On the blog, we often talk about the amazing success that direct mail marketing can bring for you. We brag about its superior targeting capabilities; we show off the success our clients have had. It’s fun and easy to talk and write about the incredible impact that a direct mail campaign can have. Writing about failed campaigns? Well, that certainly isn’t as fun and is a little harder to discuss.
When an ad campaign – be it Direct Mail, email, or search – doesn’t perform well, marketers are often left feeling discouraged and upset, and for understandable reasons. Nobody likes the feeling of failure, and nobody wants their hard work to amount to nothing. On top of that, many people allocate big budgets for their campaigns, and wasting money can cause tension between colleagues and their upper management.
While we could write another post praising Direct mail and its awesomeness, we decided to focus on shedding light on common reasons why campaigns fail. This isn’t to scare you, but to help you avoid these costly mistakes.
Low-Quality Mailing List
If there’s one thing that we want you to take away from this blog post, it’s this: NEVER be stingy when you buy a mailing list. The old saying is true; you do get what you pay for. When you pay little for your direct mail data, you won’t get sales. Don’t be tempted to buy the cheapest list that you can find, and don’t buy from a questionable vendor. Paying more money upfront for your data list guarantees that your data is accurate and up to date. Always invest in the best list you can find from a reliable source.
No Targeting
Unfortunately, many people new to Direct Mail Marketing think that the best strategy is to send mailers to as many people as possible. They believe that the more mailers they send, the more responses they’ll receive. To be blunt, this isn’t true. This strategy isn’t cost effective. In fact, it’s extremely expensive. For best results, only send mailers to your target audience. Remove any irrelevant contacts and unqualified leads from your mailing list. With targeting, your mailers only reach people most likely to be in need of your product/service. You’ll save on print and postage costs, will which increase your profit margins.
Bad Copy
Never overlook the importance of your copywriting. Your campaign won’t generate sales if the copy is poorly written. Your mailer’s copy should be concise and easy to read. People won’t bother reading through a long-winded letter. Instead, break up the text into easy to read paragraphs and bullet points for readability. Also, think of the quality of what you’re writing. Keep the tone professional but not stiff or boring. And most importantly, PROOFREAD EVERYTHING! Have multiple people read over your mailer before printing it. Misspelled words and grammatical errors are a turn-off to consumers and delegitimize your business.
Have you ever made any of these mistakes before? If you have, know that it’s still possible for you to have a successful campaign. Don’t allow a past failure to keep you away from direct mail marketing. For expert advice on creating a winning direct mail strategy, contact us today.
The post Top 3 Reasons Why Direct Mail Marketing Campaigns Fail appeared first on Titan List.
