Direct mail campaigns can be an effective form of marketing. As people open up their mailboxes, they can be educated about your brand and what you have to offer. To ensure you make the most of your marketing strategy, there are a few direct mail campaign tips to help you dominate the market.
#1 Follow the 40/40/20 Rule
It’s important to embrace the 40/40/20 marketing rule so that you know how to get the best possible return on investment out of the direct mail campaign. There are three factors that need to be considered.
40% of your success will come from the effectiveness of your mailing list and 40% will come from how compelling your offer is. The final 20% will come from the other aspects, such as the design and copy of your mailing.
#2 Define Your Audience
Spend time to identify who your audience is. You don’t want to spend money mailing out postcards, brochures, catalogs, or any other print media to people who will never become customers. You should understand who your target customer is in terms of age, demographic, location, and more.
Your mailing list may be comprised of existing customers to help establish their loyalty. Otherwise, your mailing list needs to be carefully curated so that you are exposing potential customers to your brand for the first time.
If you’re selling something designed for 65+ customers, for example, don’t waste your time mailing it out to those with young families. Otherwise, you’re wasting your money on both printing and postage.
#3 Create an Enticing Offer
Direct mail isn’t supposed to just be educational. You have to have a “hook” to get people to hold onto what you’ve sent them. Think about some kind of offer that is enticing enough for them to follow through and become a customer.
You may want to offer a coupon or an introductory rate. You may want to offer a free sample or an e-book. You may even want to offer a free consultation. Whatever your offer is, be sure that it is included in your direct mailing.
#4 Test Your Campaign
Not all campaigns are going to provide you with a home run. Just as you would do A/B testing with an online marketing strategy, you can do the same thing with direct mail campaigns.
Create two different designs with two different offers. You can also choose the same offer but use a different offer code on each one. It will make it easier for you to track the efficiency of one design over another. If you find that one offer is being more readily claimed or one code is more prevalent, you have your answer as to which design will provide the better ROI overall.
#5 Combine Direct Mail with other Marketing Strategies
Don’t let a direct mail campaign be the only marketing strategy that you employ. Many people need to see an offer at least seven times before they interact with it. The same graphics that you use in the mailing can be used on social media and via email so that your target audience has a better chance of seeing it. Then, when they get the direct mail in their hands, they’ll already know about you and take you up on any offers.
#6 Explore the Various Print Options
You can choose from an array of items to send out. A good direct mail campaign considers the kind of attention you want, how much interest you want to pique, and how much convincing you need to do.
As such, there are a few printed options to explore:
- Postcard
- Flyer
- Brochure
- Catalog
- Letter
Whatever it is that you send, be sure that it makes fiscal sense based on the kind of return you’ll get for your investment.
#7 Calculate the Cost to Mail
While a catalog may sound like a great idea to send out to 10,000 people, consider the cost to mail whatever you have printed. Remember, direct mail fulfillment isn’t just about the cost of printing. The heavier something is, the more it will cost to mail. Especially if you’re reaching out blindly to an audience, you may want to start with a teaser. Then, as they express interest, you can spend more money on them.
#8 Focus on the Design
Dare to be different when you send out a marketing campaign. You can consider various shapes and sizes. When you opt for something that isn’t the same size as the rest of their mail, yours stands out. They’ll be more likely to open it or read it, thus learning more about your offer and what your brand is all about.
#9 Add Personalization
Through digital printing, you have the ability to add some personalization. People love to think that you’re reaching out directly to them. Instead of addressing someone as “resident,” you can use their names. With a direct mailing list, you already have their address. You likely have their name, too. You can use those names as part of the personalization so that you can increase the likelihood of people responding to the offers.
#10 Embrace a Call to Action
One of the biggest mistakes that you can make on a direct mail campaign is to forget a call to action. You’ve designed something that is visually stunning. You’ve provided an offer. You’ve established a full mailing list of recipients. However, what do you want them to do once they get this in the mail?
A call to action can drive people to your website, prompt them to visit, call for an estimate, or take some sort of other action. Consumers can be dense. Spell it out so that there’s no confusion as to what action people should take.
#11 Focus on Quality Control
You don’t want to send out just anything to your target audience. In your effort to get a campaign in the mail, don’t forget the importance of proofreading everything. Be sure that the ad copy is spelled correctly and grammatically correct. Be sure that images are high enough quality that they print well. And be sure that you’ve considered how the printed material feels. The paper weight, gloss level, and more all matters. Ask for a digital or physical proof before you start printing off thousands of direct mail flyers.
Work with a Professional, Commercial Printer for Your Direct Order Fulfillment
By following a variety of direct mail campaign tips, you can be sure you get the desired return on investment. Additionally, you’ll want to work with a professional printer to ensure you get access to the premium printing services that can help you to stand out.
At Custom Printing, Inc., we have comprehensive services to offer you both digital and offset printing. We’ll print and mail your campaigns so that you simply have to sit back and prepare for the influx in business that’s headed your way.