In a world of digital everything, dimensional mailers stand out! Sending out an “old school” mailer (postcard, gift box, or other branded product) to your program participants is a smart way to stand out. After all, who doesn’t love getting something interesting in the mail? Your audience will appreciate the novelty of a physical gift and a cool conversation piece. Plus, it adds another level of “surprise and delight”.
In an interview with PCMA Convene Magazine, one of today’s business leaders observed, “Our rational, information-focused minds are becoming digitized and mobilized, but our hearts are very much still analog, emotional, and traditional.”
Thanks to their epic, nostalgic vibe, dimensional mailings are perfect for breaking through the digital noise that everyone is experiencing right now.
Below are some tips to get your participants even more emotionally invested in your rewards program:
1. Tie to the overall theme.
Once the theme for your rewards initiative is set, sending a mailer that directly connects to that theme will strengthen your overall concept. For instance, if your theme is based on an incentive travel destination, your dimensional mailer could tie to the culture, flavors, landmarks, or historic significance of that location.
When collaborating with a major PGA tournament sponsor, Creative Group designed a video mailer that personally invited each recipient to a unique golf experience. Not only did it reinforce the PGA tournament, but it also teed up all the excitement that was yet to come!
The best part, when it comes to creating a dimensional mailer, is that you can choose from a myriad of formats – spheres, tubes, 3D, pop-ups, audio, video, and many more.
A great example of this is a virtual event where the theme “Power with a Purpose” was pulled through every bit of communication. The superhero theme was perfect for the gift package which included a mask and small gifts they could use throughout the event.
2. Add surprise and delight.
Doing the unexpected is an ideal way to stir up excitement. Dimensional mailers are the perfect tool to deliver a completely unique and personalized customer experience. Not to mention, they can keep your audience excited for what’s next.
When a U.S. sales and marketing client called on Creative Group to engage their sales team, we created a pre-engagement mailer aimed at building intrigue and excitement for a big, upcoming 4-day virtual event. Participants received a surprise box delivered to their doorstep containing sales materials, interactive merchandise (think ‘fidget toys’), plus snacks in color-coded pouches to coincide with each event day. Here’s what a participant had to say: “This was a great meeting! Thank everyone who made this possible! You guys really went above and beyond making this super creative with the boxes and the theme.”
3. Use them at the right moments.
Timing is everything! That also applies to dimensional mailers. You’ll want to use them at selective and strategic moments during your incentives campaign to maximize their impact.
Here are some thought starters on what times might be right for a dimensional mailer:
- Send a sequence of mailers to create moments of anticipation leading up to the kickoff.
- Distribute one mailer to each team member as an invitation to a big rewards rally.
- Mail them to top performers to reveal that they’ve won a big reward.
Don’t let the term “mailer” fool you. You can certainly use them without actually
mailing them:
- Leave one on each employee’s desk to tease this year’s incentive travel destination.
- Surprise travel rewards recipients with one in their hotel room to make the experience feel even more special.
- Hand them out to participants after the program is over as a “thank you” for a job well done.
Want a digital spin? Include a QR code on your dimensional mailer. This can drive people to an online enrollment hub, a leaderboard to see the latest standings, or a URL to find out more details about your program and rewards.
If your goal is commanding attention or delivering a custom experience, count on us to design dimensional mailers that can help you do the job. Add them to your incentives campaign to enhance engagement and participation. Or incorporate them pre-event to set the tone for what’s to come. Either way, our team of experts will work with you to understand your objectives and help you bring the ‘wow’ in just the right way.
