Direct Marketing - The Dos & Don'ts of Direct Mail
Saturday, November 23, 2013
Direct mail can be a powerful communication tool. You send a message through the mail to a selected list of prospects and customers, including an incentive to respond. Direct mail can take the form of a single sales letter or a three-dimensional item designed to attract attention. Direct mail can be a cost-effective marketing tool if you use it effectively and take note of the dos and don’ts. Although you can create and run a direct mail campaign by yourself, you may achieve better results by working with a direct mail specialist.
Personalize
Personalize your direct mail. Use "Dear John" rather than "Dear Sir." People want to know that you care enough about their business to find out the important contact details. If you are mailing a few important contacts, personalize the message further by including product details and other information specific to that company or individual. Don’t send out a mass, impersonal mailing to everyone in a geographical area. People will equate it with junk mail.
Offer an Incentive
Include a "call to action" in your direct mail to encourage prospects to respond. You might improve response rates (and the return on your investment) by offering a free gift, a special report or other incentive. Don’t offer the incentive and fail to follow up. Use the response to begin a relationship that moves your prospect towards a purchase.
Integrate
Integrate direct mail with other marketing activities. Set up a special "welcome" page on your website for visitors to respond by following a campaign hyperlink. Follow-up a direct mail campaign with a telemarketing program encouraging prospects to view the mailing and take action. Don’t design you direct mail campaign in isolation. Ensure that the creative treatment in your direct mail campaign is consistent with the treatment you use in advertising and other media. Reinforcing messages in different media strengthens the effectiveness of the overall campaign
Test
Test your mailing ideas before running a full-scale mailing campaign. You can test many factors, including the creative treatment, type of incentive, time for mailing and type of follow- up. The response to the test mailings will help you decide which approach is most likely to produce the best results. Don’t rely on mailing lists and campaign material that worked in the past. Mailing lists could be out of date. Also, people may have different challenges and interests that your original treatment does not address.
Tags:
Direct Marketing, Marketing
Personalize
Personalize your direct mail. Use "Dear John" rather than "Dear Sir." People want to know that you care enough about their business to find out the important contact details. If you are mailing a few important contacts, personalize the message further by including product details and other information specific to that company or individual. Don’t send out a mass, impersonal mailing to everyone in a geographical area. People will equate it with junk mail.
Offer an Incentive
Include a "call to action" in your direct mail to encourage prospects to respond. You might improve response rates (and the return on your investment) by offering a free gift, a special report or other incentive. Don’t offer the incentive and fail to follow up. Use the response to begin a relationship that moves your prospect towards a purchase.
Integrate
Integrate direct mail with other marketing activities. Set up a special "welcome" page on your website for visitors to respond by following a campaign hyperlink. Follow-up a direct mail campaign with a telemarketing program encouraging prospects to view the mailing and take action. Don’t design you direct mail campaign in isolation. Ensure that the creative treatment in your direct mail campaign is consistent with the treatment you use in advertising and other media. Reinforcing messages in different media strengthens the effectiveness of the overall campaign
Test
Test your mailing ideas before running a full-scale mailing campaign. You can test many factors, including the creative treatment, type of incentive, time for mailing and type of follow- up. The response to the test mailings will help you decide which approach is most likely to produce the best results. Don’t rely on mailing lists and campaign material that worked in the past. Mailing lists could be out of date. Also, people may have different challenges and interests that your original treatment does not address.
