Finding a Direct Mail Marketing strategy that works can be hard. Often people go through a lengthy trial and error process to figure out what helps them meet and exceed their campaign goals. Few people can come up with the perfect plan right off the bat, but being aware of some simple mistakes (and figuring out how to successfully avoid them!) can help you pinpoint your perfect strategy much faster. We’ve outlined some direct mail marketing do’s and don’ts that can help you set yourself up for profitable campaigns.
Don’t: Think Bigger is Better
One of the most common direct mail marketing errors is believing that bigger is better. Striving to have the biggest mailing list possible won’t bring you better results. It’ll actually have the opposite effect. You’ll spend more on printing and postage costs, see a low response rate, and yield a small profit margin.
Do: Have Precise Targeting
You’ll achieve the best results (high response rates, great close rates, high ROI, big profit margins – to name a few) with a smaller, targeted mailing list. With a highly targeted list, you’re reaching qualified prospects who are likely to be in need of your products/service. Not only that, it eliminates those who are least likely to respond or be interested in your offer – which, as a bonus, cuts down on your print and postage costs.
Don’t: Be Wordy
Remember, you’re writing copy for a direct mail piece – not the next great American novel. A mailer that’s too wordy with multiple lengthy paraphs is overwhelming for people to read. If your recipients receive a long letter or postcard covered in text, they probably won’t even bother to read it.
Do: Make Your Mailer Skimmable
Your mailer should be easy and enjoyable to read. Most people won’t be reading every single word. Instead, they’ll be skimming. Make it easy for them to scan by keeping sentences short and utilizing bullet points. You can use bold text, underlines, or colored fonts to draw readers’ attention to important points that you don’t want them to miss.
Don’t: Design Like a Kindergartener
Do you remember art class in kindergarten when you would use every single crayon in the box when you drew a picture? Well, that isn’t how you should be designing your mailers. Too many colors and graphics in your mailer overwhelms the eye and distracts from your message. Of course, you want the design to be attention-grabbing, but if you go overboard and try too hard, you’ll find that people will be less likely to respond to your mailers.
Do: Design With Purpose
Be smart with your mailer design. Take your time to think about the right colors, font types, and images that you’ll use. They should be appropriate for the audience to which you’re marketing. The goal is to pique a prospect’s interest and intrigue them to read your mailer. With that said, there’s a fine line between a visually striking mailer and one that’s over the top. Utilize whitespace, keep it to one or two images, and stick to a color scheme with only a few shades so that your mailer is attractive without being over the top.
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