Learn from the pros how to get the most out of your direct mail marketing campaigns. Plus 15 additional resources & 17 organizations worth joining.
We scoured the web looking for the top direct mail marketing advice to share here with you. Expert advice was sourced from leading direct mail companies, marketing publications, blogs, non-profit organizations and b2b marketers.
Learn the importance of audience targeting, headlines, saving money and budgeting, drafting compelling copy, how to get your mailers read, measuring responses, and most importantly, getting your audience to take action!
Planning
- Before you Start, Ask yourself. "What am I trying to accomplish with this campaign?" Without a clear and concise objective or plan it is impossible to determine your actual success. (imagemedia.com)
- Direct mail has less competition: The average consumer receives more than 100 emails per day. The sheer volume of digital messaging flooding into one's inbox gives any single given email or subject line an abysmally low chance of being noticed by the consumer. Direct mail offers are far more likely to be noticed -- and therefore opened -- due to a significant lack of competition in comparison to email marketing. Furthermore, most physical mail boxes don't come equipped with a spam filter. (blog.mymediahead.com)
- If you want to stand out to your prospects, you must do something different than what your competitors are doing. Everyone can send an email, but direct mail is something special these days. Not only that, research shows that direct mail connects with customers on a deeper emotional level and provides a much higher response rate. (bmgtoday.com)
- Instead of buying or compiling mailing lists, the Every Door Direct Mail program allows you to send oversized postcards or brochures to individual carrier routes. You can mail to residential only, or choose to include businesses. No labels are needed because each piece is addressed to "Postal Customer". (ecleanmag.com)
- Direct sales tip: it is extremely important that you hand samples out to your customers! (stay-a-stay-at-home-mom.com)
- For getting higher response rates from direct mail campaigns, it's important to analyze your rival's marketing. Begin by creating a list of your direct rivals and after that gathering their marketing materials. Sign up for their direct mail campaigns so you can see what they're doing precisely and investigate whether it works or not. (frescodata.com)
- If you are a local merchant or franchisee, shared mailers can be cost-effective. Is there another local business that targets your same market - but doesn't compete with you directly? If so, you may want to team up on a direct-mail effort. (frog-dog.com)
- Although they may be junk mail, postcards get read no matter what - even if thrown away without reading them, they get seen. It's like the phoenix rising up from the ashes. (postcardmania.com)
- So the benefits of direct mail include being able to target a specific geography - which is critical in a business that is all about location, location, location. Another important benefit of direct mail today is that the playing field is less crowded - with fewer of your peers sending direct mail, you have a great opportunity to really stand out in the mailbox. (click2mail.com)
- Research and planning is 75 percent of the writing process. Shaping a message from that and putting words on paper is the other 25 percent. So if you skip the research, you're skipping a big part of the direct mail writing process. (masteringlandingpages.com)
- A recent study by researchers at Bangor University showed that physical messages trigger a much deeper emotional response than virtual messages. Participants' neurological activity was monitored while they received both physical and virtual messages. Resoundingly, the physical messages caused more activity in those centres of the brain that correspond with emotional response. In real-world terms, this translates into not only a higher chance the message will become ingrained in a prospect's memory, but also a deeper brand connection. And that means, above all, a higher response rate. (firstmove.co.uk)
Audience
- Don't Lose Sight of the Big Picture. Many marketers tend to focus exclusively on the creative for their direct mail piece. Now don't get us wrong: creative is important. It's just not the whole story. Don't forget to focus some of your energy on obtaining a quality mailing list and developing an enticing offer as well; these are just as important to your direct mail marketing success. (usdatacorporation.com)
- Understand your segments. This means varying your copy to different segments based upon what your data indicates. You also need to treat your current customers and past customers differently than your prospect base. Your list is still the MOST critical factor to your direct mail success. (chiefmarketer.com)
- If you have managed to capture personal details of customers for marketing purposes, you can effectively target them with a personal message or offer. Using data from their previous buying habits, you can target customers with offers and new product launches on ranges they may be interested in. Personally addressing a leaflet to someone can also have a good impact as they are likely to take time to read it. (digitalprinting.co.uk)
- Direct Mail has three audiences: 1. 3-4-second (they'll read the headlines, scan the pictures - name - slogan) 2. 10-20 second (they'll read and absorb headlines and scan the copy) 3. The readers (want more information, will read more text) (wellstone.org)
- Be the customer: Take a step back from your direct-mail marketing efforts and approach them as your prospects. How would you react to your materials? Is the offer strong enough? Does the brochure/postcard/flyer look credible? Do you just have to possess what they're selling? Now, run it by friends, family members, co-workers and even passers-by to get their honest reactions. If you can't convince them, you need to tweak your campaign. (psprint.com)
- There are a few ways to go about finding a mailing list to reach your target audience. One method is to contact your local Chamber of Commerce to find out if any business lists are available for free or for a small cost. Another free option (but requires a bit of extra work) is to review the online Yellow Pages for your area to locate local businesses that meet your target audience demographics, and then copying and pasting their business addresses into an Excel spreadsheet for mailing purposes. To keep costs down while testing your postcard message, offer and lists, mail to small lists first (about 100 or so) until you know which lists provide the highest response rates and which messages resonate more. (labtechsoftware.com)
- Consumers are increasingly demanding and expecting a high degree of personalisation. Use whatever you know about your clients to reach out to them. Adding a name and address obviously gets your mail delivered, but marketeers need to use data insights to create attention grabbing, colourful headlines, individualised to every customer to improve response rates. (thedrum.com)
- Use a clean list. Your list is the most important component of your direct mail campaign. Incorrect addresses or old contacts create a wasted investment. Make sure that your names and addresses are accurate. (marketingmo.com)
- Did you know that the amount of available email addresses is only 20% of the number of traditional mail addresses?! So if you're sending a message via email, that's potentially a large audience that you may be missing! It's also a lot easier to delete an email or block promotions incoming to an inbox than it is to ignore an actual piece of mail. (printcraft.com.au)
- It's no secret that the more targeted your mailing list, the better you can angle your offer and the greater your response rate. Take time to refine your list demographics on a super niche level, and reap the rewards. (blog.psprint.com)
- Understand your target market - If I asked you who you think your target market is, odds are that you would probably say everyone. But think about it, would a real estate agent looking to sell new homes target consumers who recently purchased one? Details such as purchase behavior, lifestyle, habits, and attitude towards marketing and media, will help you build a much more effective message to potential customers. By developing or purchasing a well-targeted mailing list based on the geographic and demographic of customers you'd like to target, you have a better chance of getting the results you're looking for. (cfsinc.com)
- Your mailing list is so important to your campaign's success. If you send your postcards to people who aren't qualified to take advantage of your services, you're just wasting money on postage and postcards. You have to find your ideal target market - the prospects who already want your services and just need a reason to choose you over your competitors. You can find your ideal prospect by analyzing your current members. After all, they already chose you. If most of your members are males between the ages of 30 and 50, then they are your mailing list criteria. (clubindustry.com)
