Marketing Tips
21 Secrets to Successful Mailouts !
Direct mail is a powerful tool for any business and should be a part of every marketing plan.
Why direct mail?
• You can send the mail directly to your target customers
• The mail is often shared with other people in the household/office – this is particularly valuable where more than one decision maker is involved in the purchase.
• Information is often kept to read or refer to later
However…. our society is bombarded with advertising and marketing messages, which means you need to capture your reader quickly and motivate them to take immediate action.
How can you make your marketing stand out?
21 Secrets to Successful Mailouts
• Start by working out what problems your potential clients are facing, and how your product will solve their problem
• Don’t sell features or benefits, sell the solution to the problem
• Make sure your mail has an offer (call to action); tell your readers exactly what you want them to do
• Highlight the offer prominently
• Ask for the order right away. Make your offer easy to respond to: use a postage paid reply card or envelope
• Give a free gift to increase response. "Free" is still a motivating word--use it and highlight it. You could use free information, free samples or a free demonstration as a marketing hook. Free trials eliminate risk for the customer
• Offer a discount for a quick response and order. Always put a sense of urgency and deadline in your copy. Create excitement: "Act Now!", "For a limited time!", "Hurry while it lasts!"
• Keep your content short – but enough to arouse interest. Break up long sections of text with graphics or white space. Use bullet points and small segments of information. Use subheadings and subtitles
• Put your call to action at the beginning, middle and end of your copy. Use a "P.S."—it’s one of the most frequently read parts of the content
• Outsource things you don't do best: printing, design, organizing the mail out, etc.
• Use graphics and colour which support the message and text and demonstrate your professionalism. Use one type of formatting that is easy to read, not a mix of them. Use plenty of colour.
• White space is good--a clean look is professional and easy to read. Postcards can be very efficient; usually both sides are looked at.
• Keep design consistent with other marketing materials
• Test different copy, headlines and offers
• Use graphics and/or a headline on the outside of envelopes to increase exposure
• Plan and prepare enough mailings for three months at a time
• Print in large quantities to take advantage of cheaper printing prices and leave stacks of left-over printed items at appropriate businesses or trade organizations. It’s also OK to send the same piece over and over to help build brand awareness… just make sure the call to action is still relevant.
• Have your direct mail proof read and reviewed by an objective third party
• Personalize as much as you can; include a photo of yourself
• State your geographical service area even if its global, national, regional or local
• Include a business card in a letter. Put your website address on all mailing pieces
Things to do in March
- Plan your direct mail campaign. Make sure you have planned out 3 months ahead.
- Set a deadline for when you want to send out your direct mail, and work back from there. Remember to check with the Post Office for booking dates if using unaddressed mail. (We can organize these mail outs for you if you prefer).
