For
the past decade, many business owners have regarded direct mail as the ugly
stepsister of print or broadcast advertising. Loud, misleading and cluttered
pieces mailed anonymously to millions of prospects only served to reinforce
this perception.
Today,
however, some of the most innovative and effective advertising is delivered
through the mail, and more and more business owners are finding the rewards
of direct mail are great if their campaigns are designed with a discerning
eye and a realistic strategy in mind. Looking for some tips to help you
create a direct mail campaign that brings in results without breaking the
bank?
Here
are 10 smart tactics:
1.
Develop a visual sense for what works and what doesn't. You have an
abundance of learning materials right inside your mailbox. The next time you
go through your mail, take a minute to examine what's there, what catches
your attention, what attracts you and what repels you. Do you have examples
of previous campaigns you've sent out? Or pieces from your competitors that
you can learn from? "Junk mail" has a unique style--learn to
recognize it and think about how you can create the opposite.
2.
Don't insult your prospects' intelligence by using cheesy tag lines or
see-and-say visuals. Believe it or not, "FREE MONEY" doesn't
attract much attention in the inundated world of today's consumers. So avoid
using bold with italics, ALL CAPS, and multiple exclamation
points (!!!!), as these are the clichéd visual cues of junk mail.
3.
Don't assume your audience knows everything. An educated consumer is one
that's more willing to make a purchase. Your headline should draw attention
to your body copy, which is your most powerful selling tool. Ignore what
people say about how no one reads anymore--if compelled by a good headline
and provoking imagery, a potential customer will want more information
immediately. Directing them to a website or phone number is asking a lot of
your audience, so instead, include essential information right on the mail
piece. When writing copy, start from the beginning, be direct, and include
as much information as you can in five sentences or less. Chances are, the
reader is scanning, so use words that are easy to understand but are
descriptive enough to accurately communicate your message.
4.
Use what you know. If you know your customers inside and out, by all
means, use that information in your mail piece. Meeting your potential
customers where they are is a great way to attain trust quickly. Become
familiar with your market so you can be specific about your mailing list.
Consider demographics like gender, age, income, climate, leisure activities
and more when deciding where to mail each piece. The more you use
information that's been hard-earned in years past, the better your response
rates will be.
5.
"You Won't Believe This Amazing Offer!" At least that part's
true, when it comes to your prospects--people are much more skeptical these
days. So do something completely unusual with your direct mail piece: Tell
the truth. Exposing your weaknesses make your strengths seem even greater,
and (yes, believe it) creates a sense of honesty and trust. Consider this
example: A flooring company boasts "the best styles at the best
prices." While the claim sounds attractive, it doesn't have the same
believability (thus response-eliciting) factor as a piece that claims
"the same styles at the best prices." Creating a trustworthy
message allows consumers to set positive expectations, rather than refuting
any false ones they might be reading. And when potential customers set
expectations, you can bet they're ready to take a risk on your business.
6.
Ask and you shall receive. Know exactly what action you want your mail
piece to elicit, and then ask for it. Then ask again. This is known as the
call-to-action in the world of direct mail, and it's the consumers' cue for
getting what they want. If there's no call-to-action, your direct mail piece
is just creating brand recognition. Is there a number to call? Don't just
list the number--ask them to make the call. Is there a website to visit? A
response mail required? Ask, suggest and entice your audience to respond to
your piece. Make the information accessible, easy to read and
effective--which may mean making some changes in the office, whether that's
a designated phone line or a more memorable web address.
7.
Consider the medium. What will your message be delivered on? Postcards
are an effective medium for most products, because they cut down a barrier
(the envelope) between the consumer and the message. However, some direct
mail is more appropriate when crafted as a letter, especially those that
involve high-dollar sales and financial services.
Think
carefully about your product and your message before making a decision about
the medium. No matter what format you choose, consider the paper your
message will be printed on. Inexpensive paper communicates something very
different from high-quality paper. If you're selling anything that's
considered expensive, high-quality or custom, nice paper will communicate
that message much more effectively than something inexpensive. On the other
hand, the type of paper you choose makes little difference when you're
selling items that are inexpensive, sold at bulk rates or discounted.
Deciding what's best for your direct mail piece will improve your
response rates exponentially.
8.
Use color wisely. Color will always catch more attention than black and
white, but when it comes to color, more is not necessarily better.
Additional colors may cost more money to produce--and too many colors can
create a piece that's confusing and cluttered--so it's important to find
what's best for your project.
Begin
by choosing one or two main colors and one or two supporting colors based on
the feelings they elicit: Warm colors are exciting and energizing; cool
colors are relaxing and refreshing. Bright colors speak loudly; dull colors
suggest quietly. Think about your product, corporate image and your audience
when choosing color. Metallic colors are a great option for one- or
two-color jobs.
9.
Personalize your pieces. You've seen them: "[your name here],
you've got to check out this deal!" Personalization can enhance a
consumer's inclination to read your direct mail piece by creating a sense of
familiarity. It also emphasizes their importance to your business. For
example, are you more likely to open an envelope that says "Current
Resident" or "[Your Name]"? Most likely, you'll feel
important to the second business and choose to open that mail first.
10.
Determine the best way to mail it. When it comes to mailing your direct
mail pieces, you have options regarding the postage you purchase. Think
about your customers and the value of your product, as well as time
sensitivity. Will "presort" (formerly bulk rate) arrive in time?
Do your potential customers care about first-class postage or not? Are you
eligible to receive special, not-for-profit postage rates? And don't forget
to consider the type of postage for your direct mail piece. You can choose
to use first-class or presort stamps, or you can print the first-class or
presort postage directly on the mail pieces (this is known as the indicia).
In pieces that are highly personalized and official-looking, a stamp can
enhance response rates because consumers infer a human touch. On postcards,
indicias work just as well as stamps and don't cost anything to apply to the
mail piece.
