Proper organization may benefit direct mail marketing campaigns
By: Mark HaslanJune 18th, 2010
There are many different variables that small business owners have to keep track of when organizing direct mail marketing campaigns. How often brochures are sent, the types of promotions offered, the intended audience – these are all critical aspects that an entrepreneur needs to address to launch a successful direct mail campaign. If a direct mail initiative isn’t carefully planned in advance, businesses may end up wasting money and losing potential sales.
At a recent Direct Marketing Association event in Philadelphia, a panel of experts discussed how small business owners could more effectively plan a direct mail marketing campaign. The key is to be more accurate and consider all options while organizing the initiative, reports Target Marketing Magazine.
The first suggestion that the panel offered small business owners was to be more timely and accurate with their direct mail campaigns. By using more accurate mailing lists, business owners will reduce the number of wasted mailers, saving money on the campaign as a whole. "The more records you can provide ZIP+4 codes for, the more money you’ll save on postage and the better deliverability will be," said Mike Yapuncich, vice president of product management for Experian Marketing Services, reports Target Marketing Magazine. Yapunchic recommends business owners update their mailing list for every campaign, instead of on a biannual basis as many companies do.
More accurate lists will also allow marketers to deliver timelier messages to potential customers. Mailers that bounce to several different locations will get to consumers much later than originally planned, and promotions that a business owner is offering could expire, costing a company a potential sale.
After updating their companies’ mailing lists, the panel recommended that business owners consider all the options and costs while designing the actual mailer. "Shape, size and paper stock definitely matter when it comes to designing your direct mail pieces," said Erik Formica, account executive for FMI Direct, relays the source.
Several common issues that plague the direct mail pieces, such as peek-a-boo windows that don’t account for content shifting inside of an envelope, could be fixed by planning designs ahead. For the best results, Formica suggests consulting a specialist.
A separate article from Target Marketing Magazine suggests that business owners pay special attention to the headline used in the sales letter. The headline can is often the first thing read by the consumer. Many times, it will determine if a consumer reads the entire message.
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