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Measurement

How tracking works: how do you know direct mail is working?

Direct mail can be measured. RSVP uses four methods, from the simplest to the most complete, and two of them need something from you. Here is how each one works, what it shows, and a checklist of what to hand over.

By RSVP Direct Mail Advertising · · 6 min read

The first question every business owner asks is fair: how will I know it worked? You will know four ways. Two are built into every RSVP card and cost nothing extra. Two need something from you, and we will tell you exactly what. Most direct-mail marketers already track response this way: 82% of those surveyed by the ANA use QR codes or personalized URLs[1] (n=39, so a signal and not a benchmark).

1

QR codes

Included in the rate

 2

Call tracking

Included in the rate

 3

Site traffic lift

Needs: your Google access

 4

Match-back

Needs: your leads and closed deals

Method 1Unique QR codes

Every card carries its own QR code that opens a page made for the mailing. Each scan is a person who chose to act, and the page tells us which card, market and drop it came from. It works best when the code leads to one page with one goal, like a short estimate request.

A working example. Scan it.

  1. Scan

    A homeowner scans the code on your card.

  2. Tagged page

    It opens a page with tags that name the card and drop.

  3. Counted

    The scan and any form fill are logged to that mailing.

Shows: who acted on the card, and when. Does not show: people who saw the card and later called or searched without scanning, which is what methods 3 and 4 are for.

Included in the rate

Method 2Trackable call numbers

Your card carries a dedicated phone number that rings through to your real line. Because that number appears only on the mailing, every call is tied to the drop. Many homeowners would rather call than scan, especially for a roof or a broken AC, so this method catches the people who never touch the QR code.

Call today

(###) ###-####

Your dedicated number, on your card only

  1. Dial

    A homeowner calls the number printed on your card.

  2. Forward

    The call rings straight to your regular business line.

  3. Logged

    Each call is logged against that drop.

Shows: how many calls the mailing produced and when they came in. Needs from you: the number the calls should ring through to, and a note of which calls became jobs.

Included in the rate

Method 3Site traffic lift

Mail makes people look you up. Some will type your name into Google instead of scanning anything. To see that, we compare your website traffic and branded search before and after each drop. That is only possible if we can read your numbers, so you give us read-only access to your Google account tools.

Mail lands Weeks before Weeks after Visits
Illustration only. Not real data and not a promise of any result.

  1. You grant read access

    Add us as a read-only user on Google Analytics and Search Console.

  2. We take a baseline

    Traffic and branded search in the weeks before the drop.

  3. We compare

    The same measures in the weeks after the cards land.

How to give access: in your own Google account, add a user to your Google Analytics property with the Viewer role[2] and to your Search Console property as a Restricted user[3]. You stay in control and can remove the user whenever you like.

Shows: a pattern of traffic and searches around the mailing. Does not show: proof of cause on its own, since other things (seasons, other ads, weather) move traffic too, which is why we use it alongside the other three.

Needs: read access to your Google Analytics and Search Console

Method 4Match-back

This is the most complete method. You give us your new leads and your closed deals. We match them against the list of homes we mailed. It catches the customer who never scanned or called a tracked number, for example the one who rang your main line a month later, and it tells you which parts of the list became customers.

Homes we mailed Your leads and closed deals Matched homes
The overlap is the set of mailed homes that became leads or customers. Illustration only.

  1. You send records

    Your leads and closed deals, with names and addresses.

  2. We match

    Compared with the homes that received the mailing.

  3. You see the overlap

    Which mailed homes became leads or jobs, and where.

Shows: sales from the mailing that no QR code or call number would catch, and which parts of the list produced customers. Does not show: a guaranteed cause, since a mailed home may have bought for other reasons. It is strongest when read together with methods 1 to 3.

Needs: your leads and your closed-deal list

Onboarding checklist: what you provide

Methods 1 and 2 need almost nothing from you. Methods 3 and 4 need access and records. Here is the full list, so nothing slows down your first drop. Jon will confirm the exact format and the secure way to send each item.

