As a growing automotive business, you count on attention-getting advertising that helps build customer relationships and brings people into your dealership. One of the most effective ways to connect with your audience and thank them for choosing your business is through direct mail marketing.
What types of automotive mailers still bring good results? The marketing team at Aspen Automotive is here to share some useful options for direct mail that can help your business succeed.
With the information in this article, you’ll be better prepared to get the many benefits that come from a strong direct mail marketing plan.
A Look Back at Direct Mail
Before the internet was common, how did people learn about new products or store updates? Many got the latest news from catalogs or newsletters that came in the mail. That’s what direct mail marketing is.
Direct mail marketing means sending a physical letter or flyer directly to someone’s mailbox. This method helps promote sales, share important updates, and increase awareness of your brand.
Why Direct Mail Still Works
The main reason direct mail is still effective is that it has less competition. Many companies now focus only on digital marketing, which means it’s easy for their messages to get lost among hundreds of daily emails and online ads.
People receive over 100 emails and see more than 60 ads every day online, but they only get about two pieces of physical mail per day. That means your direct mail is more likely to be seen and remembered.
Another reason direct mail works well is because it’s something your customers can physically touch and interact with. It also stays in their home, serving as a regular reminder of your dealership.
In fact, the U.S. Postal Service reports that direct mailers are responsible for 57 percent of marketing responses, while email gets only 6.2 percent.
Direct Mail in Today’s Digital World
In the digital age, you might wonder how direct mail can compete with social media and other online tools. People spend over six hours per day online, so why use printed mail?
Because direct mail can do some things digital ads cannot:
- It creates emotion: Receiving a letter in the mail reminds many people of simpler times, which creates a warm feeling. That’s why 73 percent of people say they prefer direct mail over other marketing types.
- It allows creativity: Direct mail can come in many forms—postcards, foldouts, or 3D shapes. This flexibility helps make your message stand out.
- It uses more senses: Direct mail can involve touch, smell, and even sound or taste. Digital ads only use sight and sound.
Because of these strengths, direct mail still plays an important role in marketing. Let’s take a closer look at which automotive mailers continue to deliver good results.
Key Tips for Effective Direct Mail
The goal of direct mail is to raise brand awareness, share helpful information, and create a successful marketing campaign. To do this, your mailer must stand out and grab attention.
That’s where expert designers come in. Designers who understand color theory and layout techniques can help make your mail more appealing.
For example, 84.7 percent of people say color is what first catches their eye.
Different colors can create different feelings:
- Red: Brings a sense of urgency or excitement; may even increase appetite
- Orange/Yellow: Makes people feel cheerful; often used for impulse buying
- Green: Suggests health, money, and balance
- Black: Suggests power and strength
Once you choose a main color, use color contrast to make your design even more attractive. You can choose from contrast styles like monochromatic (similar tones), complementary (opposite colors), or a three-color scheme. Choosing the right colors helps guide your customer’s emotions.Financing Options by Mail
Financing is often one of the first things customers think about when buying a car. That’s why sending direct mail with details about your dealership’s loan and lease programs is a great way to attract buyers.
Including a special offer in your mailer can help turn interest into action. You can even use tools that sort potential customers by their credit score and target your mail to those who are a good fit.
For example, using real-time credit data, you can send pre-qualified loan offers using the Autoproval tool. You can also send targeted mail based on remaining loan balances and time left on current leases using tools like Lease/Loan Enders.
Mixing Direct Mail with Digital: Personal URLs
Adding a personal touch to your mail helps make it more effective. One way to do this is with a Personal URL (PURL). A PURL is a unique web link—usually with the person’s name—that leads them to their own landing page.
This kind of personalized mail grabs attention and creates curiosity. It also helps combine direct mail with digital marketing, giving your campaign more power.
Whether you want to remind customers about maintenance or ask for feedback, PURLs help encourage more engagement.
Booklet Mailers
Larger pieces of mail, like booklets, often get more attention because people are curious about what’s inside.
Booklets with high-quality photos and colorful designs often catch the eye and encourage people to flip through the pages. You can use them to showcase new models or highlight special deals.
This kind of mail helps increase visits to your dealership by giving customers a preview of what they can expect.
Interactive Mailers
To make your mail even more effective, create pieces that engage more of your customer’s senses.
Research shows that physical items create stronger memories because they feel more real and are better connected to spatial memory. This means mail that your customer can touch, open, or play with has a lasting impact.
Today’s technology also makes it easy to include features like virtual or augmented reality. For example, adding a QR code can let people take a virtual tour of a car or service center.
These kinds of features help increase customer interest and make your dealership more memorable.
Including Free Gifts
Everyone loves a free item. Adding something like a keychain, bumper sticker, calendar, or sample product to your mail not only grabs attention but also builds goodwill with customers.
When your audience receives useful or fun items, they’re more likely to remember your brand and open your future mailings. Mailers that include free merchandise often see higher response rates and keep your business at the top of customers’ minds.
Creating a Full Sensory Experience
People connect with the world through their senses. By including as many senses as possible in your mailer, you create an experience that sticks with your customers. Here’s how you can use each sense in your campaign:
- Sight: Use bold colors, creative shapes, or fold-out designs to catch the eye.
- Sound: Add a QR code that links to a music playlist, maybe one suited to a car in your inventory.
- Smell: Send a new-car-scent air freshener to remind people of how good a new car smells.
- Touch: Use different textures or add small items like a mini car or keychain.
- Taste: Highlight how your vehicles suit road trips or family travel by including snack-related features or even a small treat.
Service Promotion Mailers
Letting your customers know about service deals and offers helps keep them coming back.
Direct mail is a good way to share service updates and promotions. Tools like POP cards make your service mail stand out in a mailbox full of standard letters and flyers.
When customers see your service promotions presented in a bold, eye-catching way, they’re more likely to remember you when they need maintenance or repairs.
By using these tried-and-true direct mail strategies, your automotive business can stay connected with current customers and attract new ones. Whether it’s a booklet, a personal URL, or a small gift, direct mail continues to work when done right.
