While email and social media are changing up the marketing landscape, direct mail still offers a great way to communicate with your clients. Paper and ink – it just feels different – special.
People still think of a letter in their post box as ‘real mail’ as opposed to a note in their inbox. And if you get it right, it’s a wonderful tool to engage your clients and get the leads pouring in.
If you are considering a direct mail campaign, the three points are the key to getting it right:
Define your audience
Before you pay that ninja copywriter and designer a small ransom to produce something to titillate your mailing list, you need to establish who it is going to.
Actually – do you even have a mailing list?
Bought lists are almost always pretty dire and have a poor response rate. Your best clients are people that have bought from you before, responded to your ads or previous mailings, or have requested quotes or information. Too many companies don’t actively collect addresses for these people – and it’s been shown that the response to a quality list like this outperforms generic mailing lists by 10 times.
That’s a lot.
If you know who these people are and what they are interested in, then you will know what to focus on in your mailer.
Know what works
Was your last campaign a giant success, or a dismal failure? How do you know?
The only way you will know what works for your particular business is to test it. If you don’t know what’s working for you, or how well, then you can’t improve on it. And you will be chucking money into campaigns that look great, perhaps have a hilarious tagline – but are failing to achieve their purpose.
The reality is, however, that each mail campaign, each company and each mailing list will have its own personality. You need to find the formula that works for your clients and your product.
And when you have found it, stick with it. And serve it up to as many people will listen.
Get to the point
Knowing who your audience are and what would interest them is the best – no, the only – way to write good copy for your mailer.
According to Leo Bott Jr., a mail-order writer from Chicago, you have 5 seconds to get to the point and capture the reader’s attention.
5 seconds.
So ask yourself, will your reader be as interested in the history of your company from 1984? Will he care that you have a new cleaner called Henry? Will it impact his life at all that you had a great first quarter?
No, no, and no.
They want to know what this is about and if they need it. That simple.
Don’t forget that they have likely received 5-10 pieces of marketing material in their mailbox today. Yours is one of them.
It’s a competitive world where companies have to be innovative and creative to get the attention of a customer.
When it comes to mailing stuff, Mailmech are your best buddies. Our friendly and knowledgeable team are eager to help with anything mail related. Give us a call today on 011 789-1608 or visit us at www.mailmech.co.za.