In a marketing industry where bigger always seems better, smaller mailers are often a superior choice to attract the notice of potential customers. Creating mailers that are cute and convenient provides a distinctive look and branding to a company’s direct mail efforts.
The Myth of Big Mail
The world of direct mail obsesses over finding new methods for attracting curiosity. In recent years, making mailers bigger, brighter, and louder has been the main approach. Cheesy tag lines, fake sticky notes, false hype, and less quality products are often employed to no end. People who receive this type of mail aren’t deceived by the noise. The noise actually makes them less likely to acknowledge the content of the mailer.
So why do marketing teams keep approving these campaigns? Desperation leads people to extreme measures. When companies feel desperate to gain more exposure, they frantically scramble to mail content misrepresentative of their business. While traditional sizes are still effective for direct mail campaigns, overdoing size continues to be a turn-off for most recipients.
While big mail forces people to acknowledge its presence, small mail sparks a special interest in recipients. The smaller the mail, the more curious they become about the content.
Subtlety: The Secret Weapon of Marketing
For certain brands, less is more. Understating your intentions often causes the recipient to look further to learn more about your business, which is precisely what a direct mailer should do. While this method might require a few trial and error sessions, the overall effect leaves the consumer more invested in your product and more impacted by the attention to detail.
New Ways to Save on Size
Wallet-sized Mailers: These new arrivals are perfect for distinguishing a brand and providing a keepsake for recipients interested in remembering your company’s services in the future.
Palm-sized Mailers: Consider business card mailers and other smaller printable papers. Text shouldn’t be an issue since business cards can be printed on front and back. Add a folded piece to feature tear-off coupons, rebate offers, and more.
Keychain Mailers: Make direct mail a fun experience for recipients with a unique keychain featuring your promotions. Again, the keychain offers a souvenir for recipients who acknowledge the direct mail. Grab attention with unique methods like this to ensure the success of your direct mail campaign.
The World’s Smallest Mass Mailing
Lea Redmond of Leafcutter Designs set the record for the world’s smallest mass mailing in 2011. Her campaign consisted of 1 x 1 ½ inch pieces of paper featuring up to 1,000 words per card. Knowing this could cause issues for some recipients, Redmond thoughtfully included a magnifying glass in each mailer. While her technique might not be a necessity for some businesses, she certainly left an impression on every person who received one of her miniature mailers in their mailbox.
Big no longer rules the world of direct mail campaigns. However, each company must conduct their own research to assess what techniques will be effective for their target audience. It’s difficult to predict people’s response to any kind of mailer. Distinguish your brand by reinventing the standard. Don’t go big because competitors do. Lend fresh perspective and stronger response by blazing your own direct mail trail.
