9 Direct Mail Marketing Tips

9 Direct Mail Marketing TipsIf you want to succeed with business advertising, direct mail remains one of the most popular and effective methods for getting your offer in front of the people most likely to act on it.

Direct Mail Tips

The nine business direct mail tips listed here will guide you through the process of identifying your target audience, designing the most effective postal mailer or email and boosting conversion rates by turning interested parties into customers and clients.

Direct Mail lists

#1 – Get the Best Targeted Mail List for Your Offer

Effective business advertising requires the absolute best list targeted mail contacts if you want a high rate of response. Identify your ideal audience of people who will be helped or benefited by your product, service or the information you are trying to share. Always use a reputable list company to get current and correct contacts.

#2 – Use Eye-Catching Colors, Words and Layout

Make your business direct mail pieces stand out without erring on the side of carnival colors and gaudy pictures. The postcard, postal mailer, letter or email should capture recipient’s attention without making them shy away because it looks cheap or like it is trying to hard.

#3 – Offer Something of Value Right Away

Whoever receives the email or postcard is undoubtedly busy and has a lot of different marketing pieces to sort through. If you want to positive response, clearly indicate what you’re offering from the start. Do not waste time with clever anecdotes or marketing speech. Instead, make a free offer, reveal a discount or list real benefits.

#4 – Identify Both the Problem and the Solution You Provide

Quickly show the recipients of the business direct mail lists that you understand the problem they may have and that you are the person or company who can solve it with your products or services.

#5 – Write Effective Copy Without Marketing Speech

Avoid cheesy come-ons and used car salesman tactics when you are involved with business advertising. Get to the point quickly and use persuasive yet subtle language for maximum effect.

#6 – Use the Right Mood and Approach for the Audience

Different target markets make decisions based on different things. In most cases, consumers make emotional decisions and companies make rational or logical ones about the offers they accept. Create the direct mail piece in such a way that these moods are benefited from.

 #7 – Clearly Identify What Action the Recipient Should Take

Every business direct mail piece and should have a clear call to action that tells the person who receives it exactly what they should do next. This could be to visit a particular website, make a telephone call to request more information, sign up for a newsletter or make a purchase.

#8 – Track Response, Analyze Data and Test Multiple Mails

Even if you are satisfied with the return on your direct mail investment, you will never know if you could get an even greater response unless you track each direct mail campaign, analyze the responses you get and compare one contact with another.

#9 – Follow Up After the Direct Mail Campaign is Done

One email or colorful postcard does not make an entire marketing campaign. The old business adage that potential customers need to see an offer three times before taking action may not be explicitly true, but two or three contacts definitely increase the chances that your direct mail piece will become a springboard to new customers, clients and increased profits.

David James

President, Bethesda List Center, Inc + Bethesda Emedia Marketing.