Direct Mail has always been a great way to reach a target audience. But during this period of shelter-in-place where so many of us look forward to simple tasks, such as getting the mail, direct mail has even greater value. While use of media at home has skyrocketed so has advertising fatigue. Now is a great time to reach your goals with Direct Mail.
Social media has seen a spike in usage over the past eight weeks. But it is increasingly just a way to stay in touch with family and friends. People are less open to being lured by advertising while online. For many, scrolling and content consumption is just a way to pass the time. In a rather short period of time brands have found it tougher to make an impact online. Smart advertising agencies have turned to direct mail.
Direct Mail Content
Successful Direct Mail combines good content with eye-catching, interest drawing mailers. Depending on your strategy, good storytelling helps draw prospects in. Be authentic, use real events or examples. Use emotional associations where possible. Incorporate statistics to build credibility but use them in context. Demonstrating how you helped a retailer will not mean anything to someone in a service industry such as healthcare or legal. People will not remember the numbers as much as relationship. Leverage positive reviews and recommendations. Testimonials help build trust. Not all of this needs to be done in each piece. But if you are concise you can be quite effective.
Design
The other component to a good direct mail piece is standing out in the mailbox. Unusual sized pieces will help differentiate your piece from other mail. Use color to draw attention. Bed Bath and Beyond mailers are instantly recognizable because of their rectangular shape and bold blue on white color scheme. Envelopes can also be found that are highly unusual, both in touch and visually. The United States Postal Service offers discounts on envelopes made from sensory and tactile materials. Remember, like other advertising efforts consistency and frequency help response rates. Bed Bath and Beyond mailers did not become ubiquitous in one mailing.
As with any other advertising effort the advertiser needs to know their target audience. Mailing lists have great targeting capabilities. Each demographic or behavioral characteristic is called a Select. You can choose from a myriad of Selects around income, job types, interests etc. The better the client avatar the more precisely you can purchase a list.
One of our clients is a tennis academy that sends out direct mail pieces starting in April touting their classes and camps. They double up just before Wimbledon and the US Open. Their list targets families with children from 6-16 years of age. The self-mailer is very specific with camp dates price guides, and colorful action photos of smiling kids playing tennis. With a rate of return between 4-7% on each mailer, it is well worth the print/mail budget.
The beauty of direct mail is that each piece captures the prospect’s unqualified attention, even if it is only for a few seconds. A well-designed mailer with a smart call-to-action will draw attention and response. And, if it is properly targeted, will help you reach your marketing goals.
Author: Jim Ewing
Superior Resource Printing and Graphics
