Tips for Direct Marketing Success

Ever wonder why a direct mail campaign is successful? Direct mail is interactive and response-driven. You need to measure your results and use the information to refine the next campaign. Small oversights can be costly in the end – the details can make or break you. Each and every aspect of a direct mail campaign has an impact on the response you will receive. Here are some guidelines and a helpful checklist to start you on your way to a successful direct mail campaign.

1. Test everything.
An effective way to gauge the success of a direct mail campaign and pinpoint which elements of the piece were the key to its success is through the process of testing. Whether it involves using tracking codes on business reply cards (BRC’s) or sending out two similar pieces with one variant (within the copy/design or offer) to see which produces a superior response rate. It can also be as simple as adding up to 5 internal team members names to your list (referred to as “seeding a list”) to gauge turnaround times for mailing and re-evaluate your postage choice (standard vs. first class).

2. The mailing list is the single most important element in your mailing.
Go beyond names in the phone book or professional directories. Look for lists of people who have already responded to other direct mail offers similar to your target audience. They may include:

• Recent buyers of a product.
• Subscribers to magazines.
• Members of organizations.

3. The offer is very important.
Make the strongest offer you possibly can, and then TEST IT. Here are some good elements to test:

• Price – Sometimes high prices draw more orders! You'll never know unless you test.
• Free or short-term trial offers.
• Free incentives or gifts with order.
• Incentives to respond by the deadline.
• Guarantee – Make the strongest guarantee you can. The best guarantee offers a full refund at any time. If your product or service is solid, very few people will ask for refunds.

4. The copy needs to invoke action.
The copy should motivate a prospect to take action. It should be action-oriented and to-the-point. A postcard or a one-page letter may be sufficient, or you may need a longer sales letter or brochure with all the bells and whistles. It depends on what you are trying to accomplish. Here are some points to remember:

• Your prospects spend about three seconds deciding whether to read or trash your mailer. Make sure you pitch to their self-interest, instead of focusing on how great you are.
• Sell the benefits of using your product or service, and support them with features and advantages. To find out what the most important benefits are, talk to your customers! You can also develop benefit statements by applying the "So what?" test. Start with a feature (e.g.,Our ballpoint pen has a matte black barrel.) and ask, "So what?" The answer provides the benefit; (i.e. the matte black barrel is easy to grip and looks elegant on your desk.)
• Do everything you can to build credibility and establish trust. After all, you are inviting a complete stranger to establish a relationship with you.

5. Design should be dynamic and kinetic.
Whether your organization is a bank or a nightclub, the design must get attention and move the prospect to take action. Incorporate the following into your design:

• Warm colors - red, orange, yellow - are attention-getting and help stimulate action.
• Your response card/order form should always have the prospect’s name and address on it. If you are using mailing labels, the label should always be on the response card, showing through the window on the envelope.
• Use pictures of people to help build interest and trust. Use captions to sell – everyone reads them.
• Design should convey motion, leading prospects through the mailing and to the order card, making it easy to take action.
• Small changes can create unplanned cost overruns. One paper stock can cost significantly more in postage if it weighs more than another stock.
• Unique sizes may be attention-getting, but they may take longer to process in the mail house. Be sure to check with the post office on regulation sizes. You can call your local post office to get answers to specific questions on your direct mail concerns. They also offer helpful mail seminars.

6. Make sure you consider seasonality and timing in your mailings.
Some months are better for sales than others. For example, if you are marketing to government agencies, buying cycles are tied to the fiscal year, which ends September 30th. Mail accordingly. If you mail newsletters to customers and prospects, drop each mailing consistently on or around the same time each month or quarter. You build trust by consistently delivering what people come to expect from you.

Use the following checklist to assure that your direct mail pieces include everything important:

The return address, phone number and Web site (if applicable) should be on every element.
	Outside envelope (carrier)
	Letter
	Brochure
	Reply card
	Business reply envelope (BRE)
	Other inserts (buckslip, lift letter, premium, guarantee, etc.)
Outside Envelope:
	Return address (best on the flap)
	Postage
	"Teaser" copy to create interest
Letter:
	Offer on page one
	Guarantee
	Use a "P.S."
	Type size no smaller than 10 pts. Legible face. Should look typed rather than typeset
	Space for letterhead at the bottom of the last page of letter
Brochure:
	Call to action response subheads that direct the prospect to the order card
	People-oriented visuals
	Action-stimulating folds (short folds, etc.)
Order Card:
	Terms and offer
	Payment options
	Guarantee
	Picture of product or service
	Name and address of customer
	Space for mailing address/label
	Return address and phone number
Business Reply Envelope:
	Return address
	FIM markings
	Routing copy or attention-getting catch-phrase

Click here for a printable PDF of the checklist.

back to top

 Email to a friend and share the knowledge! – click here