- The most important tip to remember for any kind of marketing idea is to know your audience. The message should be targeted specifically to your audience to have the best effect. Blanket mailers are less effective than specifically targeted ads to different segments of the population such as new parents, recent retirees, high school grads, etc. You'll need a minimum mailing of 500 pieces to really gage how effective the campaign is. (blogtrepreneur.com)
- Focus on messaging to the audience, not the length. You can send me a one-page letter or an eight-page letter; if it is about a subject I am not interested in, it won't matter - I won't read either letter. However, if you send me a well-written letter about a problem I genuinely wish I could do something about, you have a chance to get me to read your letter, regardless of length. (nonprofitpro.com)
- By harvesting data and performing a thorough market search you will be able have a good idea of who your target customers are, where they reside, their age, an average of their income etc. Many times you will find out that you can target customers in more than one demographic so making sure that your communications are tailored to those specific criteria will guarantee good communication between you and your customers. (startupguys.net)
- Get your offer right. Invest time in thinking about your offer and who it's for. It may not be for everyone you were thinking about mailing. (yeomansmarketing.co.uk)
- The importance of clean, accurate data is essential to the success of your direct marketing campaigns. Bad, or "dirty," data can sabotage a lot of your hard work. Response rates can suffer when campaigns are delivered to the wrong address, or turn the recipient off by simply spelling their name wrong. Even worse, bad data can be truncated into something potentially offensive, affecting your company's reputation or even ending up as bad press. (iwco.com)
- You need to trust your list. Is it your own? Is it a 3rd party list? Your ROI depends on the quality of the list. Are you reaching your best prospects? Is your list up-to-date and technically accurate? Let us review your list and "scrub" for addressing and syntax mistakes - we use specialized software approved by Canada Post to keep mistakes to a minimum. (micromailingcanada.com)
Design
- Most direct mail marketers use printed labels or envelopes with printed addresses when sending direct mail pieces. It might be cheaper and faster, but your pieces will end up being nothing more than junk mail. Handwritten envelopes spark curiosity because they are unusual. Prospects naturally want to know what's inside. (business2community.com)
- How about we put them all together...imagine an over-sized, bright silver colored lumpy bubble pack envelope with some teaser copy on the address label? I guarantee that no matter what you put inside..it would get seen. (drewsmarketingminute.com)
- Design - Is this piece an accurate representation of your brand? Would you open or read this piece if it was in your mailbox? (blog.bluefrogdm.com)
- Remember that direct mail is more than just writing a letter, it is a direct mail "package" including the outside (carrier) envelope, the letter, any inserts like brochures, giveaways, etc., and the response mechanism - a pledge card or response envelope. (blog.donorpath.org)
- Dress yourself up - make the most of your outer envelope! Outer envelopes matter. A lot. One of the most important tests you can do is to compare performance of different outer envelopes. Every market and situation is unique, but in my experience, the more colorful the outer envelope, the higher the response. (blogs.pb.com)
- If you want to design creative direct mail envelopes that wow people and that get opened in most cases, look at what everyone else is doing and do something different. If all of your competitors are using clear window panes then try having the addresses printed directly on the envelope. Try to be different and unique from your competition. (directmailingcenter.com)
- Colors matter. Colors can convey certain messages and affect consumers' buying patterns. For instance, blue has been shown to instill trust, red makes people want to take action and green makes people want to spend. Follow the lead of giant corporations. None of the colors they use in their adverts are chosen on a whim. They think about the message they want to convey to their demographic and select their colors accordingly. (dmedelivers.com)
- While postcards can certainly be effective for some campaigns, many mailers can benefit from interactive elements that spark more engagement. Even with a compelling offer, people are likely to read the copy on the postcard and set it down. Interactive elements keep them interested for a longer period of time. (johnsbyrne.com)
- Or..forget the envelope all together, along with the traditional thinking of a piece of paper. Own a classic car dealership? Why not send your potential client a foldable die-cut pop-up (say that 3 times fast!) of a 57 Bel-Air with your contact info on the bottom? I'm willing to bet that if they aren't in the market at that time (and it doesn't end up on their desk first) their grandchildren wouldn't mind a new toy to play with. Either way, that's now tied to their subconscious. You've touched your customers in a tangible way. (randrimages.com)
- Look great on paper. Your direct mail marketing efforts are a reflection of your brand. Make sure your logo and any constant design themes are present. If you're Apple, having the Apple logo and simplistic design is direct branding. Stick with your brand and make your company look great on paper. (resourcenation.com)
- Most direct mail marketing companies will give you a few size options for your postcard. If a company doesn't, move on and find one that does. (accountingtoday.com)
- Be sure to use quality images and bold colors. This is a great chance to really shine in front of your potential customers, be sure to make the most of it. (cpgraphics.net)
- Use Random Fonts for Addresses: Random fonts create a sense of handwriting by using up to six different styles for each character and have of late become quite realistic. Better still, have people actually hand write your envelopes. This real human touch removes the impersonal sense direct mail can have. Using either of these addressing methods, for recipient and return address, can be effective at removing one barrier some people have when receiving direct mail. (prioritypak.com)
- When designing your flyer, do not forget to include vital information. Your beautiful images will not do you much good if the potential customers do not know where or how to reach you. Include information such as the extent of the landscaping services you provide. While providing important details, avoid crowding the flyer with too much information. (taradel.com)
- You can even add a smell to your envelopes. Check with your envelope manufacturer about the special inks that can be used to make your envelope "smell" the way your product does. 14. Change the size of your mailing package frequently to create interest and appeal. (brandnewbusinesses.com)
Content
- No need to make your content sound boastful. Just make sure your message clearly describes the benefit. Don't use words and images that aren't relevant or helpful. When it comes down to it, consumers, clients and customers want to know what benefit they'll receive. (alexanders.com)
- The headline - This is the billboard of the piece. This is what convinces the reader that the rest of the ad is worth reading so make sure to grab them with a compelling statement in your headline. (darrenslaughter.com)
- Your copy should provide a clear, easy to read argument for why your audience should take a specific action. It should be informative, but also easy to skim - utilize paragraph breaks strategically to create a clear scan path for the reader. (toptenwholesale.com)
- A letter is a personal message. It is a one-to-one communication, so it should read like one person (you) talking to another. Corporate speak and product hype will kill your chances of building person-to-person rapport. (jgodigital.com)
- When writing your sales letter, use a friendly conversational style. Do not try to write "corporate" where you use large words and try to impress your prospects with your command of the English language. All that does is turn people off. Instead, write your sales letter as if you were talking to your best friend. (geisheker.com)
- Don't use jargon and technical terms specific to your industry when copywriting, reason being your audience may not understand what it is your company actually does. If they don't understand what it is you do after reading your mailer you've lost them forever? So why not use words or phrases that your customers are familiar with, words that they would use regularly and will easily comprehend, as that way they won't feel alienated or confused. (businessbanter.com)
