Automotive Direct Mail: 7 Best Practices [14 Examples] - Blog

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because who sends what! started, we’ve included automotive direct mail in our collection. and rightly so.

The automotive industry is one of the main contributors to the us. uu. economy. 2020 stats tell part of the story:

the industry accounted for a $627 billion share of the us. uu. economy (about 3% of gdp)
14.5 million light vehicles were sold, less than in 2019, but more than expected due to closures forced by the pandemic
electric vehicle sales actually grew 14.9% from 2019

In addition, cars (and trucks, motorcycles, etc.) are a unique and important part of our culture. people buy them for recreational purposes as much as for transportation, and continue to spend money on them for service, parts, and upgrades of all kinds.

Auto direct mail advertising is an important way to drive customers to showrooms, car lots, service centers, aftermarket vendors, and websites.

Fortunately, now is the perfect time to build your business with offers for leads and customers.

why?

drivers have plenty of disposable income because they spent less last year on long-distance travel, entertainment, and dining
suppressed demand is driving up the price of new and used vehicles
A return to work, school and shopping equals more cars on the road for longer trips
maintenance is no longer put off due to reduced need or financial pressures

More than ever, your automotive direct mail campaigns need to stand out in the customer’s inbox. It’s not easy, as there is a lot of competition in many segments of this gigantic industry.

7 best practices for automotive direct mail

Fortunately, your mail piece can pull off a variety of tactics and get customers through your doors. each of these maximizes one stage in the tested aida model.

1. provide something tangible

automotive direct mail takes full advantage of being a physical, tactile channel. a brochure or self-mailer can be a starting point for considering buying a vehicle or getting service.

Coupons are a great tactile way to put a deal in the hands of your customers. they are hugely popular in automotive direct mail campaigns. fat monkey, for example, put two of them on this little postcard from july 2020. it works because:

the amount of the discount dollar is prominent
it is clarified that the coupon must be physically presented at the point of sale
the benefits of the discounted service with the coupon are listed with bullets

here’s another example, a postcard sent by a honda dealer in indiana. it works because:

entire shipment must be returned to dealer
driver is incentivized to test drive a vehicle with gift card offer
other cash offers provided more reasons to visit

2. celebrate the seasons and holidays

summer and winter are key seasons for car maintenance. people want to feel comfortable (air conditioning, heating) and safe (overheating, long trips, freezing and snowy weather). but they often need reminders.

This February 2021 mopar mailer shows wintry scenes on the front and a headline: “winter road conditions are here.” it works because:

on this side, under “did you know?” headline, the company asks if the driver has taken care of potential car concerns such as “change to winter tires” and “check battery”
vouchers offer discounts on services
Seasonal maintenance is performed by “factory trained technicians”, which should give you peace of mind

In addition to the seasons, the calendar provides a guide to other times around which to build campaigns. Popular ones include: Independence Day, Thanksgiving, New Years, Back to School, and in the case of this Midas postcard from August 20202, Labor Day. it works because:

big print title on front
eye-catching usa message uu. flag graphic
2 coupons with special price offers

3. promote your sponsorships

You want your customers to trust you. But your words, in your car’s direct mail or inside your doors, only go so far. the experiences and opinions of trained experts and authorities can help build credibility.

subaru highlights the recognition given to its vehicles in this postcard from March 2021. it works because:

Your safety rating is highlighted on the front just below the heading “trust always takes you further”
the management side breaks down external professional ratings by quality, safety and value with logos for each authority
the back also includes an offer of 2 years of free maintenance by “factory trained teams” using “genuine subaru parts”

many customers pay attention or even seek endorsements or ratings advice from other consumers, yelp, facebook and other sources. Toledo Auto Care, for example, included a customer testimonial in this postcard from March 2021. It works because:

the big google logo and 5-star rating stand out out front
a customer testimonial like this can also be a powerful way to bolster your reputation
the ase (automotive service excellence) certification logo also carries some weight

4. send postcards

postcards are popular in automotive direct mail because they are simple yet versatile and can be sent at reasonable postage rates. just look at all the other postcards featured in this article. to make a quick impact, make sure you don’t overcrowd your postcard. Carefully use white space and copy to focus the customer on your message or offers.

