Designing a stellar direct mail campaign has never been easier. Due to numerous innovations being available to Direct Mail Manager users, there are now more resources available for enhancing your postcard designs than ever before. These integrations are easier to use, too. Below, we’ll provide you with the ins and outs of one of our most impactful integrations yet, with Google Street View. Let’s get started!
Google Street View Images Differentiate You From Brands That Rely on Stock Images
When you’re looking at the postcards and flyers you receive in the mail, how frequently do you come across stock images? It’s likely that you’d probably see so many that you’d eventually lose count. In that same vein, you’ll rarely see images that harken back to places or things you see on a daily basis. Including real images that audiences may be familiar with could make your mailers stand out head and shoulders above competitors.
Including Google Street View images in your mail pieces helps establish trust among recipients because you’re showcasing places that audiences are probably familiar with. This can go a long way with building inroads in a new community. After all, seeing is believing. And if you’re a realtor, you may have prospects on your mailing list that won’t trust you to sell their homes unless they see ones you’ve sold in the past. It’s hard to imagine stock images having a similar impact.
You Can Use Google Street View to Display Expertise
It’s one thing to say that you know your stuff. But a picture is worth a thousand words. So if you’re a landscaper and you’re hoping to attract new clients with a mailing campaign, the google street view integration could be just what the doctor ordered. That’s because it enables you to use Google Street View images to showcase your best landscaping projects directly on your postcards and brochures.
Contrast this postcard to one that simply contains text about how effective your landscaping company is. Most recipients in need of lawn care assistance would be more likely to contact the company that sent the postcard in the first example than the latter. Showcasing the great work that you do in your community is one of the best ways to earn the trust of potential new clientele. By including Google Street View images in your mailers, you let recipients know that you’re both local and qualified for the job. This combination could be just what it takes to get better results from your campaigns.
Google Street View Allows You to Add More Personalization to Your Campaigns
One of the best ways to keep the marketing efforts for your brand on par with those that have bigger names (and budgets) is to personalize your messaging. And Google Street View images are ideal for delivering the personalization audiences expect. Suppose you’re an insurance agent nurturing leads for new homeowners policies. Using Direct Mail Manager’s Google Street View integration, you can include a photo of a recipient’s home directly on the postcard you send them.
Including this image, along with copy along the lines of encouraging them to protect their most treasured asset could be exactly what it takes to get them to consider a new home insurance policy. Direct Mail Manager’s variable data printing capabilities enable you to include a recipient’s first name, hometown, and more! Variable data printing enables you to leverage your first-party data in your mailing campaigns. All you need to do is ensure that the mailing list you upload contains a field titled with an appropriate merge tag for the variable data you’d like to include.
You Can Use Google Street View to Provide a Visual Aid for Identifying Your Business Location
It’s fairly common for postcards to include instructions on how to get to a businesses brick and mortar location. That’s why Google Street View images present the perfect opportunity to showcase your business while instructing audiences on how to find it. Visually seeing your business could increase the likelihood that recipients will actually visit your location. That’s because seeing your location could help recipients realize how close your business is. Additionally, your competition may not be going as far to get recipients to travel into their locations.
Including real time images of your business location can have a bigger impact on earning the trust of audiences than you think. That’s especially the case when you consider how few businesses take the time to include images of their brick and mortar locations on their postcards. Leveraging Direct Mail Mail Manager’s integration with Google Street View in conjunction with directions on finding your location is an ideal method for increasing foot traffic.
Steps for Using the Google Street View/DMM Integration:
Now that you’re clear on the benefits of using Direct Mail Manager’s integration with Google Street View, now is the time to learn how to use it. The steps for leveraging Direct Mail Manager’s Google Street View integration include:
- Generate an API Key:
The first step is to log into your Gmail account and navigate to the API credentials page. Then, you’ll create a new project and complete the signup steps. Once that’s done, you’ll receive and save your API key.
2. Register Your Custom Field:
Next, you’ll head over to the DMM address page, go to the custom fields section and add a new custom field. Then, you’ll enter and save the name of the custom field, along with the merge tag.
3. Create HTML Artwork:
The last step of the process is creating your HTML artwork containing the merge tag for your Google Street View image. Here, you’ll select a 4×6, 6×9 or 8.5×11 template. Add the custom field to the HTML artwork, making sure it matches the merge tag, and you’re all done!
Begin Leveraging Google Street View in Your Next Mailing Campaign by Signing Up for Direct Mail Manager Today!
Ready to begin making the most of the Google Street View integration with Direct Mail Manager? If so, sign up for a free or pro account and upload your first mailing list! There are numerous businesses just like yours that are seeing their direct mail ROI skyrocket as a result of this new integration. And make no mistake that yours can be next. If you have any questions about getting started, request a free demo with a direct mail specialist today. Our team of reputable, friendly marketing specialists is more than ready to help.
