How Direct Mail Can Deliver New Customers

Most of us check the mailbox daily. We sift through letters and catalogs, looking for something interesting to read after work. In the pile of mail, direct mail from local businesses often promote their wares and services. While not immediately useful, some of these services are worth considering for future needs. You’ve now planted a seed in the consumer’s mind. When their air conditioning system breaks down, they’ll remember the piece of direct mail from earlier in the week, and if they are a coupon user and you included a coupon, they would have stashed it away for future use.

Delivering Results

Most businesses will agree that direct mail remains a useful marketing tool to reach customers. In fact, according to Epsilon, 73% of consumers prefer direct mail. Furthermore, direct mail delivers a higher response rate than even email marketing – by around 30 times!

To achieve results, your direct mail marketing campaign must be targeting correctly. By this, we mean that you need to research your market, know what kind of customer is attracted to you, and use the right kind of art. When combined with email and mobile, print marketing enjoys a far higher response rate – around 45%.

Do’s and Don’ts

The Dos:

  • 40/40/20 Rule – Your marketing campaign relies on a method known as the 40/40/20 rule. 40% of your success stems from your mail list, another 40% from how compelling your service or offers are, and 20% from design, copy, imagery, and delivery date.
  • Testing – Testing your market is vital to marketing. Start by sending direct mail to a small community. Note the results and proceed to a large mailing.

Don’ts:

  • Fail to Quality Control – If you’re sending a piece of direct mail, ensure the copy is perfect. You won’t believe how many times people approve a piece of art with the wrong phone number!
  • Forget to Follow Up – If your direct mail works, you’ll have numerous new clients. If you fail to follow up, most will take their business elsewhere.

Contact Us

For more marketing techniques, contact Contractor 20/20 by calling (607) 770-8933.

Emily Morosi