As the marketing landscape evolves, so too does the terminology that marketers use. At Easypurl, we use this Ultimate Glossary of Direct Marketing Terms for our teams and clients so that we all have up-to-the-minute understanding of the most important terms and concepts in direct marketing today.
Whether you’re a seasoned direct marketer, or are new to the world of cross-channel customer engagement, this glossary is designed to help familiarize yourself with these important key concepts, so that you can make more informed decisions and unlock the full potential of your marketing efforts with the Easypurl platform.
| Term | Definition | Example |
| Call Tracking | A system that tracks inbound phone calls from marketing campaigns using unique phone numbers for each channel or campaign. | A direct mail campaign includes a unique phone number that is tracked and associated with that particular mailer. |
| Campaign Analytics | Collecting and analyzing data from direct marketing campaigns to measure effectiveness, such as response rates and ROI. | A marketer uses EasyPurl’s dashboard to monitor how many people visited their PURL, filled out a form, or called the tracked phone number. |
| Click-Through Rate (CTR) | The percentage of recipients who click a link compared to the total number of recipients. | If 200 people click the PURL out of 1,000 direct mail pieces sent, the campaign’s CTR is 20%. |
| Conversion Funnel | A series of steps a potential customer goes through before making a purchase, often visualized as a funnel. | A direct mail recipient visits a PURL, receives an email follow-up, and finally makes a purchase, completing the funnel. |
| Conversion Rate | The percentage of recipients who complete a desired action in response to a marketing campaign. | A campaign that generates 20 purchases from 500 PURL visitors has a conversion rate of 4%. |
| Cost Per Acquisition (CPA) | The average cost incurred to acquire a new customer or lead from a marketing campaign. | If a direct mail campaign costs $5,000 and generates 100 new customers, the CPA is $50 per customer. |
| Cross-Channel Marketing | Integrating multiple marketing channels to create a cohesive customer experience. EasyPurl helps automate cross-channel campaigns. | A marketer sends a direct mail piece with a QR code, followed by a targeted email campaign to recipients who haven’t yet responded. |
| Cross-Media Marketing | A strategy that uses a mix of media channels—both online and offline—to deliver consistent messages to consumers. | A campaign that integrates direct mail, email, social media ads, and SMS to target customers at multiple touchpoints. |
| CRM Integration | Connecting marketing platforms with CRM systems to manage customer data, interactions, and engagement across touchpoints. | EasyPurl integrates with CRMs like Salesforce or HubSpot to sync campaign data and provide a unified view of customer interactions. |
| Customer Data Platform (CDP) | A platform that collects and unifies customer data from multiple sources to create a single customer view, allowing for better personalization. | EasyPurl connects with a CDP to gather data from direct mail, email, and website interactions, creating more accurate customer profiles. |
| Customer Journey Mapping | A visual representation of the steps a customer takes from the initial awareness to the point of purchase and beyond. Journey mapping helps optimize touchpoints to improve the customer experience. | A customer receives an initial direct mail piece, visits a PURL, receives a follow-up email, and makes a purchase, completing their journey. |
| Customer Lifetime Value (CLV) | The total value a customer is expected to bring to a business over the course of their relationship. | High-CLV customers may receive more personalized direct mail offers and follow-up emails to encourage repeat business. |
| Data-Driven Marketing | Leveraging customer data to create targeted campaigns, improve personalization, and optimize performance across channels. | EasyPurl uses customer behavior data to trigger personalized email follow-ups after a customer scans a QR code on a direct mail piece. |
| Direct Mail Automation | A technology that automates the process of sending direct mail based on specific triggers. | A customer who abandons their online shopping cart receives an automatically triggered direct mail postcard offering a discount to complete their purchase. |
| Direct Mail Retargeting | Sending targeted direct mail pieces to individuals who have interacted with digital channels but have not yet converted. | A visitor who abandons their cart on an e-commerce site receives a personalized postcard with a discount offer to complete their purchase. |
