ad keywords.

UTM parameters allow you to see what type of direct mail campaign marketing strategy performs better, where and how your customers are drawn to your custom landing page, and which coupon codes they are using.

Which UTM parameters do I need to include?

Whatever business you’re in — retail, e-commerce, financial services, insurance, healthcare, etc. — Lob can help you determine exactly what UTMs will help you track your customer response most effectively. The more parameters you include, the more information you will track.

Why should I use Lob automated direct mail for my business?

Lob works with thousands of modern businesses, from startups to Fortune 500s, that rely on Lob to automate their direct mail workflows and ensure the integrity of their address data.

Take a look at some of the impressive statistics that you can expect when combining direct mail with your digital marketing campaign:

• 40% conversion rates
• 68% increased website visits
• 63% increased response rates
• 60% increased ROI
• 53% increased leads
• 39% increased traffic to a physical store or business location
• 11% increased downloads

Spire Law Firm successfully uses Lob to create and track its direct mail, freeing staff from the labor of manual printing, addressing, and mailing. They have reduced waste from undeliverable mail and enabled employees to focus on creating new growth opportunities.

"Lob greatly increased our marketing department's capacity to reach out via the mail. It's now an important consideration for all new potential lines of business. We can grow faster because we use Lob. We use the verification API (Application Programming Interface) not only for things sent through Lob but all our packages NOT sent through Lob. While we [previously] didn’t track 'return to senders,' the returns have gone down to almost zero since implementing the verifications API into our normal shipping process."

- Kyle Harris, Head of Engineering, Spire Law Firm

Program and control direct mail just like email

When you use Lob for your next direct mail campaign, you’ll see significantly improved metrics (trackable with your personal URL that includes UTM coding), including new customers, better ROI, improved conversion rates, increased website traffic, and more.

Schedule a demo to see just how to track direct mail using Lob’s Print & Mail and Address Verification APIs.

During your demo, we’ll show you:

• The potential of a threefold ROI increase from day one.
• All the benefits of a modern, automated direct mail workflow.
• How you can be up and running in just weeks.
• Our flat-rate approach to pricing.

Lob automates the entire process of creating, sending, and tracking direct mail and address verification, engaging with the right customer at exactly the right time. That’s why over 8,500 customers trust Lob to power their direct mail marketing. Work with Lob; we have a focus on environmental sustainability. Contact us today and join the direct mail revolution.