Tips for Successful Channel Mix Testing
By Andrew Lee, Senior Account Executive
Direct mail continues to be a primary marketing vehicle for successful associations and has been shown to have a significant increase in response when combined with other marketing channels. But there are so many to choose from–how do you know where to start?
Use these tips to evaluate your testing plan and augment your direct mail efforts effectively and efficiently:
- Identify potential marketing channels for your target audience:
Ask yourself, is your data able to support usage in other marketing channels? Email, addressable geofencing, digital ads (across a variety of platforms), connected TV, telemarketing, and ringless voicemail are just some of the many options to choose from. Select channels that will provide you with the best reach based on your data.
- Use a variety of channel mix options:
Test your selected channels both alone and in combination with each other. A particular channel may only yield better results when combined with other channels, so it is important to test various mixes to get the best results.
- Measure and track your results:
The success of your program depends on how you can read your results. Utilize UTM coding, promotional codes, membership matchbacks, or other tools to track where your conversions are coming from. The key is to be able to read and understand what is working and what’s not.
- Evaluate your tests based on response and ROI:
Be objective about the data. Some results may surprise you! It’s always best practice to leave your expectations at the door when testing.
- Continue to test:
Refine your results to maximize your precious marketing dollars. As you begin to understand what’s working you can add and remove channels from your mixes to efficiently reach your target audience.
Successful channel mix testing will help you understand where and how your audience prefers to be contacted. Explore new channels and combinations to continually engage your audience and find what works.
