It is an accepted fact that direct mail is one of the most efficient and successful ways to market a business. However, it is a difficult method of marketing to master, and unless you know how to do it properly, the mistakes you make can result in your marketing efforts being less successful than they could be. Here are 6 of the most common direct mail mistakes businesses make and how to avoid them, if you want to save money, time, and increase the success of your business, especially if you are new to the field.
Mistake #1: Not Updating Your Mailing List
According to many professionals, even if your mail copy and designs are fantastic, it’s your mailing list which is the key factor as to whether your direct mail will be a success or not. You won’t get much of a response if they don’t contain the correct information, so make sure that your lists, especially your house lists, are always kept updated with the correct client information.
Mistake #2: Failure to Do Testing
There’s no point in creating a great-looking piece of direct mail, tossing it into the mail, and hoping that the public will find it appealing. Instead, test two or three pieces at the same time, and compare the results to establish which of the lists will be the most successful. This will make future campaigns and concepts of your business a lot stronger.
Mistake #3: Creating Your List Too Quickly
You should never rush through your work, and this includes your direct mail. Flaws show up easily in poorly composed mail pieces, normally in the form of sloppy design and bad grammar. Spend some time creating your mail pieces, and get someone to read through them to make sure that they are absolutely perfect before sending them out.
Mistake #4: Not Being Familiar With Your Audience
It’s vitally important for you to be offering something that is not available anywhere else, and to achieve this, you’ll need to do a little homework. To create an excellent mail piece, find out everything you possibly can about your audience, such as:
- Their ages
- Their interests
- Where they are located
- What products they are interested in
Create strong buyer personas from your data, so you’re able to target your audience squarely with the right information at the right time.
Mistake #5: Using Bad Composition
As with a good movie or book, it is extremely important that the composition of your mail piece builds up to an effective climax. However, the building process should have a narrative with points of interest along the way leading to the end. In other words, as you are promoting your products, include offers and headings that will pique your audience’s interest, and then announce a unique promotion at the end. You only have a few seconds to grab the reader’s attention before they toss your direct mail piece into the trash, so it is vital that you make every word in your mail piece count.
Mistake #6: Doing Little to No Follow-Up
A great direct mail package can lure clients, but first you have to bring them in. See to it that all your business contact details such as emails, phone numbers, addresses, and so forth are included, so that people can respond easily. Also, make sure to include clear instructions as to how they can get hold of you or order your products. Anyone who responds is a potential customer, and if you don’t respond quickly they might lose interest. In the end, poor follow-up results in poor sales.
A direct mail service does have an influence over people, but it’s entirely up to you to take advantage of this fact, and avoid making the mistakes others have made.
