How to do direct mail marketing successfully

Welcome to Deluxe’s guide to direct mail marketing – everything you need to know to launch a direct mail marketing campaign from mailing list to measurement, and everything in between. With more than four million small business clients and decades of experience, the data-driven marketing team at Deluxe shares their top tips and vast knowledge to teach businesses how to do direct mail marketing.

How do you create a successful direct mail campaign?

When it comes to direct mail marketing, 40 percent of success comes from how effective the direct mail marketing list is. Another 40 percent will depend on how compelling the offer is. And the remaining 20 percent includes design, copywriting, delivery date and method and more.

Direct mail effectiveness increases when direct mail is utilized as part of a robust marketing campaign that also includes email, social media and other marketing channels and strategies. But each element of that comprehensive campaign must have robust planning, execution and measurement in order to be a success. A direct mail campaign, as with any marketing tactic, begins with a plan.

Define direct mail marketing strategy and goals

An effective direct mail strategy begins by identifying the core purpose and focus of the overall campaign. Often, this is brand awareness, lead generation, sales or customer retention. This strategy is the blueprint for the entire campaign and sets the stage for what metrics need to be measured to determine how successful the campaign is, so it’s important to take time and be as specific as possible when defining strategy and goals.

Define direct mail audience and create mailing list

One of the key elements of a successful direct mail marketing campaign is to know exactly who your target audience is, how to get in front of that audience and what specific action(s) you want them to take.

Target audience

Start with your existing customer base and what you know about them – demographics, behaviors, likes, dislikes, challenges, etc. Then, add past campaign analytics to help narrow the audience to the people most receptive to your messaging and most likely to take action.

Types of direct mailing marketing lists

The more precisely you can target the audience you’re mailing to, the better the return on investment (ROI) of a direct mail marketing campaign will be. Some businesses use existing, in-house mail lists, others rely on those plus very detailed third-party mailing lists. There are various types of mailing lists that range from more general to highly targeted. A few types of direct mailing lists include:

1. Every Door Direct Mail (EDDM) 
   A registered trademark of the U.S. Postal Service, Every Door Direct Mail (EDDM) uses the most up-to-date data to target people to receive direct mail pieces based on mail routes. EDDM does not require any existing mailing lists and audiences are chosen using basic demographics and ZIP codes.
2. Saturation Mailing
   For businesses with an in-house mail list or those wanting to work with third-party mailing list providers, saturation mailing allows you to eliminate mail recipients according to demographic information such as marital status, age, etc. Being able to more narrowly target an audience can result in a selection of recipients more likely to make a purchase or take the desired action.
3. Targeted Mailing
   Targeted mailing requires a partnership with a third-party direct mail vendor to provide access to comprehensive, high-quality data to create customized direct mail marketing lists. Deluxe tracks a variety of life event triggers such as home purchases, marriages, having a baby and more that can prompt major purchasing decisions. Working with a third-party partner, you can enjoy proprietary data and analysis that helps get your direct mail piece to the right people at the right time, increasing responses and purchases.

Create compelling copy and a clear CTA that drives action

Once you’ve defined your target audience and created a mailing list best suited to your direct mail campaign, you need to provide your audience with a clear offer and a compelling reason to take advantage of that offer right away. You can accomplish this with a clear and simple call to action (CTA).

Direct mail copywriting tips

• Know your audience – Try to write in a way that shows you understand the unique needs, wants, and challenges of your target audience, appealing to the reality of their lives.
  
• Be a storyteller – Do your best to create an emotional connection with readers and engage them. Respect them and explain why they are receiving the direct mail piece without talking down to them.
  
• Choose a single point of focus – Including too many features and offers in the direct mail piece can create clutter and take away from your messaging. Keep it simple, tell people how you’re going to make a difference in their lives, then give them a way to take action.
  
• Don’t make it complicated – Use short sentences, bulleted lists, call-out boxes and other eye-catching features to highlight only the text you want to emphasize, then give readers an easy CTA. For example, “Simply scan this QR code to purchase.”
  
• Have a sense of urgency – Expiration dates, limited-time offers and exclusive discounts are all tactics used to subtly compel customers to take immediate action. The fear of missing out is real!