Before we design your card (methods 1 and 2)

  • Your offer and the one next step you want people to take
  • Where the QR code should send people (a page you already have, or we build one)
  • The phone number tracked calls should ring through to
  • Your logo and brand assets

Site traffic lift (method 3)

  • A Viewer user on your Google Analytics property
  • A Restricted user on your Search Console property
  • Your website address, and the date you expect any other big marketing change

Match-back (method 4)

  • A list of new leads since the mailing: name, address, date, source if known
  • A list of closed deals: name, address, date closed and job value
  • A simple spreadsheet export is fine; Jon will tell you how to send it

What we do not promise

We do not promise a response rate. Response varies by offer, category and creative, and mail is not a same-day click. What we promise is that you will be able to see what the mailing did, in four ways, and that we will tune the next drop with you. Curious how the pricing and cards compare to Google and Meta ads? Read 7 reasons direct mail beats Google Ads for local home services and 5 mistakes local businesses make with direct mail, or request a free sample card and see your own QR code on a real RSVP card.

Frequently asked questions

How do I know RSVP direct mail is working?

RSVP uses four tracking methods: a unique QR code on your card, a dedicated call-tracking number, a lift in your website traffic (we need read access to your Google Analytics or Search Console) and match-back of your leads and closed deals against the mailed list (we need your lead and closed-deal data). Together they show scans, calls, searches and sales that came from the mailing.

Do you guarantee a response rate?

No. Response varies by offer, category and creative, and mail is not a same-day click. We do not promise a response rate. We measure the drop with you and tune the next one.

Are QR code and call tracking included in the price?

Yes. Call tracking and QR are included in the all-in rate of about 4–7¢ per home. Site-traffic lift and match-back depend on you sharing data, so they need your Google access and your lead and closed-deal list.

What Google access do you need for site-traffic lift?

Read-only access is the goal: a Viewer user on your Google Analytics property and a Restricted user on your Search Console property. You add the user from your own Google account, and you can remove it at any time.

What is match-back?

Match-back compares your new leads and closed deals to the list of homes that received the mailing. It catches sales that never scanned a QR code or called a tracked number, for example someone who searched your name or called your main line.

What if I do not have lead or closed-deal records?

Start with QR and call tracking, which need nothing from you, and add site-traffic lift when you can share Google access. Match-back gets better the more complete your records are, so a simple spreadsheet export of leads and booked jobs is a good place to begin.

Does a tracking method prove the mail caused the sale?

Not by itself. A scan or a tracked call is direct evidence that someone acted on your card. Traffic lift and match-back show a pattern around the mailing. Using all four together gives you a fuller picture than any single one.

Want to see it on your own business?

Book 30 minutes with Jon for your market’s rate card, or ask for a free mock RSVP card of your business with your own QR code.

Book a 30-min call Get a free sample card

Jon Rhoades · 919-610-1662 · jon@rsvpraleigh.com

Sources

U.S. data only. Third-party figures link to their source. Market figures and pricing come from RSVP. Arithmetic we did ourselves is labelled as such.

  1. [1] ANA (Association of National Advertisers): Response Rate Report 2023, Chart 39 — direct-mail tracking methods (n=39). Published 22 Feb 2024. Usage statistic only. ANA says this report is not benchmark data, so we use it for tracking practice, never for response rates. https://www.ana.net/miccontent/show/id/rr-2024-02-ana-response-rate-report-2023
  2. [2] Google: Analytics Help: Add, edit, and delete Analytics users and user groups. How-to, no statistic. https://support.google.com/analytics/answer/9305788
  3. [3] Google: Search Console Help: Managing owners, users, and permissions. How-to, no statistic. https://support.google.com/webmasters/answer/7687615
  4. [4] RSVP Direct Mail Advertising: Market figures (owner-occupied homes mailed, home values, household income) and per-home pricing, supplied by RSVP. Current rate card; confirm with Jon. RSVP’s own figures, not a third-party statistic. https://rsvpnc.com/#markets

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