- Don't make the mistake of assuming your audience knows absolutely nothing by putting obvious, cheesy taglines and graphics together that would inform a 3 year old. Get them thinking- by getting them involved in the campaign they are essentially giving you more time. (msimail.net)
- Buyers make purchases because they have a need, but sometimes it's up to you to create that need. Appealing to a buyer's emotions can open the wallet faster than you might think. The emotions you can target include happiness, fear, relief, concern, and even nostalgia. (ami-results.com)
- Add value! What's your incentive? An offer is an absolute must. After your logo, that will be the first thing people will look for on your direct mail. This should be a prominent part of your mail piece. Bold it, underline it, do something to make it stick out. (clubsolutionsmagazine.com)
- Use a "P.S." section. It is one of the most-read parts of a direct mail piece, especially a sales letter. (dmscolor.com)
- Be tuned in to spelling and grammatical errors. This reflects poorly on you if you send out a mailer with misspelled words or grammatical mistakes. Make sure the mailer leaves enough room for address labels and postal information. Too often a mailer is put together hastily, and you realize you did not leave enough room for an address or postage information. (hypemix.net)
- Simple. With direct mail you don't have much time to make an impression. So keep sentences simple. Your message brief. And use white-space enhancers - like dashes and bullet points - to help keep things readable. (info.eliteps.com)
- Unclutter - focus on a bold headline that is eye-catching, followed up by short paragraphs and bulleted points that support the headline. Less is more! (info.wordtechinc.com)
- The body content of the direct mailer should be aimed at creating demand for your product/service while creating interest and curiosity. This is the section you really need to make the value of your product sing. (matthewsteffen.com)
- Be active, not passive: Relationships form with personal touches. Whenever possible, use active verbs instead of passive. For example, "I'll send you the details of your pending contract" instead of "Your pending contract will be sent later this week." These small details will help you build the trust with your prospects before you even meet or speak with them. (nationalmortgageprofessional.com)
- Could you imagine sending out a direct mail piece to hundreds (or thousands) of people, only then to notice you've misspelled a word? It actually happens more often than you think! Always proofread multiple times and have several people look it over too. (precisionenvelope.blogspot.com)
- Most people know that the headline should be big, bold, and easy to read and make an impact, but people often forget that the headline needs to communicate a benefit of their product or service. Far too many amateur marketers waste their only communication with a potential customer on a catchy slogan or even worse, their company name. (coastaldirectmailing.com)
- The quickest way to grab (and keep) your donor's attention is to tell a story. Follow the method novel writers employ: conflict> development> resolution. Start with conflict. Develop the conflict. Resolve the conflict. (fundraiserhelp.com)
- Identify The Need - (nine words) - This is the first of the two sentences in your ask. Identify the person, cause, or group that's in need of assistance. Use strong emotional phrasing to describe the need. Paint as powerful a picture as you can while using just a few words. (fundraiserhelp.com)
- Not Too Wordy: The easiest way to get your mail piece thrown in the trash is to put too many words on it. Think of ways to convey your message using less words. Bullets, color text, bolding and italics can all help to highlight the most important words. The KISS (keep it simple stupid) method is best. (targetmarketingmag.com)
- Include relevant information: To entice people to give your mailer a second look, provide them with pertinent information. For example, realtors often send data about recent home sale prices in the neighborhood. This bit of information inspires people to pay notice to the mailer and gives the brand some extra attention. (verticalresponse.com)
- Did you know the success or failure of a direct marketing campaign depends 40% on a targeted mailing list, 40% on a compelling offer and 20% on the mail piece format and design. That's right... it's most important to get your message in front of the right audience with an irresistible offer. Make sure your list is targeted, accurate and current. Make sure you offer a valuable discount, bonus or contest. Pretty pictures and 4-color glossy printing can certainly help generate interest and response, but the list and offer matter 4 times as much. (amazingmail.com)
- Your headline is a teaser to make your audience want to read on. The headline is your selling point, and you have roughly five seconds to impress! Make it shout out, excite and entice the customer to read the rest. (helloevery1.com)
- The best ads use fewer words. Studies show that text comes second to visuals and that customers don't tend to read small text. (imagine-express.com)
- You may want to offer something that demonstrates your expertise (a report or white paper), or a free trial or demonstration. These will attract people who are interested in what you are offering or selling. (marketingzone.com)
- Your message needs to be simple enough for the reader to see the benefits at first glance. If it takes people longer than five seconds to see the benefit, the mailer needs to be realized. (metrodepth.com)
- If your mailing is part of a B2B campaign, you don't want it to look like advertising. You want it to look like a business communication. Why? Because most business executives have staff members who will toss anything that looks like junk mail. So get rid of the teasers and keep it professional. (nordisdirect.com)
Call To Action
- Don't print all the information about your event in an expensive direct mail piece. Instead, print just enough information to entice visits to your website, where they can read the balance of the information - and take whatever action you'd like. (socialbrite.org)
- Your call to action can't be generic because you're not addressing the general public. Make it urgent and more engaging not only through sales and discounts but also through such catchy activities as contests, promotions, and incentives for, say, participating in an online survey. Do not use a 'requesting' tone; instead make it sound like you're offering the customer a great, one time deal. (plumbmarketing.com)
- This is where the rubber hits the road. Your mailing needs to generate a response. The response may not be a sale (at least not initially), but your mailing needs to motivate people to take action. It could be a phone call. It might be an online request for more information. But your mailing has to generate some kind of measurable response. That response may be delayed. Sometimes it takes repeated efforts to get the response you're after. But at some point, your mailing needs to result in action. (info.tmrdirect.com)
- Direct mail allows you to better match your target market's needs. You can best accomplish this by tailoring mailings to appeal to a specific group of prospects. For many prospects, this is more appealing as compared to the more general approach that often is used in other marketing strategies. When you use direct mail, you save time and money by filtering out unnecessary content and putting in content that works to motivate prospects to "calls to action." (info.tmrdirect.com)
- It's vital to actually get the audience to take action after you've grabbed their attention, interested them and stimulated their desire. (findtheedge.com)
- Make sure details of how to respond are on every single page, or every single piece if your mailing has multiple pieces. (xpadite.com.au)
- Think of your direct mail piece's call to action as a period at the end of a sentence - without it, your piece just isn't complete. It should wrap up everything you talked about in your copy and tell readers exactly what they need to do next. (quantumdigital.com)
Following Up
- Before your direct mail pieces go out the door, put a system in place for handling customer inquires within a set amount of time once the initial contact with your company is made. This will ensure that no potential customer goes unnoticed, and everyone feels a sense of appreciation for their time. (ballantine.com)
- A key fundamental of marketing is multiple touch points. Thus, it helps to send a couple direct mail pieces or to use a direct mail piece combined with a follow-up email. (advocateprinting.net)
