By George Otte
In the right hands, direct mail marketing is a powerful tool for lead generation, prospect cultivation and even direct sales. Its well-documented benefits, per Chron and Hearst Newspapers, include:
- The potential for precision targeting within well-defined geographic areas and demographic groups
- Ease of testing and measurability
- High level of individualization potential
- Cost-effectiveness
- High degree of flexibility
"Like any good marketing tool, well-planned and targeted direct mail campaigns can increase brand recognition and sales ratios." —George Otte
If you are considering implementing direct mail marketing at your organization, incorporate these six best practices into your first campaign.
1. Keep It Simple and to the Point
Direct mail is effective in part because mail is such an integral part of most consumers’ lives. According to a landmark study by Epsilon, nearly three-quarters of U.S. consumers have a strong preference for direct mail over other forms of brand communication. A separate study by the U.S. Postal Service found that 80 percent of U.S. householders sort the mail as soon as it arrives. Most of the remainder sort mail later on the same day.
However, these benefits come at a cost. Because people sort mail so soon after receiving it, they typically make snap decisions about what to keep and what to discard.
To increase the likelihood that your prospects will notice and keep your direct mail collateral, keep its contents as simple and to the point as possible. Use large fonts and clear imagery to reinforce your messaging. If possible, include all key information—or, at least, your best marketing messages—above the fold, where they are clearly visible at a glance.
2. Use Attractive Color Schemes
Attractive color schemes bolster the effectiveness of your direct mail marketing messages and draw your prospects’ eyes exactly where you want them to be. If you are not sure how best to incorporate color into your collateral, test the performance of multiple color schemes and choose the option that attracts the most responses.
3. Segment Your Audience by Geography
To reduce the financial cost and logistical challenges of a larger direct mail marketing operation, segment your audience into manageable geographical groups: ZIP codes, municipalities and even neighborhoods. Stagger your mailings such that only one or two groups receive mailings at a time. This will put you in a much better position to analyze your results and make adjustments for the next batch.
4. Use Reliable Lists
Your direct mail operation is only as good as your address lists. Make sure you are procuring these lists from reputable sources. Once you have your own lists, devote ample resources to maintaining their accuracy and timeliness. This simple safeguard can significantly reduce your miss rates.
5. Experiment With New, Exciting Designs/Materials?
Direct mail is quite versatile. You can choose from traditional security envelopes, glossy catalogs, single- or multi-sheet flyers, postcards, paperboard and other materials. Your ideal choice will depend on the most effective means of delivering your message, the nature of your collateral and other factors. Experiment with multiple options to determine the best fit for your company’s needs.
6. Follow Up on Schedule
Unfortunately, most prospects will not respond to your first mailing. That does not mean you should stop trying to follow up with them, however. Circle back to each geographical area or demographic group on a set schedule, keeping close track of those prospects who have responded and those who have yet to acknowledge your outreach. When a prospect does respond, use a different, more targeted piece of collateral to cultivate the lead.
Add Value to Your Direct Mail Marketing Campaign
Direct mail marketing is an effective marketing channel. Like every type of marketing, it does present some unique challenges, but businesses that follow the strategies outlined here are more likely than not to be pleasantly surprised by the results.
Of course, direct mail on its own is not sufficient to support a company’s marketing efforts. For best results, direct mail should be paired with other proven forms of marketing; depending on the company, these might include radio, television, print and various types of digital marketing. These efforts are complementary, not competitive. Deployed properly, they can dramatically increase marketplace awareness of your company and chart a course for impressive sales growth.
Bio: George Otte is a Miami-based entrepreneur and executive with more than 15 years of multifaceted business operations experience.
