How to Get a Better Response With Direct Mail Campaigns

A well-targeted direct mail campaign can be one of the most effective advertising and marketing strategies employed by your business - as long as it's done right.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

Things You’ll Need:

• Marketing Book
• Copy Machines
• Printers
• Copying Services
• Patent Marketing Services
• Postage Stamps
• Envelopes
• Stationery
• Computers

1. Know your objective. Is it to generate further interest, receive a phone call, or have the customer place an order?
2. Write a cover letter to achieve your objective.
3. Make the greeting personal.
4. Put strongest points in the first few paragraphs of the letter.
5. Choose language and design that is easy to read.
6. Explain benefits to customers, rather than features of the product. For example, "This product will save you $100 a year in water costs," instead of, "Our product cuts down on water usage."
7. Use bullets to list benefits.
8. Always include a "response mechanism" - a business reply card or an 800 number customers can call - as this will ensure proper tracking of customers.
9. Ask prospective customers to take action and give an incentive to do so, such as entry into a prize drawing if they respond promptly.

Tips & Warnings

• The stationery you choose needs to fit the image you wish to project.
• For inexpensive brochures, consider ordering Web Cards. These are postcards with a snapshot of your Web site; you can print text on the back.
• Have your letter or brochure written by a marketing communications professional. If you can't afford this type of service, at least have it professionally proofread.
• There are several top-notch software packages available that make it easy for anyone to produce professional-looking brochures and cards. Ask for recommendations from local or online software stores.
• Printed material and postage can be expensive.
• Avoid ordering 2000 if you only need 200.
• Use accents - like bold, italics and underlining - sparingly.