- Most businesses seem to think that just because they have informed their prospects once about their sale item then the droves will come in and buy it. I am here to tell you that that is just not going to happen.Do not give up after one mailing. Your marketing must be a sequential process that allows prospects to keep you at the front of mind. Think through how you generate the leads and then plan a steady trickle of marketing pieces to your prospects little by little by little. (doubleyourbusinessfast.com)
- Combine direct mail with email: Follow up with an email reminding prospects of your mail offer to further the response rate. Emails can also be sent before direct mail to let your customers know that a mail offer can be expected. (inkondapaper.com)
- If you do not follow-up with your leads at regular intervals, you are making a big mistake. A study conducted by the Association of Sales Executives showed that 81% of all sales happen on or after the fifth contact. Without a proper sequence of follow-up mail, the prospective customer will not even remember your brand. The follow-up process should be systematic and done in the same way every time. (theartofmarketing.net)
- So, we all know that follow up in sales is key but nobody seems to do it. With the advancements in technology, it has made follow-up extremely easy for sales professionals. My advice would be to write out your plan of follow-up with your prospects and then work the plan. You will absolutely see great results and when it comes time to put a phone call into those prospects, you will be thankful that you kept the sale going through direct mail. (betternetworker.com)
- Repeat: A successful mail program is just that, a program. To be successful, you need to mail consistently and frequently. If you have a good list and good offers, and mail consistently, you can build your business through the mail. Regular mail will generate brand recognition as well as work as a connection between you and your customers. (roadrunnermailing.com)
- Predetermine the best follow-up strategy: Don't wait to follow up! When you focus on your data and really target your audience the impact of direct mail can be enormous, but without following-up too much opportunity for growth is sacrificed. Use coupons and limited mailings to track and modify for greater target success in future campaigns. (shop.minutemanpress.com)
- Number of appeals is important: People need to hear from you at least three to four times during the year. . .and remember that you should NOT appeal for money every time you send an appeal! But, even when you're NOT asking for money directly, include a return envelope with whatever else you send so that the person at least has the tool necessary to send a donation if they want to. (richardmale.com)
- You need to think of it this way; people get side tracked with their busy schedules. They put your mailer to the side, so they remember to take the time to make their donation. But as the days go by, and more mail comes in, their "to do" pile gets bigger and bigger. Your mailer is at the bottom, months have gone by so then they just throw it away. We understand, and we are sure you do to. That is where the third mailer comes in (choicemarketing.net)
- If you are running a direct mail campaign based on one geographical area then why not run a series of advertisements on Facebook that are targeted at your demographic within the area? Build awareness of your campaign and they'll know exactly what your direct mail piece is about. (tridentdesign.co.uk)
Measurement
- PURLs in direct mail campaigns give consumers what they want - a place to go online to learn more about an offer. PURLs serve as the most effective way to add personalization, track a consumer's behavior and connect with them on an online channel. Traditionally after your company sends a direct mail piece, your marketing team has no way of knowing if the conPURLs in Direct Mail Postcard - Boingnetsumer actually received the piece. (boingnet.com)
- Plan your direct mail campaign's tactical strategy. Unless you design the campaign around a direct mail response from the consumer, such as mailing in a form, you will have to put other strategies into play so that you can determine how many sales or leads the campaign generated. This could be in the form of a promotion code, a custom URL or dedicated phone number for the campaign -- or a coupon or certificate the consumer presents upon purchase. (smallbusiness.chron.com)
- Testing is Important. Mailing lists are usually large, so instead of sending it out to the entire list, firstly you must try sending your promotion to a small test group. This test will enable you to decide how well the list will execute. You may also try out a new list to compare with the one that works better for you and see the results. (bluemailmedia.com)
- The most important aspect of all campaigns is measurement. You should make sure you record the geographic location of where your leads come from following the campaign. You can even do simple things like asking where the company heard about you from. One strategy we like to use is to include a limited time Special Offer on the mailer with specific instructions that they need to mention the mailer in order to receive the offer. That way clients will be forthcoming with where they heard about you. (jempp.com.au)
- Get down deep in the data and determine who will most likely "respond to your ad" (martinworldwide.net)
- Direct mail marketing is a commitment that will pay off over time, and it works best to think long term before doing your first campaign. The most successful direct mail agencies are always testing. They test which headline, artwork and promotional offer pulls the best results from specific targeted lists. They try a variety of formats from postcards to letters to brochures, and with a little pre-planning they easily track the success of every campaign. Tracking results can be based on calls to a tracking phone number, returned postcards, or specific views of a webpage via a 2D barcode or specific URL in the mailer. (mailingexpertsinc.com)
- Direct Mail is a continuous learning process; this data collection and analysis can deepen your understanding of your customers. The findings will help you to refine your next campaign, making each mailing more effective than the last. (centralmailing.co.uk)
- What is a good direct mail response rate these days? A good response rate is one that helps you achieve your marketing goals. Period. Ideally, the campaign should cost less than what it produces. So you want to accomplish some kind of goal, while enjoying a positive return on your investment (ROI). This is a good direct mail response rate. (cheep-cheep.com)
Saving Money
- To maximize the ROI of your campaign, it's important to minimize costs where you can. Direct mail can be an expensive undertaking, but those costs can quickly rise if you aren't aware of postal best practices. Many fundraisers don't realize that many small factors -the shape of the mail piece for example - can drastically alter postal prices. (thirdsectortoday.com)
- One way to save money on your direct mail marketing is to design mail pieces that are "machinable." Why? The USPS offers substantial savings on postage for mail that can be processed by their automated equipment. (mailamg.com)
- Budget - This is fundamental. It will help you determine exactly what kind of mailing you can afford. Expenses will likely include data purchase or rental, creative development, postage, production costs, the offer, and response handling. (dmnews.com)
15 Additional Resources
- Book: The Direct Mail Solution
- Book: NO BS Direct Marketing
- Book: A Complete Idiot's Guide to Direct Marketing
- USPS: Every Door Direct Mail User Guide (PDF)
- USPS: Advertise by Mail
- FedEx: Every Door Direct Mail
- Guide: The 3 Minute Guide to Direct Mail
- Direct Mail Templates (Free)
- Photoshop Direct Mailer Templates (Free)
- Even More Customizable Templates (Free)
- Headline Analyzer
- Direct Marketing News
- Direct Marketing Vendor Search (Pretty Exhaustive)
- Reddit B2B Marketing
- Direct Marketing Vendor Search (Pretty Exhaustive)
17 Organizations Worth Joining
- The Direct Marketing Fundraisers Association
- Phoenix Business Marketing Association
- Direct Marketing Association of Northern California
- Los Angeles Digital Marketing Association
- Catalog & Ecommerce Club of Northern California
- San Diego Direct Marketing Association
- Direct Marketing Association of Washington
- Florida Direct Marketing Association
- Atlanta Interactive Marketing Association
- Chicago Association of Direct Marketing
- New England Direct Marketing Association
- New England Mail Order Association
- Kansas City Direct Marketing Association
- Direct Marketing Association of Long Island
- Direct Marketing Club of New York
- Hudson Valley Direct Marketing Association
- VT/NH Direct Marketing Group
Learn the importance of audience targeting, headlines, saving money and budgeting, drafting compelling copy, how to get your mailers read, measuring responses, and most importantly, getting your audience to take action!
