Without a doubt, direct mail marketing can still be a very effective tool for growing your business. Just because online marketing is hot and effective doesn’t mean you should completely overlook what direct mail marketing has to offer.
But to get the best results from your direct mail campaign, you need to avoid these 4 common mistakes.
Mistake #1: Not identifying your target audience
Who do you want to send your direct mail piece to? You need to define your target audience. What are some of their characteristics? Who are they? What’s important to them? Why do they need your product or service? How do they talk? What objections might they have to doing business with you?
The more you know about your target audience, the better. This allows you to hone your message so that it resonates with them, giving you the best chance of seeing results from your direct mail marketing campaign.
If you don’t put thought into who your target audience is, you’re going to end up with a weak message that no one responds to. You’ll have a pathetic marketing piece that’s just a waste of your money.
Mistake #2: Not shopping carefully for direct mail companies
It’s important that you take time when searching direct mail companies. You need a partner that can help you with every aspect of launching your direct mail campaign, from conceptualizing the pieces to printing them up.
Obviously, not all direct mail companies are the same. Some companies offer limited services, and others may have prices that just don’t fit with your business’ budget. Others may produce work that just isn’t up to your standards.
That’s why you really need to do your homework when choosing a service provider. Look for a direct mail company that has years of experience, good references, reasonable prices, and a great portfolio.
Mistake #3: Not having a strong call to action in your marketing materials
Direct mail marketing can be a great way to generate leads and sales. A good direct mail piece can have a very high response rate. However, you’re not going to get any responses if your marketing collateral doesn’t have a strong call to action.
You need to motivate people to take action. They need to be encouraged to take the next step toward becoming a customer, whether that’s calling for a free consultation or placing an order now. The call to action on your direct mail piece should catch the reader’s eye, and it should be clear and persuasive.
Mistake #4: Not testing everything
The best direct mail campaigns are the result of constant fine-tuning. You can’t expect to hit it out of the park with your very first mailout. There’s always room for improvement, and the only way to figure out what can be improved is to test different variations of your pieces.
You can test everything from different headlines to different types of pieces (brochures, sales letters, postcards, etc.).
The more you test, the more you’ll be able to figure out what works and what doesn’t. Never assume that you know what generates the best results. Keep testing and trying to improve your response rates.