How to Avoid Costly Mistakes in your Direct Mail Campaign
October 20th, 2012
It’s easy to make an error when implementing a direct mail campaign. Errors can be costly! I’ve listed the most common mistakes people make when developing campaigns.
1. Using the wrong list. The biggest and most costly, mistake you can make is not using a targeted mailing list that represents your audience. Make sure your list is current and targeted to meet your needs. If you’re purchasing a new list, make sure you have the exact criteria of the audience you’re trying to reach.
2. Poor copy. Even if it’s only 50 words, it needs to be the right words. Take the time to review your copy and make changes until you know the text will grab the attention of the reader. Don’t write a book; stick to the key points of the product or service.
3. No call to action. Not telling the reader what you want them to do defeats the point of sending the direct mail piece. Is the offer time-sensitive? Do you want them to respond by calling, e-mailing or visiting the web site? Clearly state what they need to do or you may not get a response. Offering a “perk” will increase your response rate; it doesn’t have to be a discount; it can be a “free” or “discounted” add-on to the purchase.
4. No testing. Too many people learn the hard way that their direct mail piece is not effective. It should be common practice to test out anything you plan to use to market or advertise your business to see if it makes an impact. Many times, post card copy needs to be “tweaked” to get optimum results or the list may not be targeted enough to reach the desired market.
5. Using hype over benefits of your product and/or service. Talk about the benefits for the customer; don’t inflate the product or service as it will only backfire on you. Stick to five key points, and the reader will not be overwhelmed with information.
6. Not proofing the copy. Too many times people send out mail pieces only to find there were spelling errors, incorrect pricing, wrong addresses or phone numbers, or misspelled urls. Have several people proofread your copy and re-visit the piece over a few days before going to print. It’s easy to miss errors when you’re been looking at a piece numerous times; a “fresh” set of eyes can spot costly errors.
7. Not having an attention grabbing headline. Mail gets tossed if it doesn’t grab our immediate attention. Your opening statement needs to make an impact; this is going to affect whether the reader will continue to read the postcard.
8. Over-thinking the design and not content. A mail piece needs to look good but the content must work with it or it will be become a disastrous campaign. You want people to focus on the wording not just the colorful graphics. Keep your design to 2-3 graphics along with 5 key points on your product or service. Make sure you have a “call to action”.
9. Not following up. Repetition is key in the success of any mailing campaign. A successful direct mail campaign involves 2-3 mailings. The biggest mistake companies make is to send one mailing and stop if they don’t get the desired response.
10. Tracking your success. It’s key that you track your response rate as it will play a key role in future mailings. Create a simple “in-house” tracking method that allows you see the number of calls, sales, etc. that have been created from the mailing.
Direct mail campaigns can be very successful if you use a “check and balance” system. Don’t rush to put a campaign together – remember, the mail piece is going to represent your company. You don’t have a second chance to make a good first impression.
Categories: Direct Mail
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