Are you looking for a way to grab attention, engage your audience, and generate immediate results? A direct response direct mail campaign is still one of the best ways to do all the above.
A direct response direct mail campaign involves sending a physical piece of mail to potential customers with the goal of prompting them to take immediate action. There are many options for creating a direct mail campaign including postcards, letters, catalogs, brochures, 3D mail (lumpy mail). And if you have a high-ticket product or service, a shock and awe may be a good option for you.
Direct mail often gets written off as old-fashioned or irrelevant in a digital world. But you don’t have to choose between digital marketing and direct mail. The two can complement each other in ways that allow you to increase your response rate, get more quality leads and track your results.
Four reasons direct mail is still a great strategy:
- Fewer businesses are using direct mail these days, so you have a higher chance of being noticed and remembered.
- People tend to interact more with items they can touch and hold.
- You will get a higher quality lead with direct mail.
- You can create a deeper connection with the recipient by personalizing each mailer.
Now let’s get into the details of creating your first direct mail campaign. Today my focus will be on creating a well written, personalized letter you will send in a regular envelope.
Step 1. Set Clear Goals
Every good campaign starts with a clear goal. What are you trying to achieve with your direct mail campaign? Your goals will dictate who you target, the type of mailer you will use and how you measure success. Some common direct mail objectives are driving traffic to your website, generating leads, increasing traffic to your brick and mortar location, or persuading recipients to redeem a coupon or special offer.
Step 2. Start With A Highly Targeted List
This is the most important step in creating a direct mail campaign. Your campaign is only as effective as its ability to resonate with the right people. You will want to know their demographics (age, gender, income level, etc.); their needs or pain points; the solutions or benefits are they looking for.
You may consider purchasing a mailing list from a reliable direct mailing list service provider that will provide you with a presegmented or customized list of potential customers who fit your ideal profile. You can search on Google and find mailing list service such as USA Data, Data Axle USA and others. Research a few direct mail list service companies to find one that will work best for your unique situation.
Step 3. Add A Personal Touch
Your mailer should grab attention instantly and entice your recipient to explore it further. Hand address the outside of the envelope. Most printers have the ability to create a mailer that gives the appearance of a handwritten address. Use an actual stamp on the outside of the envelope rather than sending bulk mail. This ensures it will be delivered, and it will not look like "junk" mail.
Step 4. Write Great Copy
- Use Headlines That Pop. A strong headline is the gateway to your sales letter. It needs to grab attention immediately. Spend as much time crafting headlines as writing the body of your letter. Make it bold, action-driven, and benefit-focused.
- Use A Subheading. A subheading is a short title that appears under a main headline to provide more information or context for the heading.
- Write A Great Opening Line. Write one or two sentences to tell them why it's important for them to read this letter and hint at a couple of benefits of reading further.
- Design Your Letter So It’s Easy To Scan. This is the one thing that will ensure the recipient will get the main points of your letter. Use bullet points and white space to improve readability. The bullet points could be a list of benefits of using your product or service. Use white space to separate paragraphs. Keep your paragraphs short (around 70 words) with a double space between paragraphs.
- What's In It For Them. Keep your focus on the reader. Don't waste this opportunity telling them all about you and your business. Clearly communicate your offer and the transformation they will experience as a result of purchasing your product or service.
- A Strong Call-to-Action (CTA). Don’t leave any room for guesswork. Use clear and persuasive CTAs. “Call us at [phone number]" is not a call to action. A great call to action will contain the action you want them to take, a time limit or expiration date and what’s in it for them. For example, “Stop by our Nashville location and present the coupon attached to this letter before 5:00PM on March 3rd to get 20% off your next purchase.” If you have all three components, you will have a great call to action.
- Testimonials. Another important component of your letter is testimonials. Seeing what other people say about you is proof you can deliver on your promises and gives them the assurance they need to make a decision.
- Your Contact Information. Make it easy to contact you by including your contact information at the end. Consider using a QR code they can scan with their smart phone to go directly to your website.
- Add A P.S. The P.S. is sometimes the first thing your recipient will read, so make it a good one. This is a good place to make your offer and to reiterate the benefits and transformation your offer provides.
Step 5. Plan Your Sequence
A successful direct mail campaign will have multiple mailings scheduled at predetermined intervals. Sending one mail piece every year will not get results. It’s important to maintain consistent touchpoints such as monthly or quarterly mailings. Create a mailing calendar to ensure you stay on track.
Step 6. Track Your Spending and Results
After launching your campaign, evaluate its performance against your original goals. Track metrics such as spending for the campaign; response rate (how many people redeemed the discount or offer); conversion rate (how many responders became paying customers) and your return on investment (ROI) for the campaign.
A well-thought-out direct response direct mail campaign can be a game-changer for small business owners and entrepreneurs. By combining creativity, strategy, and measurable goals, you can effectively connect with your audience, drive action, and see tangible results.