Planning
- Before you Start, Ask yourself. "What am I trying to accomplish with this campaign?" Without a clear and concise objective or plan it is impossible to determine your actual success. (imagemedia.com)
- Direct mail has less competition: The average consumer receives more than 100 emails per day. The sheer volume of digital messaging flooding into one's inbox gives any single given email or subject line an abysmally low chance of being noticed by the consumer. Direct mail offers are far more likely to be noticed -- and therefore opened -- due to a significant lack of competition in comparison to email marketing. Furthermore, most physical mail boxes don't come equipped with a spam filter. (blog.mymediahead.com)
- If you want to stand out to your prospects, you must do something different than what your competitors are doing. Everyone can send an email, but direct mail is something special these days. Not only that, research shows that direct mail connects with customers on a deeper emotional level and provides a much higher response rate. (bmgtoday.com)
- Instead of buying or compiling mailing lists, the Every Door Direct Mail program allows you to send oversized postcards or brochures to individual carrier routes. You can mail to residential only, or choose to include businesses. No labels are needed because each piece is addressed to "Postal Customer". (ecleanmag.com)
- Direct sales tip: it is extremely important that you hand samples out to your customers! (stay-a-stay-at-home-mom.com)
- For getting higher response rates from direct mail campaigns, it's important to analyze your rival's marketing. Begin by creating a list of your direct rivals and after that gathering their marketing materials. Sign up for their direct mail campaigns so you can see what they're doing precisely and investigate whether it works or not. (frescodata.com)
- If you are a local merchant or franchisee, shared mailers can be cost-effective. Is there another local business that targets your same market - but doesn't compete with you directly? If so, you may want to team up on a direct-mail effort. (frog-dog.com)
- Although they may be junk mail, postcards get read no matter what - even if thrown away without reading them, they get seen. It's like the phoenix rising up from the ashes. (postcardmania.com)
- So the benefits of direct mail include being able to target a specific geography - which is critical in a business that is all about location, location, location. Another important benefit of direct mail today is that the playing field is less crowded - with fewer of your peers sending direct mail, you have a great opportunity to really stand out in the mailbox. (click2mail.com)
- Research and planning is 75 percent of the writing process. Shaping a message from that and putting words on paper is the other 25 percent. So if you skip the research, you're skipping a big part of the direct mail writing process. (masteringlandingpages.com)
- A recent study by researchers at Bangor University showed that physical messages trigger a much deeper emotional response than virtual messages. Participants' neurological activity was monitored while they received both physical and virtual messages. Resoundingly, the physical messages caused more activity in those centres of the brain that correspond with emotional response. In real-world terms, this translates into not only a higher chance the message will become ingrained in a prospect's memory, but also a deeper brand connection. And that means, above all, a higher response rate. (firstmove.co.uk)
Audience
- Don't Lose Sight of the Big Picture. Many marketers tend to focus exclusively on the creative for their direct mail piece. Now don't get us wrong: creative is important. It's just not the whole story. Don't forget to focus some of your energy on obtaining a quality mailing list and developing an enticing offer as well; these are just as important to your direct mail marketing success. (usdatacorporation.com)
- Understand your segments. This means varying your copy to different segments based upon what your data indicates. You also need to treat your current customers and past customers differently than your prospect base. Your list is still the MOST critical factor to your direct mail success. (chiefmarketer.com)
- If you have managed to capture personal details of customers for marketing purposes, you can effectively target them with a personal message or offer. Using data from their previous buying habits, you can target customers with offers and new product launches on ranges they may be interested in. Personally addressing a leaflet to someone can also have a good impact as they are likely to take time to read it. (digitalprinting.co.uk)
- Direct Mail has three audiences: 1. 3-4-second (they'll read the headlines, scan the pictures - name - slogan) 2. 10-20 second (they'll read and absorb headlines and scan the copy) 3. The readers (want more information, will read more text) (wellstone.org)
- Be the customer: Take a step back from your direct-mail marketing efforts and approach them as your prospects. How would you react to your materials? Is the offer strong enough? Does the brochure/postcard/flyer look credible? Do you just have to possess what they're selling? Now, run it by friends, family members, co-workers and even passers-by to get their honest reactions. If you can't convince them, you need to tweak your campaign. (psprint.com)
- There are a few ways to go about finding a mailing list to reach your target audience. One method is to contact your local Chamber of Commerce to find out if any business lists are available for free or for a small cost. Another free option (but requires a bit of extra work) is to review the online Yellow Pages for your area to locate local businesses that meet your target audience demographics, and then copying and pasting their business addresses into an Excel spreadsheet for mailing purposes. To keep costs down while testing your postcard message, offer and lists, mail to small lists first (about 100 or so) until you know which lists provide the highest response rates and which messages resonate more. (labtechsoftware.com)
- Consumers are increasingly demanding and expecting a high degree of personalisation. Use whatever you know about your clients to reach out to them. Adding a name and address obviously gets your mail delivered, but marketeers need to use data insights to create attention grabbing, colourful headlines, individualised to every customer to improve response rates. (thedrum.com)
- Use a clean list. Your list is the most important component of your direct mail campaign. Incorrect addresses or old contacts create a wasted investment. Make sure that your names and addresses are accurate. (marketingmo.com)
- Did you know that the amount of available email addresses is only 20% of the number of traditional mail addresses?! So if you're sending a message via email, that's potentially a large audience that you may be missing! It's also a lot easier to delete an email or block promotions incoming to an inbox than it is to ignore an actual piece of mail. (printcraft.com.au)
- It's no secret that the more targeted your mailing list, the better you can angle your offer and the greater your response rate. Take time to refine your list demographics on a super niche level, and reap the rewards. (blog.psprint.com)
- Understand your target market - If I asked you who you think your target market is, odds are that you would probably say everyone. But think about it, would a real estate agent looking to sell new homes target consumers who recently purchased one? Details such as purchase behavior, lifestyle, habits, and attitude towards marketing and media, will help you build a much more effective message to potential customers. By developing or purchasing a well-targeted mailing list based on the geographic and demographic of customers you'd like to target, you have a better chance of getting the results you're looking for. (cfsinc.com)
- Your mailing list is so important to your campaign's success. If you send your postcards to people who aren't qualified to take advantage of your services, you're just wasting money on postage and postcards. You have to find your ideal target market - the prospects who already want your services and just need a reason to choose you over your competitors. You can find your ideal prospect by analyzing your current members. After all, they already chose you. If most of your members are males between the ages of 30 and 50, then they are your mailing list criteria. (clubindustry.com)
