Sell your Brand Values – How to Succeed with Direct Mail
Did our previous post about direct mail engage your attention? Good, because there’s more to successful direct mailing than great copy, and eye-catching graphic design. Here are some practical tips you can use to help make direct mail a really effective business tool that says good things about your brand.
It’s not once and done
Were you thinking of sending one piece of direct mail only? Typically there’s a better response if you follow it up. How many times you mail out during a particular marketing campaign depends on your budget, and you certainly don’t want to be spamming people. A great follow up is something that looks slightly different to your first piece of direct mail. For example, if you started with a letter, you could follow up with a postcard.
Personalisation works
Direct mail generally works better when it is made as personal and unique as possible. There are a variety of strategies. Some marketers recommend handwritten envelopes, some include a small freebie like a pen. You’ll need to balance the cost-benefit analysis before you adopt any of these strategies, but they are worth considering.
Track and test
Tracking leads helps to improve response rates. You can do this quite simply, for example by using different telephone numbers on letters to see which target area is generating responses, or simply by asking how customers heard about you. You can test content effectiveness by sending a couple of versions of your direct mail, and the responses help show you what works and what doesn’t.
Stand or fall – the headline is all
OK so we’re not much cop as poets, but even if you winced, at least you had a reaction! The point is that in a world full of competition, your headline has to grab a prospect’s attention, or it’s highly likely they won’t read any further, no matter how great your design and copy. Professional copywriters generally spend a lot of time on the headline, and you should too.
