While trends in marketing and consumer preferences may change, there are four basic tenants of direct mail that will forever remain the same. No matter how much direct mail evolves, say from square mail to shaped mail, these cornerstones will still mean the difference between whether or not people will read what you send. But here’s the catch. Many marketers skip 1 and 2, which account for 70 to 80 percent of your campaign’s success.
Direct mail results always boil down to:
- Lists and data. A good list is a fertile field for new prospects, but a list that’s old, or hasn’t been updated for current addresses will mean a lot of waste and unneeded expense. Likewise, a list that is off target will also provide little return on your investment. If you’re sending a rock concert announcement to patrons of the classical arts, you’ve probably missed your mark.
- Offers/messaging. By testing messages and offers, you can compile data showing which are most effective. Then you can pare down your efforts to reflect those individualized messages target markets respond better to. The best direct mail is all about understanding your different target segments, and crafting messages that resonate with those segments.
- Creative and copy. This is the step where many marketers leap frog over 1 and 2 and get right to the meat and potatoes. Thinking killer creative will win over even the most reluctant recipient, they forge ahead with wild abandon and are surprised when the response rates are lackluster. Here’s why: There’s never any one creative solution to a marketing challenge. Different layouts, messages and calls to action should be continually tested based on the data you’re gathering from the lists you’re utilizing.
“Smart marketers regroup and rethink a proposition to sculpt the best returns over time. Test a shaped piece over a traditional direct mail piece and gauge the results, which are typically three times as much for the shaped direct mail,” said Karen O’Brien, co-owner of Tampa-based ThinkShapes Mail.
4. Timing. Timing is indeed everything in direct mail. Just ask any marketer sending holiday catalogs. There is seasonality in direct mail just as there is in travel, purchasing habits, and fashion. Pair the right message with the right season, which sounds like a no brainer, but in reality can be a bit tricky. Car dealers and non-profits know people do spend money on cars and donations in December to avoid a bigger tax burden in January. Also consider how often you reach out to people, taking into account all mediums include social and email. A coordinated message rolled out on all at the same time is always more effective.
In short, the days of mass mailings are just about gone and are increasingly being replaced by well-targeted, well-timed, well-executed ones. Stick with this tried-and-true methodology and you’ll garner greater results from your next campaign.
