New marketing strategies are always emerging. Sometimes, the old ones just need a little tweak to make them more effective. Take direct mailers as an example. While some businesses might not consider them cutting-edge, mailers are still one of the most cost-effective ways to reach potential customers and help your marketing strategy succeed. Read on to learn how these targeted mailings can benefit your business marketing plan and what you should keep in mind when creating them.
Define Your Goals
The first step in creating any marketing piece is defining your goals. What do you want mailers to accomplish? If you’re unsure, consider these questions: What do you want customers to do, or what do you want them to think? What do you want them to know about your business? Marketing goals can be many things, depending on your business type and audience. Some common goals of direct mailers include:
• Introduce or remind customers of your brand
• Get customers to make a purchase
• Make customers feel appreciated
Know Your Audience
While you know your goals, it’s also important to know your audience. Understanding your customers’ wants and needs will help you create a more effective mailing. Understanding your customers’ ages is helpful because it lets you know what type of language to use. If most of your customers are over 45, you might use a more formal tone in your mailers than if most customers are under 35. Depending on your business, the gender of your customers may not matter, but it can help you decide how to word your direct mailers. For example, if you sell infant clothing, you’ll want to use gender-neutral terms. If you sell a sports car, you’ll want to use terms that appeal to a male audience.
Decide on a Format
Now that you know who you’re mailing and what you want to accomplish with the mailing, it’s time to decide on a format. Which format is best for you depends on your goals and what you sell.
Catalogs are the most common type of direct mailer typically used for B2C businesses. Catalogs offer a wide selection of products and images, which lets you promote deals and discounts and show off your products in a high-quality, visual way. If you’re mailing to customers, not potential customers, consider adding gift ideas or certificates inside. This is an excellent way to suggest something your customers may like.
Brochures also offer visual appeal and are great for broadcasting a message and plugging a deal, service, or product. Brochures are best used for B2B businesses that want to broadcast a message but don’t have products or services to showcase.
Letters are best suited for businesses that want to emphasize customer service and prompt customers to take action. Letters should be personalized, and you should also consider including gift ideas or gift certificates.
Send Quality Mailers
Not every direct mailing is a winner, but that doesn’t mean you should give up on the strategy. If some of your mailings don’t succeed, it may be because they weren’t executed properly.
Make sure your direct mailers are personalized. The most important thing to remember when sending a direct mailing is to make it personal. Forgetting to add the recipient’s name or address is a common mistake but a huge faux pas. Make sure your mailing is attractive too. If you’re mailing to customers, the mailing should be attractive enough to prompt them to open it. If you’re mailing to potential customers, the mailing should be attractive enough to prompt them to respond or visit your website or store.
Make sure your mailing follows laws. If you’re mailing to potential customers, make sure you’re following the laws concerning mailing times. If you’re mailing to customers, ensure you’re not violating any federal laws regarding mailing. Make sure your mailing has enough postage. You’ll need to pay postage if you’re mailing large quantities of letters to customers or potential customers. Using automated mailing services can help ensure that you don’t violate any laws and have enough postage on your mailers.
Direct mailers are a great marketing strategy, but they work best when they’re a part of a larger, more comprehensive marketing plan. Before sending out mailers, make sure you’ve considered your goals, your audience, and the different formats you can choose from. Once your plan is in place, ensure your mailers are high-quality, follow the laws, and are personalized enough to prompt customers to act. Once you’ve sent them out, measure their effectiveness to see what you can do better next time, and you’ll be all set to make the most of this marketing method.
Meghan Belnap is a freelance writer who enjoys spending time with her family. She loves being in the outdoors and exploring new opportunities whenever they arise. Meghan finds happiness in researching new topics that help to expand her horizons. You can often find her buried in a good book or out looking for an adventure. You can connect with her on Facebook right here and Twitter right here.
