Direct mail
What direct marketing is, tips for a successful direct mail marketing campaign and the typical items you might include in your mailing campaign.
Direct mail allows you to get information about your products and services directly into the hands of people who may be interested in it. Though it's often dismissed as junk mail, it can be highly effective in both business and consumer markets if it's properly planned and researched.
An example of direct mail is a postcard or flyer sent through the mail to potential customers. The flyer or postcard may include a discount code or coupon and details about a good or service. Don't cut corners in preparing your materials - the success of your mailshot depends on it.
The other key ingredient for a successful direct mail campaign is a high-quality mailing list. The most effective lists are those sourced in-house from a well-managed database - you already know the preferences of the recipients of your mailshot and can tailor your offer accordingly.
There's also a range of commercial list providers you can use to generate lists of both businesses and consumers. Find .
Tips for a successful direct mail campaign
The following tips will help you make the most of direct mail:
- Draw up a budget which sees your business profiting at a realistic level of response.
- Consider incentives such as prizes or discounts to maximise response - and make sure you have included these in your budget.
- Source a mailing list that's appropriate to your objectives.
- Make sure you have the resources to run the campaign, follow it up and cope with the response.
- When your campaign is over, quantify the costs, returns and rates of response. If you start clear objectives, you should be able to learn a lot about what you achieved and how.