| Direct Response Marketing | A strategy designed to generate an immediate response from recipients, often using a clear CTA like filling out a form or scanning a QR code. | A direct mail postcard with a PURL that says, “Visit your personalized page to claim your discount,” prompting immediate action. |
| Drip Campaign | A series of automated marketing messages sent over time based on user behavior or engagement. | A prospect who visits a PURL but doesn’t convert enters an email drip campaign, receiving follow-up emails designed to move them closer to a sale. |
| Dynamic Content | Content that automatically changes based on user data or behavior, used to personalize messaging in emails, web pages, or ads. | A PURL displays different product recommendations based on the recipient’s previous interactions with the brand. |
| Email Retargeting | Sending targeted follow-up emails to individuals who interacted with a previous campaign but did not complete the desired action. | Recipients who visit their PURL but don’t complete a form receive a follow-up email encouraging them to take the next step. |
| First-Party Data | Data collected directly from customers or website visitors through forms, surveys, or interactions with marketing campaigns. | EasyPurl captures first-party data through PURLs, as customers fill out forms on personalized landing pages. |
| Geo-Targeting | Delivering content or ads to users based on their geographic location. | A local retailer uses EasyPurl to send direct mail offers to customers within a 10-mile radius, with personalized offers based on proximity. |
| Inbound SMS Marketing | A technique where recipients send SMS messages to a designated short or long code in response to a campaign, often to receive more information or opt-in for promotions. | A direct mail piece includes a message such as “Text OFFER to 12345 to claim your discount.” |
| Lead Nurturing | Building relationships with potential customers over time using multiple touchpoints to guide them toward conversion. | After receiving a direct mail piece with a PURL, prospects enter an email nurturing sequence offering more details and incentives to convert. |
| Multivariate Testing | Comparing multiple variations of a marketing element, such as headlines or CTAs, to determine the most effective combination. | Testing different combinations of headlines and CTA buttons on a PURL to see which version converts more users. |
| Omnichannel Marketing | A seamless, integrated marketing strategy where customers receive a unified experience across all channels—digital and offline. | A customer receives a direct mail piece with a QR code, scans it to visit a personalized landing page, and later receives a personalized follow-up email based on their actions. |
| Personalized Landing Pages | Web pages customized for individual recipients, often linked to PURLs or QR codes, to provide tailored content and improve engagement. | After scanning a QR code on a direct mail postcard, the user lands on a page that addresses them by name and features an offer customized based on their interests. |
| Personalized URLs (PURLs) | Unique web addresses personalized for individual recipients of a marketing campaign. PURLs are used to deliver tailored content based on recipient data. | A direct mail campaign invites recipients to visit www.company.com/JohnDoe, where “JohnDoe” is a personalized landing page created specifically for that recipient. |
| Personalization at Scale | Creating individualized marketing messages for a large audience, leveraging data and automation. | EasyPurl’s platform personalizes landing pages and direct mail pieces for thousands of recipients, each with a unique offer and message. |
| Reactivation Campaign | A campaign aimed at re-engaging inactive or lapsed customers, often using personalized messaging. | EasyPurl helps send personalized direct mail pieces to customers who haven’t made a purchase in over a year, encouraging them to return with special offers. |
| Response Rate | A metric used to measure the percentage of recipients who respond to a direct marketing campaign by taking a desired action. | A campaign sends out 1,000 direct mailers and receives 100 responses, resulting in a 10% response rate. |
| Trigger-Based Marketing | Campaigns triggered by specific actions or behaviors. | When a customer fills out a form on their PURL, they automatically receive a thank-you email or SMS confirming their request. |
| Variable Data Printing (VDP) | A printing technique that allows marketers to customize printed materials for individual recipients. | A direct mail campaign where each postcard features a unique offer and the recipient’s name, created using EasyPurl’s platform. |
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