Tips for Getting Ahead in Direct Mail

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When planning a mailing even if you don’t know exactly what the letter should say precisely, first of all, choose a lodgement date, allow for as much time as possible with the mailhouse, understand the postage options available to you in terms of both time and money, and make sure you have a system in place for response management.

Apart from that it’s all creative. The substance of the perfect letter or set of letters, lies in the strands of vague ideas, flashes of brilliance and unrelated powerful statements that come to mind in the creative process. The following questions help get the wheel rolling in the right direction towards writing the perfect direct mail piece and covers off important aspects for your consideration.

What is the objective of the mailing and why? What is the letter intended to do?

How can I make it easiest for respondents to act? Always include a reply paid envelope, print the personalised details on the DL reply slip for them.

What is my budget? I must account for envelopes, BREs, letterhead, colour flyers, brochures, addressing and over-imaging, mail processing (manual processing costs more in time & money), postage.

What are the physical restrictions on the mailing? Is there a prescribed envelope size or certain colours to be used?

Is my database large enough for digital printing to be cost beneficial and enhance my message with colour personalisation?

Consider the database and their relationship to the brand. How are they expected to react to the mailing? How do they respond, buy or enquire, over how many days?

When did you last mail to this database? How did they respond then? What segment is most responsive? Will I increase responses by using variable print techniques, different messages and different letters for different segments of my database?

What is unique about the company? The obvious might be origins of the product or service, duration of business, the owner. If there is something unique about the company, something to add interest or authority, use it.

Using artwork, define the company (i.e. good quality, premium service, bargain basement, helpful and friendly, efficient) in relation to the objective of the mailing.

To what need are you appealing in respondents, i.e., make money, save money, create efficiencies, help others, group membership, pay a bill?

What is the single most important value proposition you are making to guarantee responses, and what are the secondary benefits?

Are you using incentives to evoke responses, any special offers, early bird offers?

Are you clearly displaying phone number, office hours, website and other contact details?

Writing a letter summons all the powers of imagination. Good ideas come from thought provoking questions. Inquisitive questioning will highlight all the options available to help accomplish your mailing objectives and from that vantage point you will find the most powerful method to communicate your message and get the most out of direct mail marketing.