Tricks of the Direct Mail Trade

There are numerous tricks to the trade, and direct mailing experts spend ample amounts of time honing and testing direct mail pieces. Color, texture, print, tone, wording, phrasing, size of the piece, and numerous other issues are all debated by the experts. Direct mail is unique in that it is a tangible item that your recipient can hold, read, save or toss, depending on his or her need for the product or service and the interest created by the

piece. In the end, a 5% return on investment (ROI) is considered extremely good when embarking on a direct mail campaign. Therefore, once you?ve put together the piece you want to mail, you should start with a test run before mailing to your entire list. This will give you an idea of the piece's impact.

Direct mail pointers include:

• Use all the elements ? paper quality, size, color, and texture are all parts of the presentation ? as it's not just what you have to say but how.
• Don't over-design. Graphic designers often get carried away with the overall look and forget that someone has to be able to actually read the piece.
• Don't try to fool readers with "come ons" on the envelope such as "Sweepstakes Winner."
• Send a separate mailing to steady customers with special offers, promotions, or advance notice of upcoming sales. Make them feel important since they are vital to your business.
• If you are mailing to a business, determine the best name to whom to send the mailing. Sending an item to a title or a company name only is usually an exercise in futility.
• Use a postage meter, it looks more professional than stamps.
• Write conversational copy that focuses on what your product or service can do for the reader.
• Avoid technical jargon and hyperbolae.
• Make valid claims and promises that you can keep.
• If you request a return by mail, make the process simple and the instructions very clear.
• Reply cards are often more effective than 800 numbers unless you have competent round the clock operators on hand. Even then, offer both options since some people prefer one over the other.
• If you have a web site, include it on all direct mail pieces.
• Add a personalized touch ? no "dear occupant" letters. Include a signature that appears personalized.
• Watch your costs closely. A successful direct marketing campaign is contingent upon generating a profit, so track your spending against your ROI.
• If you find an income-generating piece, use it as a template for future mailings.