Direct mail should be considered an essential part of an
integrated marketing strategy. It delivers the high level of personalization
today’s customers demand, it provides proven response triggers that drive the
target into action and it’s the right media to tell an information-rich story
in a compelling way.To understand the full potential of direct mail, here is a
list of 10 direct mail best practices that Jacobs & Clevenger employs to
optimize the effectiveness of our clients’ direct marketing campaigns.
1. More is more
If you’re trying to get people to make a decision, make sure
you provide all of the necessary information to get them to
say “yes.”
This might seem counterintuitive, considering the fast-paced
life we lead these days and a general tendency toward concise communication and
snippets of information. For effective marketing, however, there are some very
important exceptions to the “new normal.” That’s why, at J&C, we tailor the
amount of information based on the communication objective. For example, if the
goal is lead generation, then less can be more. If the goal is to drive
response with an acquisition package, complete information is required
to make a decision.
Now let’s consider the components of a direct mail package.
Years of testing have confirmed that the letter is still the most-read element
of a direct mail package. Still, packages that have multiple elements perform
better than those with only one component. We know that using a brochure or a
buckslip (insert) in conjunction with a letter always outperforms a letter
alone. And using three components always outperforms using two components.
2. Include a printed response device
In general, about 20% to 25% of target customers will
respond using the printed response device, i.e., they will mail back an
enrollment form. This is because the printed response device in direct mail serves
as both a physical and subliminal reminder to respond. If your current direct
mail program isn’t using letters with printed response devices, your
communication isn’t working as hard as it should. And isn’t that enough reason
to make this tried-and-true technique part of your direct mail package?
3. Provide multiple ways to respond
It is critical to allow your targets to choose their
preferred response method. For best results, providing three forms of response
is key to the success of any direct mail program. All direct mail packages
should provide: a response mechanism, such as a mail-back enrollment form; a
phone number; and a web link/URL. It should be noted that J&C has found
that some demographics align better with certain response mechanisms (phone,
web or response device). However, we don’t suggest limiting response options
for your target.
4. Let your target read or scan
We know that in every direct mail package, the letter is the
most-read component. That’s why it’s important to ensure that the letter is
working as hard as it can. To further enhance performance, it’s best to present
the same information in two different formats within the direct mail package.
The letter should include full content in paragraph form in
the body, with key bullets called out in either the right-hand column or within
the letter itself. This allows the audience to read the content however they
prefer, i.e., in-depth or by scanning.
5. Include multiple calls to action and an expiration
date
It’s important to provide the call to action multiple times
within a direct mail package. A rule of thumb is a minimum of three times
within the letter alone. One of the most effective formats we have found
incorporates a right rail or right-hand column and a response device in the
letter package. The right rail and response device should carry bullet points
that highlight important messaging from the body of the letter, along with a
call to action and the expiration date. Multiple forms of response are commonly
included in this area, as well as any information that will incite immediate
action, e.g., pertinent offers, deadlines and urgency messaging.
6. Use the power of the P.S.
Historically, the P.S. is the most-read area in a letter.
The best practice is to ensure that content in the P.S. encapsulates your
primary message and includes a clear call to action and deadline.
7. Incorporate personalization to drive relevancy
This year J&C has conducted several communication
preference research studies. And we have universally found that customers
prefer and have come to expect personalized communications. Furthermore, tests
show that personalized information, including personalized URLs (PURLs),
empower and reinforce your direct mail communications. Generic direct mail
packages without personalization are not as effective and produce inferior
results compared with packages with meaningful and accurate personalization.
Customers are inundated with information, so make sure your content is relevant
and, more importantly, personalized.
8. Use targeting to improve efficiency
Predictive modeling and other targeting techniques help
ensure optimal spending of marketing dollars. By leveraging these techniques,
marketers can increase efficiency and eliminate waste. This is a fundamental
best practice of direct mail and an important distinction from general market
advertising. If you are mailing to your entire universe, leverage predictive
modeling to focus your marketing dollars to reach your target. It will reduce
your investment by increasing your response rate.
9. Remember: Everything is testable
There is no reason to guess about results. Testing is one of
the key foundational elements and best practices of direct marketing. Direct
mail provides ample opportunity for testing based on messaging, creative
approach, package type, offers, etc. But it’s important to remember that
statistically significant results require adequate quantities.
10. Complete a back-end matchback
It is still a direct marketing best practice to complete a
back-end matchback after the campaign to determine the response rate of your
intended target to your direct mail package. Printed response devices are only
one form of measurement, and multiple communication channels work together to
help determine the overall success of a campaign. Experience tells J&C that
there is a significant synergy between targets receiving both direct mail and
email, particularly if a campaign is developed from an integrated standpoint.
It is critical to understand how many people responded to an initial list, and
then to analyze all aspects of the mailing, such as who responded, what channel
they responded through and what response mechanism was used.
Article From: www.jacobsclevenger.com
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