Paul Costill, founder of Audience Innovation, argues that combining direct mail with digital channels cuts through clutter and drives better sales results. He's added NFC cards and embedded video to print pieces, targeting everyone from C-suite executives to affluent households. After 17 years at Time Inc., he's spent 12 years building this hybrid approach as digital channels get oversaturated.
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All right everyone, welcome back to another episode of the Business Blast podcast. I'm your host Tyler Wagner. Today I have Paul Costill with us. He's the founder of Audience Innovation. So welcome to the show, man.
Hey, thanks Tyler, appreciate it.
Of course, happy to have you on. And just for all of our listeners, this is going to be a little bit of a different format for this episode. We're going to dive a little bit deeper with Paul and his business. So Paul, we'll kick it off with the first question. The first one I have for you is, what is the most valuable piece of information we should know that's within your expertise or industry?
Well, I focus on marketing and advertising and sales, so my particular company kind of bridges the gap between all three. And I think the biggest thing that we're learning today with all the, you know, advent of online and online targeting and online retargeting and all those different things is that the customer is still being reached through venues other than online. So what our clients have found and what we've really learned, especially the last 6 months, is the, the combination of multimedia channels, online and offline, is what's producing the best result. And this crosses any type of target. It doesn't matter which kind. So that's the one thing that's been our biggest learning curve this year, is the online plus offline is what's working best for the sales channel results.
And how long have you been in business and why now are your platforms so popular?
Well, Audience Innovation has been in business 12 years. Prior to that, I was at Time Incorporated, the big magazine company, for 17 years, essentially doing the same thing that I do independently with Audience Innovation now. These programs that we do are tangible touchpoints, so they're the offline component of a client's online strategy. And you know, a few years back we didn't have an online strategy, so it's kind of odd that a lot of marketing is circling back to offline to augment the online, kind of what I was saying in the first section we talked about. And you know, really building the tangible touchpoint, meaning direct mail devices that are actually causing a more visceral reaction over there with the customer. You know, it's why they're so popular now is because online is overwhelming. You can't necessarily reach your entire target. There's a lot of advantages to online, but some of the disadvantages are exactly rectified by adding an offline component. So that's why we've been so successful this year in terms of our growth.
Yeah, I think that's like a really good point there, man, because I think, you know, with the whole online explosion, like everybody moved online and I think a lot of people are forgetting about just like a normal networking event in person. And they're so focused online, so I think definitely a combination of both is the ultimate. So I think it's—
well, just one more thing to add to that is, you know, we have clients who actually use our programs because it cuts through the clutter over there and they don't have enough money to actually do their online channel the way it needs to be done in order to cut through the clutter. So they'll use our program, which is what you said, it's like shaking hands in person. It really makes a difference.
So I'm excited for your answer on this next one. What's working for your marketing clients to drive higher customer engagement?
Well, we just talked about it. It's adding the offline, or what we call tangible touchpoints, which is essentially direct mail, to their online channel. So let's say a client has— a B2B client has, you know, a high-end CFO target. We're going to take some percentage of those CFOs and also target them with an offline strategy. Not all of them. They're going to try to reach the broader masses online, but with the, say, the top 10% or the ones that are most critical, we're going to add this offline component so they get both of those online and offline in combination. So that's very typical of what we're doing today.
So then why is the tangible overlay causing bigger online marketing and sales results as well?
You know, I think it's just, it's the psychology of humans. Humans are not only digital people. In fact, digital is kind of new to all of us. So it's the visceral response, it's an emotional response. With our programs, we're actually sending them, you know, kind of a gesture of goodwill. Please enjoy receiving XYZ. And then there's an appreciation for having received something rather than feeling stopped. So they actually have a whole different emotional response to it, and therefore they even send thank-you notes back to our clients saying, oh my gosh, thank you so much for, you know, sending me this thing. So it's very, very a different type of mindset in the psychology of, you know, interacting and connecting with human beings, whether it's business to business or business to consumer. And that makes sense.
Yeah, no, definitely. And I think it's a very, like, different approach than most. So, um, you know, you have multiple customer targeting platforms, but can you explain them briefly?
Yeah, our 4 key segments are B2B, so any B2B target, whether it's a C-suite a trade target. We do all kinds of B2B. The second target, well, let me say, on B2B, we're always targeting in their offices. So the similar platform to that, but for affluent consumers, is we're targeting affluent households in their home. So first is B2B, second is affluent, and then we have two out-of-home platforms where we're actually targeting human beings in doctors' offices, which is called point of care, or in waiting rooms like barbershops, beauty salons, nail salons, automotive dealerships. So those two are out of home. We're targeting them where they go shop and/or when they're getting their doctor appointment or dentist appointment. And the other two are targeting them as a direct-to-human, like either in their office or in their home. So those are the four categories. If I didn't say all that so fast, it's confusing, but those are our four best targets.
Okay, and then, and then what are the innovations of your business and the marketing platforms?
We are continuing to build innovation into a static medium, meaning a magazine or magazine cover wrap is no longer what it used to be. We're putting in buzz cards, we're putting in tap devices through NFC technology, we're embedding video. So we're actually enhancing the innovation of the touchpoint itself. So the touchpoint is still received tangibly via direct mail, but it's got call to action inside of it or video embedded directly in it where it immediately would take that user to the online experience that company is offering. Like, tap here through an NFC device to come visit our website or see a CEO video. It's adding innovation and interactive innovation to you know, a printed product. Very, very effective.
Dude, thank you so much for coming on. Really good insights in this one. So just the last one I have for you is, what is the best way for people to find you online?
Yeah, on our website is audienceinnovation.com. There's a Contact Us button, or my email is paul.costill@audienceinnovation.com. I'd be happy to answer questions or chat with anybody anytime.
Awesome, man. Thanks again for coming on.
Yes, sir. Thank you.
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