More bang for you marketing $$$:Be Direct! Target you communications with direct mail.

Direct mail –  surface mail or e-mail – is a great way to get response from a clearly defined audience. But doing direct mail successfully means watching three things:

1. LIST
Make sure your message goes to the RIGHT people. If you’re purchasing a list, ask to test a small number of names before investing in the full list.

When you send out a mailing, you can expect 1-3% wrong addresses. These will come as returned mail or maybe phone calls. It’s a good idea to keep track of the number of bad addresses. If you get more than 3%, you may be able to get money back from your list provider.

2. BREAK-THROUGH CREATIVE
Think of all the stuff in your in-box. A mailer needs to break through that clutter. Grab attention. Beg to be opened and read. So have some fun. Maybe take a risk. Different creative approaches can be tested to find what works best.

3. OFFER/CALL TO ACTION
Direct mail is all about response. So offer something attractive to spur it – a trinket, rebate, coupon, or informational pamphlet. Be creative here, too. This is another variable that can be tested.

Other factors to think about are:

REPETITION  For any communication program to succeed, you have to repeat, repeat, repeat. With direct mail you can send a series of mailers or send the same piece. Send pieces two or three weeks apart…and repeat the series in three to six months.

FOLLOW-UP  Phone calls to recipients after they’ve received a mailing can help get maximum results.

MEASUREMENT  Look at inquiry quantity and quality from your program. Use the information to make your program better.