This Toyota postcard, mailed in July 2021, highlights the dealer’s customer service. it works because:

the offer at the top stands out because it’s in reverse white font, with “free” and “lifetime” in bold
the bulleted benefits are easy to follow
the copy in the burst explains more about the offer

5. take advantage of personal data

Today’s automotive direct mail doesn’t have to be bulk mail. When you leverage the data you have (or should have) about your customer and their vehicles, you can talk to them regularly on a one-on-one basis.

here is an example of variable data printing (vdp) in an email to a chevrolet driver from august 2021. it works because:

lists the number of rewards points earned to date
recommended services are displayed based on your profile
full loyalty program information is available in the website

Personal data doesn’t always have to appear in just one piece of mail. this volvo aug 2021 self mailer instructs the consumer to go to the purl (custom url) displayed in the mail to view your personalized offer. it works because:

the odd dollar amount discount, “$1,181”, seems more believable
using a purl builds anticipation for the offer
the letter is from a person with your contact info included

6. reward loyalty

I mentioned it before, but it bears repeating: this industry is very competitive. Whether it’s dealerships or stores that sell vehicles, or stores that sell parts and repairs, a better deal may be just around the corner or down the road. When done right, automotive direct mail campaigns keep your customers engaged with your brand and away from your competitors.

here is an example from advance auto parts, mailed in september 2020. it works because:

includes the retailer’s rewards program (speedperks) logo
the title “we miss you!” acknowledges the customer hasn’t been back in a while
giant postcard has a large image and large print headlines on the front, all of which are good for attention-getting
incentives discounts and bonus points are offered as a purchase
smaller type describes program changes and includes more details about the offer

Automakers also promote loyalty, as Nissan did in this email from June 2021. It works because:

the large image that stretches across the front of the postcard shows the 2 promoted models
the “private offer” leverages exclusivity, an emotional copy driver
an incentive of $500 is offered

7. make the cta easy

It should be as simple as possible for a customer to act once they are convinced they want or need to do so. Do you realize how many of these examples have legible fonts in the titles and calls to action? whatever you want the client to do, it needs to stand out from the rest of the copy, so it doesn’t get lost.

This speed auto repair postcard was mailed June 2021, it works because:

the phone number is in reverse white font on a darker background
shows the website
includes the address, including zip code, and also a mini -map

Here’s another example, in a letter mailed by a Bentley dealer in June 2021. This effort targeted a very different audience than most of the other samples highlighted above. it works because:

mailed in an invitation style envelope
words like “exclusive invite”, “rsvp” and “reserve” speak to the very select segment the campaign was sent to
the reply phone number and email seem more personal than a vanity or toll free number or a generic email address like (info@ or sales@)

get inspired by successful automotive direct mail campaigns using who sends what!

You don’t have to look far to find examples of good automotive direct mail to inspire your work as a marketer, designer, or writer.

members of who sends what! you can search the entire automotive subcategory.

After all, what’s better than looking at creatives submitted by your competitors to learn what to do and what not to do?

Here’s how to find them:

after logging in to the website, click on the search option from the dashboard.
on the left side of the page, you will see industry as one of the options below of the filters.
in the text search box below the industry heading, type automotive, then select from the generated list

by last count, who sends what! lists 4852 mail pieces in the automotive subcategory.

final thoughts

automotive direct mail can help you deliver a customer experience that’s convenient and meaningful. With every type of mailpiece, whether it’s a postcard or a folded autoship, you have the opportunity to go beyond mere transactions.

mail helps you build a relationship centered on the driver’s wants and needs. And once you make that first sale, whether it’s a new vehicle or just an oil change, your customer contact can include other products or services that strengthen their loyalty to your company or brand.

Hopefully, these examples sparked ideas that can help you drive successful automotive direct mail. with who is sending what! you can consider possibilities that make your work easier and improve the lives of your clients.