The marketing landscape can oftentimes be very confusing to some, especially to young business owners who do not have lots of experience with it. It’s frequently very dynamic and volatile, constantly adapting to new solutions and changes.
But one thing stays the same when it comes to this, and that is that no matter what enters the marketing world, companies never give up direct mail marketing because on numerous occasions it was their helping hand that allowed them to reach and engage with their target audience.
But just like with any other marketing strategy (regardless if it’s offline or online), you need to carefully think things through if you want it to be successful. If you’re searching for the most effective practices that will help you convey a perfect message, and, concurrently, drive people to your business, then these are the tips you should implement!
Your Content Must Be Enticing
The appearance of your direct mail piece is definitely something that’s going to pique someone’s interest, there’s no doubt about it, however, its content is the element that’s going to turn a prospective client into a loyal consumer.
That’s precisely why your company must invest all its efforts into this segment. Now, in order to do this the right way, you first need to know a bit about your target audience. What do they like in terms of products and services?
How old are they? Did you define their buying behaviors? All of these questions (along with the answers) are going to help you better understand them. Yes, it’s great when your direct mail piece is inviting, however, if you want to convince them that you are here to enhance their life, then you need to focus on the inside too.
Speaking of this, pay attention to the tone that you are exuding. It’s supposed to be a great blend of something that’s both personal and professional, that’s if you want to build trust with your future customers.
Furthermore, you need to experiment and play with your content, by adding a bunch of interesting and entertaining elements that are going to make your message even more enticing, like pictures, infographics, and many others.
Speaking of this, just be sure not to overstuff your direct mail piece with a bunch of unnecessary elements, otherwise, you’ll distract them from the key points of your message.
Did You Choose The Format?
The enchanting world of direct mail is packed with options, meaning all kinds of different formats you can opt for. You can choose a tailored direct mail postcard design, if you’re searching for something that’s a bit inventive, or if you’re more of a traditional person, then envelopes will get the job done. These are just some examples of what you can resort to.
But the point is that you must be familiar with all the formats if you want to make the most out of your direct mail advertising campaign. Direct mail pieces (depending on the print material you select) can be found in various sizes, and below, you’ll learn all about them.
- Postcards – Small (4.25” x 6”), Standard (6” x 9”), Large (6” x 11”), Extra-large (9” x 12”)
- Outside envelops – Monarch, #10, 6×9, #11, #14, 9×12
- Folded self-mailers- Three-Panel Horizontal (9” x 18”), Three-Panel Oblong (6’ x 27”), Four-Panel (9” x 24”)
Speaking of size, if you want to take things to the next level, maybe you should choose 3D mail over 2D pieces. You may not find this to be particularly important, but you wouldn’t believe how positively it impacts the response rates, so it’s definitely worth checking out!
You Should Segment Your Target Audience
No success can be achieved with any marketing campaign if you do not segment your recipients first. In order to do this correctly, you need to pay attention to the way they responded when you first sent out your direct mail pieces.
Once that’s completed, then your next step is to put them in a particular category, which you can effectively do if you take these factors into account:
- Demographic – age, gender, salary, education, and ethnicity
- Geographic – state, city, street, zip code
- Behavioral – their activities relating to the purchasing habits
- Psychographic – their interests, core values, and attitudes
Targeting these segments will increase your chances of excellent conversion rates and returns. Additionally, you should make use of these pieces of information to create meaningful and personalized messages that will resonate with them, and that will show them that you haven’t forgotten about their needs and preferences.
It Wouldn’t Hurt To Optimize And Test Your Direct Mail
Every knowledgeable and experienced marketer will tell you that you must know the specifics of all of your direct mail marketing campaigns, especially if you’re trying to improve your return on investment, and the efficacy of not only your marketing efforts but your business as well!
In these instances, one of the best things that you can do is to give A/B testing a try because that’s something that will undeniably boost your marketing efforts. So what’s the main purpose of it?
It is an amazing tool that’s going to help you identify what’s honestly beneficial for your direct mail marketing campaign and what isn’t. Moreover, it’s going to help you make a well-informed decision based on various useful facts, and then you will adjust your direct marketing strategy as you go.
If you are ready to conduct A/B testing, then these are the steps that you should take before you proceed with anything else:
- Set your goals – During this stage, you’ll determine what you want to test out in the first place. It can be literally anything, starting from the style of your message, its design, etc.
- Variant creation – Create two versions of the mail piece, modifying only one variable so you can isolate its effects.
- Execution and supervising – Blast off both variants concurrently to gauge their efficacy and overall performance.
There are so many things that you must take care of (in terms of your direct mail advertising strategy) that it can sometimes be very overwhelming. However, what’s great about these tips is the fact that, with them, great results are inevitable!
