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It's hard to believe that direct mail is still around. Yet this remains one of the most effective ways for businesses to communicate with their customers.

3 minute read By Canada Post Communication doesn’t discriminate. So why do we continue to segregate B2B and B2C? As marketers, too often we default to a buttoned-up, formal approach to business buyers, while we appeal directly to consumer passions. The thing is, we’re all human. Emotion factors into all our decisions. Increasingly, marketing needs to balance the needs of the buyer and the benefits to their consumers – acknowledging the new reality of B2B2C. It’s a dynamic that’s pushing B2B responsiveness into a more human and engaged space. Everything a company says or does tells us who they are and how much they value their customers. Instead of insisting on a two-tier approach, let’s acknowledge that people simply want to be engaged –no matter what the type of brand interaction. The pandemic has changed the way we judge value. On top of that, attention is scarce, people are more self-directed, and they have less time. Marketing for responsiveness, engagement, relevance and value works equally well for a commercial buyer as it does for the consumer. B2B marketing needs a human touch The global pandemic continues to affect our lives and businesses, disrupting the buying and selling process. Although technology plays a key role in the B2B ecosystem, it can’t replace the humanity that all buyers seek from both B2B and B2C brand interactions. A just-the-facts B2B approach isn’t effective anymore. There is a message in everything a company does. In addition to the basics of product, service and value proposition, what matters to sales conversion is communicating humanity at every customer touchpoint. Weave humanity into your B2B marketing Integrate marketing and sales to adapt to the new B2B journey. Use thought leadership and how-to content in direct channels – both digital and physical – to capture self-directed buyers and influence multiple stakeholders in the C-suite and beyond. Optimize contextual keyword search and organic ranking across content channels. Integrate sales activation and customer service into everything you do, to create demand and convert interest. Like B2C marketing, the more useful, engaging, relevant (and fun) you are to a buyer, the better. Be relevant to your customers and demonstrate your value to their customers. Get inspired by these thoughtful B2B marketing campaigns We love how these brands have successfully stepped out of the traditional B2B marketing box and proved it doesn’t have to be boring: American Garden turned up the heat on restaurant buyers, increasing share of market by targeting influencers. Carestream Ultra Sound created a simulation of their product to influence both the buyer and the user of the equipment. Fuji Xerox collaborated with a fashion technology college, turning a demonstration of its printing capabilities into an event. Use direct mail to enhance your B2B marketing In a B2B ecosystem, content creates a shortcut to relevance and increases brand engagement. Although B2B has moved primarily online, a multi-channel, integrated approach is now proving necessary to manage customer expectations and self-directed learning. Direct mail is a customizable channel that can connect to online content as well as adapt it into an engaging physical format that can close customer service gaps. People want to try before they buy, and direct mail helps prospects experience product or service value propositions in an intimate and tangible way. Engage clients with direct mail When you can’t be physically present with clients, direct mail can also supplement video conferencing, emails and calls. Use physical materials to bring your brand to life, provide personalized content, solutions and reference guides, as well as exclusive or endorsed content. There are many ways to improve the recall and impact of your message. With audiences who continue to work from home, carefully and contextually sequence your content in digital and physical channels to enable better data capture, data updates and marketing reach.

Marketing Recovery Series: Nurture growth and brand discovery with your marketing 2 minute read By Canada Post Emerging from lockdown, we’re evaluating its effect. As consumers, did we stockpile, buy more online and shop local or spend less and become more charitable? Did we cling to familiar brands or try new things? As marketers, did we search for behavioural trends and track changes in media consumption? Now, in the scramble for audience share, is the fear of losing customers matched by the danger of relying on promotions? Explore your marketing blind spots for growth potential Getting people to buy more for less doesn’t lead to long-term growth. During isolation, some brands added value and volume, others were unsure of their consumers and levels of loyalty. Now is your opportunity to examine blind spots. Where is the growth potential? Can you serve your current customers, as well as fresh or overlooked audiences, in newly relevant ways? Let’s move mindsets from volume to impact – focusing on customer potential rather than order size. People are rethinking your brand. You can rethink them too, and uncover overlooked needs or tap into underserviced audiences. We have more blind spots now – potentially missed opportunities to impact audiences and nurture new customers. Old habits have been shaken up, so decision making will become more considered, more nuanced and less predictable. Nurture your audience and increase brand discovery Focus on discovery to nurture audience potential. Uncover the impact of the pandemic recession on your category and customers. With so many people online right now, pay attention to search to reveal interest trends, needs and shopping behaviours. Monitor customer service for the same. Whether B2C or B2B, think about how you can use different channels to increase brand discovery. Bring impact and trial together – using ‘tryvertising’ to turn discovery into habit-forming interactions. Look for inspiration from nurturing brands We’ve been impressed by these nurturing brands who don’t take their audiences for granted: The IKEA ThisAbles project created mutual value when a small group of under-represented customers became a growth audience and underlined the company’s inclusive purpose. Remember Pebbles ? The overlooked cereal brand has turned its box into a web series featuring artists, dancers and magicians. They’ve nurtured interest by helping parents, kids and out-of-work creatives make it through their day. Recognizing the uptick in skincare needs, Canadian brand DECIEM has turned store staff into online ambassadors, launching virtual DECIEM AT HOME consultations to support customers and recognize the power of human connection. Tell your story and use direct mail to enhance your marketing mix to encourage brand discovery Throughout lockdown, online and offline channels have stepped into the void left by physical distancing. Children have connected with parents and grandparents over Zoom. Instead of birthday hugs, we’ve mailed cards and handwritten letters. Personal or professional, these connections are noticed and amplified on social media. Digital spaces contain skippable advertising, ad blocking and algorithms favouring existing preferences. With a much higher dwell time, direct mail can enhance at-home discoverability and engagement. Use search, site traffic and social data along with postal codes to enhance targeting relevance. Direct mail is the perfect ‘tryvertising’ channel. Storytelling through direct mail allows brands and customers to go deeper than digital retargeting. Formats like postcards, samples, catalogues and custom pieces help audiences discover your brand and uncover its value.