The Challenge

A retail business wanted to increase online sales and drive more traffic to its ecommerce website. While direct mail had been an effective marketing channel, the retailer recognized an opportunity to extend its reach beyond traditional print communications and engage customers across multiple touchpoints.

The company also wanted greater visibility into campaign performance, improved customer tracking, and a way to build a virtual audience for future promotions.

Campaign Objectives

• Drive more traffic to the ecommerce website
• Increase online revenue
• Strengthen customer loyalty and engagement
• Establish a virtual mailing list for future marketing efforts
• Gain access to performance tracking and campaign analytics
   

The Strategy

Think Patented developed an integrated marketing campaign that combined direct mail with digital advertising, social media engagement, website visitor identification, and online retargeting.

The strategy was designed to extend the impact of direct mail by creating multiple opportunities for customers to engage with the brand online. By connecting print and digital channels, the retailer could increase visibility, generate more website visits, and gain valuable insight into customer behavior throughout the buying journey.

The Execution

The campaign launched during the retailer's 2020 holiday promotion and utilized coordinated outreach across direct mail, digital advertising, and social media channels.

Campaign Components

• Targeted direct mail campaign
• Digital display advertising
• Website visitor identification
• Online retargeting campaigns
• Social media advertising
• Social audience matching and remarketing
• Campaign performance tracking and reporting
   

Campaign Reach

The campaign generated significant exposure among potential customers:

• 26,205 direct mail pieces mailed
• 96.17% delivery rate
• 9,537 potential new customer leads identified
• 45 tracked inbound calls
• 318,537 online advertising impressions
• 873 digital ad click-throughs
• 47,413 social media ad impressions
• 117 social media ad click-throughs
• 18,096 retargeting ads delivered
• 8,707 unique visitors reached through social retargeting

By combining direct mail with digital follow-up and social engagement, the retailer was able to remain visible to customers long after the mail piece arrived.

The Results

The campaign delivered strong performance and helped drive increased online engagement and sales.

Key Outcomes

• 384,046 total impressions among potential customers
• 14.66x more impressions than traditional direct mail alone
• Strong increase in online sales during the campaign
• $1.83 cost per generated lead
• Successful performance that supported future seasonal campaigns

The retailer was so pleased with the results that the strategy was expanded to support additional seasonal promotions, including:

• Mother's Day
• Back-to-School
• Valentine's Day
   

Why It Worked

Consumers rarely make purchasing decisions after a single interaction. By combining direct mail with digital advertising, social media reinforcement, and website retargeting, the retailer was able to remain visible throughout the customer journey.

The campaign increased brand exposure, encouraged repeat engagement, and created more opportunities for customers to visit the ecommerce site and make purchases. At the same time, tracking and reporting tools provided valuable insights into campaign performance, allowing the retailer to make more informed marketing decisions moving forward.

Looking to Increase Online Sales?

Whether you're launching a seasonal promotion, growing your ecommerce business, or looking to better connect your print and digital marketing efforts, Think Patented can help you build integrated campaigns that drive engagement, increase visibility, and deliver measurable results.

Let's create a marketing strategy that turns awareness into action.