Direct Mail Triumphs

                                                                                         

Direct mail is one of the most effective marketing strategies you can use because it’s personal and it’s not too expensive. Follow the guidelines outlined here to triumph in your direct mail campaign:

Make it personal
When people fill out forms, they usually put their name and address under “personal information.” This is the information you already have as a direct mail marketer. This means you have personal information, so you need to market personally. Your direct mail message will differ than one designed for a billboard, in which case you don’t know exactly who you’re marketing to.

Take the time to hand write addresses and use stamps instead of postage machines. Both look more personal and will encourage more people to open your direct mail piece.

Reward your recipients
You should reward your recipients just for opening your mail. How? Include a clear, personalized message and give them a tangible offer.
That offer could be
• A free 30-minute consultation
• A coupon good for a discount
• A free estimate on services

Offer your readers something that will either save them money, or save them time. Money and time are what most people want to save.

Make it urgent
By adding a sense of urgency to your direct mail piece, you’ll encourage people to take action. Print a deadline on the outside of the envelope to persuade people to open it. If you don’t make your offer urgent, people will be more likely to throw your direct mail piece on the table with the rest of the mail they’re “saving for later.” The bad news is that later usually doesn’t come, and that pile turns into the trash pile.
Create a sense of urgency by using phrasing such as
• Receive a 10 percent discount on services if you come in before XX date
• Hurry! Sale ends on XX date!
• Be one of the first 20 customers and get a free gift!

Creating a sense of urgency works particularly well with catalog printing pieces – offers for free shipping or a free item drive sales when printed on the front cover of the catalog.

Include the details
With direct mail pieces, you can include more information to fully explain your offer and the benefits of your product or service. You can’t do that with a billboard or 30-second commercial.

Be sure to use headlines to tout your benefits, but then use the small print to go into more detail about those benefits.

Mail out your pieces frequently
The optimal number of pieces you need to send out for people to remember you is three times per month. Keep in mind that these three pieces don’t have to be the same type of direct mail material and they shouldn’t be. People would get annoyed if you sent the same piece over and over. Mail out a postcard one week, a brochure the next week and a letter the week after that.

If you combine the guidelines listed here, you are well on your way to direct mail success!

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