- The most important tip to remember for any kind of marketing idea is to know your audience. The message should be targeted specifically to your audience to have the best effect. Blanket mailers are less effective than specifically targeted ads to different segments of the population such as new parents, recent retirees, high school grads, etc. You'll need a minimum mailing of 500 pieces to really gage how effective the campaign is. (blogtrepreneur.com)
- Focus on messaging to the audience, not the length. You can send me a one-page letter or an eight-page letter; if it is about a subject I am not interested in, it won't matter - I won't read either letter. However, if you send me a well-written letter about a problem I genuinely wish I could do something about, you have a chance to get me to read your letter, regardless of length. (nonprofitpro.com)
- By harvesting data and performing a thorough market search you will be able have a good idea of who your target customers are, where they reside, their age, an average of their income etc. Many times you will find out that you can target customers in more than one demographic so making sure that your communications are tailored to those specific criteria will guarantee good communication between you and your customers. (startupguys.net)
- Get your offer right. Invest time in thinking about your offer and who it's for. It may not be for everyone you were thinking about mailing. (yeomansmarketing.co.uk)
- The importance of clean, accurate data is essential to the success of your direct marketing campaigns. Bad, or "dirty," data can sabotage a lot of your hard work. Response rates can suffer when campaigns are delivered to the wrong address, or turn the recipient off by simply spelling their name wrong. Even worse, bad data can be truncated into something potentially offensive, affecting your company's reputation or even ending up as bad press. (iwco.com)
- You need to trust your list. Is it your own? Is it a 3rd party list? Your ROI depends on the quality of the list. Are you reaching your best prospects? Is your list up-to-date and technically accurate? Let us review your list and "scrub" for addressing and syntax mistakes - we use specialized software approved by Canada Post to keep mistakes to a minimum. (micromailingcanada.com)
Design
- Most direct mail marketers use printed labels or envelopes with printed addresses when sending direct mail pieces. It might be cheaper and faster, but your pieces will end up being nothing more than junk mail. Handwritten envelopes spark curiosity because they are unusual. Prospects naturally want to know what's inside. (business2community.com)
- How about we put them all together...imagine an over-sized, bright silver colored lumpy bubble pack envelope with some teaser copy on the address label? I guarantee that no matter what you put inside..it would get seen. (drewsmarketingminute.com)
- Design - Is this piece an accurate representation of your brand? Would you open or read this piece if it was in your mailbox? (blog.bluefrogdm.com)
- Remember that direct mail is more than just writing a letter, it is a direct mail "package" including the outside (carrier) envelope, the letter, any inserts like brochures, giveaways, etc., and the response mechanism - a pledge card or response envelope. (blog.donorpath.org)
- Dress yourself up - make the most of your outer envelope! Outer envelopes matter. A lot. One of the most important tests you can do is to compare performance of different outer envelopes. Every market and situation is unique, but in my experience, the more colorful the outer envelope, the higher the response. (blogs.pb.com)
- If you want to design creative direct mail envelopes that wow people and that get opened in most cases, look at what everyone else is doing and do something different. If all of your competitors are using clear window panes then try having the addresses printed directly on the envelope. Try to be different and unique from your competition. (directmailingcenter.com)
- Colors matter. Colors can convey certain messages and affect consumers' buying patterns. For instance, blue has been shown to instill trust, red makes people want to take action and green makes people want to spend. Follow the lead of giant corporations. None of the colors they use in their adverts are chosen on a whim. They think about the message they want to convey to their demographic and select their colors accordingly. (dmedelivers.com)
- While postcards can certainly be effective for some campaigns, many mailers can benefit from interactive elements that spark more engagement. Even with a compelling offer, people are likely to read the copy on the postcard and set it down. Interactive elements keep them interested for a longer period of time. (johnsbyrne.com)
- Or..forget the envelope all together, along with the traditional thinking of a piece of paper. Own a classic car dealership? Why not send your potential client a foldable die-cut pop-up (say that 3 times fast!) of a 57 Bel-Air with your contact info on the bottom? I'm willing to bet that if they aren't in the market at that time (and it doesn't end up on their desk first) their grandchildren wouldn't mind a new toy to play with. Either way, that's now tied to their subconscious. You've touched your customers in a tangible way. (randrimages.com)
- Look great on paper. Your direct mail marketing efforts are a reflection of your brand. Make sure your logo and any constant design themes are present. If you're Apple, having the Apple logo and simplistic design is direct branding. Stick with your brand and make your company look great on paper. (resourcenation.com)
- Most direct mail marketing companies will give you a few size options for your postcard. If a company doesn't, move on and find one that does. (accountingtoday.com)
- Be sure to use quality images and bold colors. This is a great chance to really shine in front of your potential customers, be sure to make the most of it. (cpgraphics.net)
- Use Random Fonts for Addresses: Random fonts create a sense of handwriting by using up to six different styles for each character and have of late become quite realistic. Better still, have people actually hand write your envelopes. This real human touch removes the impersonal sense direct mail can have. Using either of these addressing methods, for recipient and return address, can be effective at removing one barrier some people have when receiving direct mail. (prioritypak.com)
- When designing your flyer, do not forget to include vital information. Your beautiful images will not do you much good if the potential customers do not know where or how to reach you. Include information such as the extent of the landscaping services you provide. While providing important details, avoid crowding the flyer with too much information. (taradel.com)
- You can even add a smell to your envelopes. Check with your envelope manufacturer about the special inks that can be used to make your envelope "smell" the way your product does. 14. Change the size of your mailing package frequently to create interest and appeal. (brandnewbusinesses.com)
Content
- No need to make your content sound boastful. Just make sure your message clearly describes the benefit. Don't use words and images that aren't relevant or helpful. When it comes down to it, consumers, clients and customers want to know what benefit they'll receive. (alexanders.com)
- The headline - This is the billboard of the piece. This is what convinces the reader that the rest of the ad is worth reading so make sure to grab them with a compelling statement in your headline. (darrenslaughter.com)
- Your copy should provide a clear, easy to read argument for why your audience should take a specific action. It should be informative, but also easy to skim - utilize paragraph breaks strategically to create a clear scan path for the reader. (toptenwholesale.com)
- A letter is a personal message. It is a one-to-one communication, so it should read like one person (you) talking to another. Corporate speak and product hype will kill your chances of building person-to-person rapport. (jgodigital.com)
- When writing your sales letter, use a friendly conversational style. Do not try to write "corporate" where you use large words and try to impress your prospects with your command of the English language. All that does is turn people off. Instead, write your sales letter as if you were talking to your best friend. (geisheker.com)
- Don't use jargon and technical terms specific to your industry when copywriting, reason being your audience may not understand what it is your company actually does. If they don't understand what it is you do after reading your mailer you've lost them forever? So why not use words or phrases that your customers are familiar with, words that they would use regularly and will easily comprehend, as that way they won't feel alienated or confused. (businessbanter.com)
