Direct Mail Marketing: How To Avoid Becoming “Junk Mail”

Direct Mail Marketing: How To Avoid Becoming ‘Junk Mail’ and Maximize Your Impact

Direct mail is a great way to spread the word about your product or service which should lead to referrals and sales. The problem can be that your direct mail marketing efforts are considered junk mail and are discarded quickly, sometimes without being given a second glance. Here are some ideas about how to avoid this issue.

Relevance 

In order for someone to want to contact you, or at least read further, you need to include something that is pertinent to the individual. Realtors often include sale prices of other homes in the neighbourhood, which may be more incentive for the homeowners to read your entire message.

Incentives 

Everyone loves a good deal or a giveaway. Posting a promotional code or offering some small item can be a good idea for an individual to contact you. Local libraries offer blankets to patrons who have checked out a certain number of books during January to increase usage. Make sure you are clear about the criteria. If you make it sound as though someone will receive a gift card just for listening to your sales pitch but you only intend to dole it out if they actually make a purchase, the bad social media press can do more harm than good.

Personalization

If you are selling cookware, get your hands on a list of subscribers to gourmet magazines. Include the person’s name to get more attention. If you have access to previous purchases, you might want to include a promotional offer or list similar or complementary items for purchase. Addressing your product or service to the right demographic will give you a better chance for success. Targeting a group with the potential to buy can help reduce costs.

Include a Reminder

By including a refrigerator magnet, a few post-it notes, or the schedule of a local team, all of which have your name, phone number, and email, you will provide a physical reminder of your service or product.

Combinations

Just because you are using direct marketing doesn’t mean you should ignore other opportunities. Send emails, either before you send out your hard copy material or as a follow-up. Advertise through social media like Facebook. There are a number of local apps like Neighbourhood Alerts. Be sure to include all contact information each time. Not everyone likes to use the same method and a phone number is always appreciated.

The key is to gain attention without being intrusive. It is also important to choose the right type of pieces like a postcard, letter, or brochure. After a reasonable period, you will need to assess the effectiveness of your campaign. You can then decide where to invest your resources and how to proceed going forward. There are companies that are able to help you with this dynamic. They have experience with direct mail programs and have the capacity to track conversions and analyze the data to benefit your company. Contact us for more information about how we can help.