Although we have been hearing predictions that direct mail would be overtaken by digital advertising for years, the latest DMA statistics indicate that print is still a very viable and important component of the marketing mix. That said, few would dispute that a multi-channel marketing strategy is the best approach. Savvy service providers are blending IP targeting with direct mail, merging online and offline technologies to compound campaign effectiveness. Providers can offer marketers the ability to send a print direct mail piece that will be followed up with a digital display ad or alternatively send a direct mail piece after someone has spent time on a website viewing specific items. The end result is improved campaign response rates.

IP targeting uses a computer's IP address to deliver targeted ads to users, and it is rapidly becoming the go-to resource for online advertising. This type of advertising enables the user to show digital ads to specific IP addresses (B2C and B2C). With IP targeting, marketers provide names, addresses, and zip codes of the people or businesses they would like to advertise to. This can be a list of previous customers, lost customers, potential new clients, or a direct mail list. These addresses are then run through an IP mapping system where the IP addresses are matched with physical addresses. Once the two addresses append (i.e., match), marketers can begin serving display or video banner ads using the IP address of the home or office building. Mobile data systems can also anonymously map consumers’ mobile phones back to their households, enabling the attachment of extensive offline data to a phone’s ID. This means that audience-addressable ads can be linked to mobile phone or out-of-home screens. IP targeting represents a tremendous opportunity, as it enables print service providers to differentiate their direct mail offerings and bring them into today’s multi-channel world.

I recently had the opportunity to interview Stacy Griggs, CEO of El Toro (Louisville, KY), to understand how the company’s software can improve customer targeting strategies. El Toro is a startup company that enables advertisers to target individual homes, businesses, or out-of-home screens based on their individual IP addresses or mobile IDs. The firm offers a white-label service to agencies and print service providers to deliver measurable ROI-oriented solutions that typically blend printed direct mail with digital advertising. Reinforcing direct mail with digital ads or vice versa yields significantly higher returns than single-channel advertising. El Toro has more than 60 employees and has experienced a growth rate of 14,000% in the past 36 months.