Direct-mail campaigns cost a lot of money. They’re slower than an email blast. And the response rate is more difficult to measure than through an online push. So why bother? Where’s the advantage?
Certainly there has to be some upside or nobody would waste the time. There is definitely an upside to direct marketing. Just consider: Direct mail can drive traffic to a retail shop or web site, send content news, shift brand perception and target customers who distrust the Internet or who aren’t online.
That according to business blogger Joanna Krotz, whose direct-mail tips are based on the premise that success requires serious smarts and meticulous planning. You may want to mix in some patience and perseverance. Here are three tips to make your campaigns sing:
1. Provide real incentives: Consider a sale coupon, free trial or special deal. When you go cheap on your offer, you waste marketing dollars.
2. Test before you get rolling: Tim Booth, founder and creative director of “I Want One of Those,” says testing is everything. Within a few years, I Want One of Those had reeled in $10 million.
3. Set appropriate response goals: Forget the 1 percent response cliche or 20 percent to break even. Your response goals depend on your direct-mail investment and need to make sense for your business.
Don’t forget to check postal rates and class regulations. You work hard enough on design — don’t pay more than you should to send it!