- Don't make the mistake of assuming your audience knows absolutely nothing by putting obvious, cheesy taglines and graphics together that would inform a 3 year old. Get them thinking- by getting them involved in the campaign they are essentially giving you more time. (msimail.net)
- Buyers make purchases because they have a need, but sometimes it's up to you to create that need. Appealing to a buyer's emotions can open the wallet faster than you might think. The emotions you can target include happiness, fear, relief, concern, and even nostalgia. (ami-results.com)
- Add value! What's your incentive? An offer is an absolute must. After your logo, that will be the first thing people will look for on your direct mail. This should be a prominent part of your mail piece. Bold it, underline it, do something to make it stick out. (clubsolutionsmagazine.com)
- Use a "P.S." section. It is one of the most-read parts of a direct mail piece, especially a sales letter. (dmscolor.com)
- Be tuned in to spelling and grammatical errors. This reflects poorly on you if you send out a mailer with misspelled words or grammatical mistakes. Make sure the mailer leaves enough room for address labels and postal information. Too often a mailer is put together hastily, and you realize you did not leave enough room for an address or postage information. (hypemix.net)
- Simple. With direct mail you don't have much time to make an impression. So keep sentences simple. Your message brief. And use white-space enhancers - like dashes and bullet points - to help keep things readable. (info.eliteps.com)
- Unclutter - focus on a bold headline that is eye-catching, followed up by short paragraphs and bulleted points that support the headline. Less is more! (info.wordtechinc.com)
- The body content of the direct mailer should be aimed at creating demand for your product/service while creating interest and curiosity. This is the section you really need to make the value of your product sing. (matthewsteffen.com)
- Be active, not passive: Relationships form with personal touches. Whenever possible, use active verbs instead of passive. For example, "I'll send you the details of your pending contract" instead of "Your pending contract will be sent later this week." These small details will help you build the trust with your prospects before you even meet or speak with them. (nationalmortgageprofessional.com)
- Could you imagine sending out a direct mail piece to hundreds (or thousands) of people, only then to notice you've misspelled a word? It actually happens more often than you think! Always proofread multiple times and have several people look it over too. (precisionenvelope.blogspot.com)
- Most people know that the headline should be big, bold, and easy to read and make an impact, but people often forget that the headline needs to communicate a benefit of their product or service. Far too many amateur marketers waste their only communication with a potential customer on a catchy slogan or even worse, their company name. (coastaldirectmailing.com)
- The quickest way to grab (and keep) your donor's attention is to tell a story. Follow the method novel writers employ: conflict> development> resolution. Start with conflict. Develop the conflict. Resolve the conflict. (fundraiserhelp.com)
- Identify The Need - (nine words) - This is the first of the two sentences in your ask. Identify the person, cause, or group that's in need of assistance. Use strong emotional phrasing to describe the need. Paint as powerful a picture as you can while using just a few words. (fundraiserhelp.com)
- Not Too Wordy: The easiest way to get your mail piece thrown in the trash is to put too many words on it. Think of ways to convey your message using less words. Bullets, color text, bolding and italics can all help to highlight the most important words. The KISS (keep it simple stupid) method is best. (targetmarketingmag.com)
- Include relevant information: To entice people to give your mailer a second look, provide them with pertinent information. For example, realtors often send data about recent home sale prices in the neighborhood. This bit of information inspires people to pay notice to the mailer and gives the brand some extra attention. (verticalresponse.com)
- Did you know the success or failure of a direct marketing campaign depends 40% on a targeted mailing list, 40% on a compelling offer and 20% on the mail piece format and design. That's right... it's most important to get your message in front of the right audience with an irresistible offer. Make sure your list is targeted, accurate and current. Make sure you offer a valuable discount, bonus or contest. Pretty pictures and 4-color glossy printing can certainly help generate interest and response, but the list and offer matter 4 times as much. (amazingmail.com)
- Your headline is a teaser to make your audience want to read on. The headline is your selling point, and you have roughly five seconds to impress! Make it shout out, excite and entice the customer to read the rest. (helloevery1.com)
- The best ads use fewer words. Studies show that text comes second to visuals and that customers don't tend to read small text. (imagine-express.com)
- You may want to offer something that demonstrates your expertise (a report or white paper), or a free trial or demonstration. These will attract people who are interested in what you are offering or selling. (marketingzone.com)
- Your message needs to be simple enough for the reader to see the benefits at first glance. If it takes people longer than five seconds to see the benefit, the mailer needs to be realized. (metrodepth.com)
- If your mailing is part of a B2B campaign, you don't want it to look like advertising. You want it to look like a business communication. Why? Because most business executives have staff members who will toss anything that looks like junk mail. So get rid of the teasers and keep it professional. (nordisdirect.com)
Call To Action
- Don't print all the information about your event in an expensive direct mail piece. Instead, print just enough information to entice visits to your website, where they can read the balance of the information - and take whatever action you'd like. (socialbrite.org)
- Your call to action can't be generic because you're not addressing the general public. Make it urgent and more engaging not only through sales and discounts but also through such catchy activities as contests, promotions, and incentives for, say, participating in an online survey. Do not use a 'requesting' tone; instead make it sound like you're offering the customer a great, one time deal. (plumbmarketing.com)
- This is where the rubber hits the road. Your mailing needs to generate a response. The response may not be a sale (at least not initially), but your mailing needs to motivate people to take action. It could be a phone call. It might be an online request for more information. But your mailing has to generate some kind of measurable response. That response may be delayed. Sometimes it takes repeated efforts to get the response you're after. But at some point, your mailing needs to result in action. (info.tmrdirect.com)
- Direct mail allows you to better match your target market's needs. You can best accomplish this by tailoring mailings to appeal to a specific group of prospects. For many prospects, this is more appealing as compared to the more general approach that often is used in other marketing strategies. When you use direct mail, you save time and money by filtering out unnecessary content and putting in content that works to motivate prospects to "calls to action." (info.tmrdirect.com)
- It's vital to actually get the audience to take action after you've grabbed their attention, interested them and stimulated their desire. (findtheedge.com)
- Make sure details of how to respond are on every single page, or every single piece if your mailing has multiple pieces. (xpadite.com.au)
- Think of your direct mail piece's call to action as a period at the end of a sentence - without it, your piece just isn't complete. It should wrap up everything you talked about in your copy and tell readers exactly what they need to do next. (quantumdigital.com)
Following Up
- Before your direct mail pieces go out the door, put a system in place for handling customer inquires within a set amount of time once the initial contact with your company is made. This will ensure that no potential customer goes unnoticed, and everyone feels a sense of appreciation for their time. (ballantine.com)
- A key fundamental of marketing is multiple touch points. Thus, it helps to send a couple direct mail pieces or to use a direct mail piece combined with a follow-up email. (advocateprinting.net)
