Direct mail, a time-tested, battle proven marketing strategy that, if done right, can prove to result in a highly positive ROI. We've made sure to throw in "if done right" because, much like anything, direct mail is not a guaranteed winner. It requires a well planned and executed strategy. We've included these "10 Direct Mail Do's" to guide you along your direct mail campaign and give you the best possible results.
1. Provide Value
When it comes to any type of marketing, consumers don't like being directly sold to. You can't hold their hands first, you have to convince them and build their trust. This means providing something that they value and offering it for free.
Action: Create a list of items/information that your audience will find useful, something they can actually use in their day-to-day life/business.
2. Be Creative
This is the whole point of getting someone's attention. Creativity, when it comes to marketing, is how we get someone to not just pay attention, but remember things. Think about Burger King, they recently ran a campaign telling people to go to McDonald's, open their app, and purchase a Whopper for a penny. While this is hilarious, it's also insanely creative. People will for sure remember this for years to come.
Action: Start writing down creative things other companies have done. What made it so creative and what are ways you can transfer over similar ideas into your marketing scheme?
3. Make It Lumpy
Everyone's heard the phrase 'curiosity killed the cat.' Well, in marketing, the term goes 'lack of curiosity killed the marketing campaign.' If your direct mailer does not provoke curiosity, then the chances of it getting opened let alone read are low. Making it lumpy (something that's bulky/not a typical brochure in a envelope) to get people wondering what's inside your package. This not only creates curiosity, but makes you more memorable.
Action: Google "unique direct mail campaigns" to start brainstorming how you can create a lumpy mail campaign that delivers.
4. Sell a Solution
No one cares about your product, how you make it, why it's made, or how it came to be. They only care about the solution you offer. The thing you do that solves their problem. Many marketers make the mistake of not selling a solution. This creates a disconnect from their target audience.
Action: Write down the various problems your audience has and how you solve it. Select the top three and create the marketing materials that sells these solutions to these problems.
5. Choose Your Audience Wisely
You wouldn't sell jackets designed for subfreezing temperatures to people in Florida, would you? The same concept should be applied to your direct mail campaign. Because you are more limited to the amount of people you can reach with direct mail, you need to be very selective with whom you send these out to.
Action: Create a list of prospects/customers that have similar traits. This can be in relation to industry, where they're at in your sales funnel, location, etc.
6. Customize It
Studies show that companies see a 20% increase in sales with personalizing the buying experience. It creates a sense of trust and shows them that a company has taken the time to send them a special message.
Action: Use the person's name or something unique that you may know about them in your messaging. It can be customized to even their industry.
7. Combine Direct + Digital
It's rarely thought that direct and digital can be used in sync with each other. Omni-channel marketing, the practice of using multiple marketing channels to target someone, is a perfect way to stay top of mind with your audience.
Action: Look at an established campaign and see how you can implement another marketing channel under the same campaign. Establish a new way of getting your message across via a different medium. Possibly use your direct mail to send your audience to a campaign related landing page.
8. Make It Useable
How many times have you gotten a piece of marketing materials that's utterly useless? Whether it's a pamphlet strictly about the company, a pen with their name on it, or an ad that is just boring. Making your marketing materials useful will help you stay in front and build a relationship with your audience.
Action: When creating your marketing campaign, be sure to ask yourself if you would want to receive this message/information. If you wouldn't find it useful or usable in any way, shape, or form, then rethink sending it.
9. Follow Up
You might have the right message and audience but wrong timing. Your audience might have a use for your product but get distracted in their customer journey. Following up with an email, phone call, and even text can help get them on the right track and answer any possible questions they might have. But be sure to limit how many times you follow up if they don't answer, this can be considered spam.
Action: Create a follow-up message when creating your campaign. Be sure to have a plan in place for how long you'll wait before following up if you get no response from your audience. Be courteous and hospitable when following up, offering any additional help and information.
10. Ask them to Take Action
A lot of companies try to beat around the bush while highlighting the problem(s) their company solves. They might get their audience interested and wanting to buy, but they miss a major piece: they never ask them to buy.
Action: Make sure you highlight the buying process in your campaign. Be sure to emphasize how easy it is to work with your company. Make sure to do this after you've highlighted the solution you offer to their problem. Make it bold, make it easy to read/understand.
100% Open Rate. 100% Awesome.
You Got My Attention (YGMA) is a direct mail provider that offers a unique advantage: a 100% Open Rate. Our signature box has been proven to get a 100% Open Rate while our stuffed animal approach creates a memorable experience. Customers are able to customize their box with their own message and marketing materials inside the box as well as a URL to direct traffic to a specific webpage. Campaigns are simple and quick to set up.