Direct Mail Tips for Success

Direct mail can be an important part of your marketing mix. Your prospects will respond to many different formats; mail, email, TV, radio and/or space advertising. You need to determine which marketing channels are cost-effective for your business and which one best reaches your target audience.

Direct mail can be targeted and personalized to an individual as opposed to TV, radio or space ads for the general public, that's what makes it so powerful. If direct mail is going to be included in your marketing mix, then you need to take a look at our tips for success below.

• Mail to the right group of prospects. Find prospects most like your top customers so you're mailing to someone who will be interested in your service or products. Mailing to the wrong group of people will waste valuable marketing dollars no matter how good your package and offer is.


• Use an attention-getting headline or message on your outer envelope, self-mailer or brochure. Your package needs to stand out among the rest of the mail your prospect receives. Stand out in the crowd!


• Make it easy to find your offer or call-to-action! Nothing is more frustrating for a prospect to be interested in your service or products but they're unable to find your contact information or their next step. Often times, prospects will open the envelope and immediately look for the order form, call-to-action or contact information and bypass the letter or other components included in the package.


• Your sales letter or self-mailer should stress what the benefits are to your prospect. While telling your prospects all about your company and the services and/or products you have to offer, what they really want to know is "what's in it for me?". Make sure to let your prospects know how your services or products can benefit them.


• Use the magic words - they work! If you have a guarantee, tell your prospects about it. If you offer free shipping, stress that throughout your sales pitch. If you are offering special savings for a limited time, make sure you mention it again and again.

More tips... Personalize your mailings, test offers, packages and tag lines, make your point up front, spend more time on your sales letter than a brochure or inserts and test, test, test! Since postage is the biggest expense of a direct mail campaign, check mailing options with the post office, or your mailer, to save money wherever possible.