- Most businesses seem to think that just because they have informed their prospects once about their sale item then the droves will come in and buy it. I am here to tell you that that is just not going to happen.Do not give up after one mailing. Your marketing must be a sequential process that allows prospects to keep you at the front of mind. Think through how you generate the leads and then plan a steady trickle of marketing pieces to your prospects little by little by little. (doubleyourbusinessfast.com)
- Combine direct mail with email: Follow up with an email reminding prospects of your mail offer to further the response rate. Emails can also be sent before direct mail to let your customers know that a mail offer can be expected. (inkondapaper.com)
- If you do not follow-up with your leads at regular intervals, you are making a big mistake. A study conducted by the Association of Sales Executives showed that 81% of all sales happen on or after the fifth contact. Without a proper sequence of follow-up mail, the prospective customer will not even remember your brand. The follow-up process should be systematic and done in the same way every time. (theartofmarketing.net)
- So, we all know that follow up in sales is key but nobody seems to do it. With the advancements in technology, it has made follow-up extremely easy for sales professionals. My advice would be to write out your plan of follow-up with your prospects and then work the plan. You will absolutely see great results and when it comes time to put a phone call into those prospects, you will be thankful that you kept the sale going through direct mail. (betternetworker.com)
- Repeat: A successful mail program is just that, a program. To be successful, you need to mail consistently and frequently. If you have a good list and good offers, and mail consistently, you can build your business through the mail. Regular mail will generate brand recognition as well as work as a connection between you and your customers. (roadrunnermailing.com)
- Predetermine the best follow-up strategy: Don't wait to follow up! When you focus on your data and really target your audience the impact of direct mail can be enormous, but without following-up too much opportunity for growth is sacrificed. Use coupons and limited mailings to track and modify for greater target success in future campaigns. (shop.minutemanpress.com)
- Number of appeals is important: People need to hear from you at least three to four times during the year. . .and remember that you should NOT appeal for money every time you send an appeal! But, even when you're NOT asking for money directly, include a return envelope with whatever else you send so that the person at least has the tool necessary to send a donation if they want to. (richardmale.com)
- You need to think of it this way; people get side tracked with their busy schedules. They put your mailer to the side, so they remember to take the time to make their donation. But as the days go by, and more mail comes in, their "to do" pile gets bigger and bigger. Your mailer is at the bottom, months have gone by so then they just throw it away. We understand, and we are sure you do to. That is where the third mailer comes in (choicemarketing.net)
- If you are running a direct mail campaign based on one geographical area then why not run a series of advertisements on Facebook that are targeted at your demographic within the area? Build awareness of your campaign and they'll know exactly what your direct mail piece is about. (tridentdesign.co.uk)
Measurement
- PURLs in direct mail campaigns give consumers what they want - a place to go online to learn more about an offer. PURLs serve as the most effective way to add personalization, track a consumer's behavior and connect with them on an online channel. Traditionally after your company sends a direct mail piece, your marketing team has no way of knowing if the conPURLs in Direct Mail Postcard - Boingnetsumer actually received the piece. (boingnet.com)
- Plan your direct mail campaign's tactical strategy. Unless you design the campaign around a direct mail response from the consumer, such as mailing in a form, you will have to put other strategies into play so that you can determine how many sales or leads the campaign generated. This could be in the form of a promotion code, a custom URL or dedicated phone number for the campaign -- or a coupon or certificate the consumer presents upon purchase. (smallbusiness.chron.com)
- Testing is Important. Mailing lists are usually large, so instead of sending it out to the entire list, firstly you must try sending your promotion to a small test group. This test will enable you to decide how well the list will execute. You may also try out a new list to compare with the one that works better for you and see the results. (bluemailmedia.com)
- The most important aspect of all campaigns is measurement. You should make sure you record the geographic location of where your leads come from following the campaign. You can even do simple things like asking where the company heard about you from. One strategy we like to use is to include a limited time Special Offer on the mailer with specific instructions that they need to mention the mailer in order to receive the offer. That way clients will be forthcoming with where they heard about you. (jempp.com.au)
- Get down deep in the data and determine who will most likely "respond to your ad" (martinworldwide.net)
- Direct mail marketing is a commitment that will pay off over time, and it works best to think long term before doing your first campaign. The most successful direct mail agencies are always testing. They test which headline, artwork and promotional offer pulls the best results from specific targeted lists. They try a variety of formats from postcards to letters to brochures, and with a little pre-planning they easily track the success of every campaign. Tracking results can be based on calls to a tracking phone number, returned postcards, or specific views of a webpage via a 2D barcode or specific URL in the mailer. (mailingexpertsinc.com)
- Direct Mail is a continuous learning process; this data collection and analysis can deepen your understanding of your customers. The findings will help you to refine your next campaign, making each mailing more effective than the last. (centralmailing.co.uk)
- What is a good direct mail response rate these days? A good response rate is one that helps you achieve your marketing goals. Period. Ideally, the campaign should cost less than what it produces. So you want to accomplish some kind of goal, while enjoying a positive return on your investment (ROI). This is a good direct mail response rate. (cheep-cheep.com)
Saving Money
- To maximize the ROI of your campaign, it's important to minimize costs where you can. Direct mail can be an expensive undertaking, but those costs can quickly rise if you aren't aware of postal best practices. Many fundraisers don't realize that many small factors -the shape of the mail piece for example - can drastically alter postal prices. (thirdsectortoday.com)
- One way to save money on your direct mail marketing is to design mail pieces that are "machinable." Why? The USPS offers substantial savings on postage for mail that can be processed by their automated equipment. (mailamg.com)
- Budget - This is fundamental. It will help you determine exactly what kind of mailing you can afford. Expenses will likely include data purchase or rental, creative development, postage, production costs, the offer, and response handling. (dmnews.com)
15 Additional Resources
- Book: The Direct Mail Solution
- Book: NO BS Direct Marketing
- Book: A Complete Idiot's Guide to Direct Marketing
- USPS: Every Door Direct Mail User Guide (PDF)
- USPS: Advertise by Mail
- FedEx: Every Door Direct Mail
- Guide: The 3 Minute Guide to Direct Mail
- Direct Mail Templates (Free)
- Photoshop Direct Mailer Templates (Free)
- Even More Customizable Templates (Free)
- Headline Analyzer
- Direct Marketing News
- Direct Marketing Vendor Search (Pretty Exhaustive)
- Reddit B2B Marketing
- Direct Marketing Vendor Search (Pretty Exhaustive)
17 Organizations Worth Joining
- The Direct Marketing Fundraisers Association
- Phoenix Business Marketing Association
- Direct Marketing Association of Northern California
- Los Angeles Digital Marketing Association
- Catalog & Ecommerce Club of Northern California
- San Diego Direct Marketing Association
- Direct Marketing Association of Washington
- Florida Direct Marketing Association
- Atlanta Interactive Marketing Association
- Chicago Association of Direct Marketing
- New England Direct Marketing Association
- New England Mail Order Association
- Kansas City Direct Marketing Association
- Direct Marketing Association of Long Island
- Direct Marketing Club of New York
- Hudson Valley Direct Marketing Association
- VT/NH Direct Marketing Group
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