More bang for your marketing $$$: Making your direct mail work

Ever have a communications program fall on its face? You, your boss, and your colleagues were probably left frustrated and wondering, “What went wrong?” Like most marketing communications questions there are no simple answers. Just too many variables involved.

If it's direct mail results that are disappointing (surface mail or email), here are the key things to look at:

1) LIST 
Sending your message to the RIGHT people is critically important. It can help to pre-qualify a list by mailing to a small sample before sending out something to tens of thousands. If you’re purchasing a list, check on the list company’s sources and how often they update.  Publication subscriber lists may be better quality.


2) BREAK-THROUGH CREATIVE
Think of the clutter in your mailbox or in-box. A mail piece needs to break through that clutter. Grab attention. Beg to be opened and read.  Different creative approaches can be tested on segments of the list to find what works best.  (In email marketing the subject line is critical.)

3) OFFER/CALL TO ACTION 
Direct mail is all about response. So offer something attractive to spur it – a premium item, a rebate, a coupon.   An informational book or pamphlet. The offer is another variable that can be tested.


4) REPETITION
There are two cardinal rules of human communication: 1) People will notice your message only when they’re interested, and 2) People retain only about 10% of the messages they’re exposed to each day. So for a communication program to succeed, it must repeat, repeat, repeat. You can send a series of mailers or the same piece. Either way repeat the series in three to six months.

5) FOLLOW-UP
Phone calls to recipients after they’ve received a mailing can maximize results.  Schedule mailings in a way that allows for phone follow-up.

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