Call to action best practices

With a direct mail marketing piece, your call to action is the most important part. Without it, you’re simply paying to tell people “For your information…” To ensure an effective CTA, use these tips:

• Keep your CTA brief
• Make the CTA visible
• Make it simple to take action
• Create a sense of urgency
• Be sure you’re able to track and measure your response rate

Whether a business is creating its first direct mail marketing piece or its 50^th, it’s common to ask, “What is an example of direct mail?” Unique is best, so start with your own best efforts rather than attempting to duplicate someone else’s.

The data-driven marketing team at Deluxe achieved rapid success with a leading online lender by adding in a direct mail channel. If you’re asking yourself, “How do you use direct mail marketing?” – here is a great example.

Direct mail tips

Branded mailings get noticed and direct mail has a high ROI. So, it pays to do direct mail strategy right.

Print and send direct mail

Work with a third-party partner such as a direct mail processor, print and mail shop or other solution to send direct mail. Find a trusted provider with high-quality printing, a good reputation and the ability to produce multiple mail formats – postcards, letterhead, brochures, etc.

Some of the costs of direct mail marketing include:

• Design
• Mailing lists
• Printing
• Postage
• Other related costs (i.e., setting up custom landing pages or phone numbers to track results)

Working with an experienced third-party partner, such as Deluxe, means you can easily handle the pieces of your direct mail marketing you’re familiar with or you can outsource part of all of the entire project to a team with decades of expertise.  

Direct mail design

When you find yourself in a bind and searching, “How to design direct mail marketing piece,” it helps to carefully consider your core competencies, your budget and what you can realistically produce with excellence. You must also consider what you can save time and money on by delegating to an expert partner.

Types of direct mail

• Postcard – Postcards are affordable and easy to design, and they have the benefit of grabbing customer attention.
• Brochure – Brochures allow for additional space to share detailed information about a business and offer promotions.
• Letter – Personalized letters help introduce a business and establish a personal connection with potential customers.
• Catalog – Catalogs are useful to promote purchasing for existing customers and influence purchasing decisions on a level deeper than other direct mail marketing channels.

Direct mail design tips

• Follow your brand standards to ensure existing and potential customers connect the direct mail marketing piece with your business.
• Make your design stand out. In most cases, a simple do-it-yourself template isn’t going to cut it. You need something that will grab customers’ attention in a stack of mail, make them take the time to read and take the next step to take action.
• Work with a professional designer. When it comes to color contrast, depth, proper spacing and more, it will always pay off to rely on someone who is deeply knowledgeable in creating a direct mail piece that gets noticed.

Direct mail postcard design tips

Postcards are a popular type of direct mail, but they offer only a small area to effectively get across what can be a very big message. To create an effective direct mail postcard design, you can follow these tips:

• Keep the copy simple and brief
• Use remarkable and powerful imagery, wherever possible
• Make your logo noticeable and follow established brand standards
• Put the CTA center stage
• Use high-quality printing to highlight great design

Measure success of direct mail campaign

When sending a direct mail piece, you may find yourself wondering, “How should you follow up on direct mail advertising?”

When it comes to direct mail, you can’t just send it and cross your fingers. Set measurable goals and be sure to follow up. Direct mail is most effectively measured using the four Rs:

• Rate of response
• Rate of conversion
• Rate of close
• Rate of customer retention

Unique coupon codes, QR codes, custom phone numbers, personalized landing pages and more are all effective ways to track and measure the success of a direct mail marketing campaign. You can find more on how to measure direct mail ROI here.

Direct mail checklist

The dos and don’ts of direct mail marketing

DOs:

DO test your market
DO spend time defining your audience
DO create a compelling CTA
DO drive online traffic

DON’Ts:

DON’T forget to proofread carefully – nothing ruins credibility more than a typo
DON’T miss the opportunity to follow up
DON’T skip measuring and learning for future campaigns

When you have an effective mailing list, a compelling offer and the knowledge to do the tangible parts of direct mail marketing right – design, printing, mailing – your business will be on its way to achieving direct mail marketing success.

If direct mail marketing is not your primary business, you can rely on the expertise of the team at Deluxe to help guide you successfully through every piece from data-driven mailing lists and customer targeting to physical printing and mailing.