11 Tips for Starting a Direct Mail Campaign

Currently, there are about 30.2 million small businesses in the United States. Standing out from this competition can be tricky and you might feel overwhelmed wondering what steps to take.

While all of this might seem hard, it doesn’t have to be. Read this guide on the top tips for your next direct mail campaign and reach more customers today!

1. Target Your List

Direct mail campaigns should include your current list. You can find more information here about direct mail marketing. 

If you target your current list for your direct mailing campaign, you’re more likely to have an increase in the response rate. You can also send your information out to multiple types of people. 

They can include:

• Purchase managers
• Occupants
• Residents
• Households
• Marketing managers
• Business owners
• And more 

Think about what you’d like to target in regards to demographics. If there’s a specific income, age, etc. If you’re short on cash then postcards are an affordable and effective method. 

Some demographics could include: 

• Family size
• Age
• Gender
• Location
• Income
• Attitudes
• Buying behavior 

When you send out segmented lists, they’re more likely to be personalized.

Personalized mail is more likely to be opened. Communicate with your printing house how you’d like to automate the process and include personalization. Some ways to make it stand out include using unique graphics or colors. 

2. Include Incentives

Include bonuses, rebates, or sales in your direct mailing campaigns. When you offer these incentives, people are more likely to buy.

Be sure to include an expiration date to make the customer more likely to act now. If you only include that incentive unique to that campaign, you’ll be able to track the sales. 

3. Automation Time 

To save time on printing, consider using mail houses. They’ll deliver the materials to your customers. Many printing companies will have a mail house. 

You don’t have to worry about extra costs such as shipping the items from one location to another. Printing companies will have knowledge of postage pricing and regulations. This will help you save money. 

4. Use Strong Copy

Use copywriting in your mailers. If you’re not sure how to do copywriting, consider hiring an expert. 

You want them to talk about the features and benefits of your services or products. Think about the different pain points that your ideal audience has and how your product or service will solve this for them. 

Include a call-to-action at the bottom such as contact us, buy now, etc. Think about the piece of mail and how big it is as you contemplate the copy. 

5. Consistent Branding

Use consistent branding on all of your direct mail campaigns. This way if you send it out multiple times, people will begin to recognize your business. This can include fonts, images, and colors. 

Be sure that the design is clean and not too busy. Don’t include too much information in your copy either. 

6. Buy a List

If you don’t have a direct mail list or are looking for a fresh one, consider buying or renting one. There are political and third party direct mail companies that’ll allow you to use their list for a price. If you’re new to direct mail, renting is a good option. 

7. Follow Up

Once you send out campaigns to your audience, you’ll want to send another campaign in time. Even if you don’t receive a response the first time around, you might receive one a few months later for the second try. 

Split your campaigns into two groups to see which performs the best. Consider the different times of the year and when people will be expecting deals. 

As you test, you can determine what the right amount of time is for your direct mail campaigns. Pay attention to how often each customer buys from you. For customers that are repeat buyers, you might want to send them promotions more often. 

8. Use Codes

Use codes on your flyers to keep track of each campaign. This will allow you to see how successful it is.

Whether or not it performs well, you can make adjustments as necessary. Instead of codes, you could also use different pages on your website. 

9. Be Patient

Direct marketing takes time. It’s not instant like online marketing can be. 

If you don’t succeed with the first go-around, see what you can change for future campaigns. Before you quit, give it time to produce results. 

10. Know Your Goals

Before you begin, know your goals for this campaign. Whether it’s bringing more traffic to your site or gaining new customers, be honest with yourself. When you have a clear goal, it’s more likely for you to make effective decisions. 

11. Consider the Format

You have several options including flyers, letters, and more. If you’re looking to make a lasting impression, consider items that they could use around the home. 

This could include umbrellas, calendars, and pens. There are postcards of varying sizes that you could choose as well. You could go with 6 x 11, 6 x 9, or 4 x 6-inch postcards. 

How To Create an Effective Direct Mail Campaign

After exploring this guide on how to create an effective direct mail campaign, you should have a better idea of where to begin. Think about your goals and decide which format will be the most effective for your business.

If you’re not sure which format is best, consider trying different formats and see which is the most effective. Don’t forget to provide a code with deals to track the results.

Would you like to read more content with businesses in mind? Be sure to check out our other articles today!