How to get the most out of direct mail.

Many big consumer companies use direct mail (DM to the cognoscenti) as the backbone of their marketing. But even if your company uses direct mail only occasionally, say as part of a new product rollout, you can benefit from some of the wisdom big-time mailers use.

Take care of the list first. Nothing – not the product, not the offer, not the layout, design or copy – is more important to success of a mailing than the list. Your in-house customer list is your most valuable asset in this regard, and it’s worth the effort to build and maintain it. If you do buy lists, spend time researching which lists are most clearly directed to your target, regardless of the cost.

Make an offer – then sell the offer. It’s the rare product so unique it can fuel a DM program entirely on its own. You’ll get better results by creating a compelling offer with an expiration date to give it a sense of immediacy. Whatever it is – a special introductory price, a free “test drive” or premium with purchase, make sure it’s desirable enough to drive a response.

Center the pitch in your sales letter. A package with a sales letter will almost always out-pull one without. This is the place to clearly spell out the offer and make your best arguments why the reader should respond.

Maintain focus on the prospect, not the product. Build the mailing from the customer point of view. Sure, if technical specs are important, make sure they don’t get lost, but make certain the benefits of the product (and the offer) are crystal clear.

Don’t be dull. You know from your own experience how hard it is for a particular mailer to stand out in a stack of mail. Be provocative. Be outrageous. Do everything in your power to make sure your mailing is noticed, opened, remembered and acted on.

Back to Archives