Concise, relevant, valuable messages may improve effectiveness of direct mail campaigns
By: Mark HaslanJune 4th, 2010
Direct mail marketing is used by many small business owners because its an extremely effective way of reaching consumers. Crafting the perfect campaign can be tough work, though, with multiple aspects that small business owners need to consider. A recent article from Inc. offers small business owners some advice on how they can improve their email marketing campaigns, which could be applied to direct mail.
Many business owners make marketing messages more complex by offering multiple promotions or products. While it makes sense to provide the consumer with as much information as possible, Inc. recommends that messages be short and simple. Consumers will often scan a message first before devoting more time to reading it. Long and complex messages, especially disorganized ones, can turn a potential customer away before they even give a brochure a full read over.
Targeting the appropriate consumer with relevant offers is also critical. Many business owners buy a mailing list and send brochures to every person on the list. If customers receive irrelevant offers, they often won’t respond, and many times, they even lose respect for the company.
"I live on the 5th floor of an apartment block. If I get [a message] offering me a $50 discount off lawnmowers, it’s spam," Nigel Rayner, a marketing and advertising professional at NJR Consulting, told Inc. "It’s all down to accurate targeting and segmentation."
Keeping subscribers active is another challenge that many small business owners face. The source suggests that business owners provide their customers with value to encourage them to stay involved. While the ultimate goal of a mailer is to sell a product or service to a customer, added value can create more trust in a brand. This value could come in the form of monetary savings, like coupons or promotions, or in intellectual value, like business advice.
Some business owners are concerned about providing too much value in mailers without getting anything in return. Inc. argues that while reading a direct mail piece may not cost customers anything monetarily, it does cost them time, which is "arguably the most valuable and irreplaceable resource people have."
For business owners who are trying to improve the response rate of their direct mail marketing campaigns, a recent article from BtoB Online suggests that they make their envelopes more distinctive. For example, a business owner could include personalized information on the envelope or use bright colors to make it stick out.
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- Concise, relevant, valuable messages may improve effectiveness of direct mail campaigns
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- Understanding complex consumer behavior can improve marketing effectiveness, sales
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- Business owners could improve responses to direct mail marketing campaigns by focusing on quality
