In the minds of many business leaders, the rise of online marketing has cast a shadow over more traditional methods, such as direct mail. But that’s also why direct mail campaigns present such a great opportunity to connect with certain target audiences. It’s not something everyone else is doing for a start, and for most businesses, it provides a novel way to connect with your customers.
Just like email marketing, direct mail marketing is often all about audience persuasion to make a purchase. This is Not always the case though. The secret to running a successful direct mail campaign is to deliver true value, which is why the 40/40/20 rule serves as a great baseline upon which to build your strategy. Here’s how it works:
Audience – 40%
40% of the success of your direct mail campaign is dependent on your audience. You’re only going to waste money and jeopardize your reputation if you start mailing people who aren’t interested in what you have to offer.
The key to any successful marketing strategy is getting your audience right. Many businesses serve a particularly wide range of customer profiles, so it’s important to segment the audience to maintain relevance. For example, there’s no point in a restaurant sending direct mail to people living a hundred miles away. Defining your marketplace begins with segmenting your audience and drawing up customer profiles for each demographic.
Offer – 40%
40% of your success depends on your offer. If you get your audience right and your offer down to a tee, you will absolutely grab your customers attention and increase sales. Even if your audience has been carefully chosen and is aware of your business, that doesn’t mean they’ll buy from you if your offer isn’t compelling. Value-added incentives, particularly those offered on a time-limited basis, continue to be highly effective at increasing conversions.
When planning your promotions, it’s important to align them with the unique needs and desires of your target audience. For example, a brick-and-mortar store might want to advertise child care products to middle-aged people with kids, but this wouldn’t make sense to young adults. Direct mail is also a great way to get back in touch with dormant customers with enticing new offers.
Everything else – 20%
Your audience and offer might influence 80% of your success, but that doesn’t mean you can afford to underestimate the importance of everything else (creative design, direct mail format and timing). The biggest factor here is presentation, whether it’s delivered in the form of a plastic postcard or rigid recyclable postcard compared to a flimsy paper postcard or boring envelope pkg. Taking quality seriously by choosing a direct mail format that will stand out in the mailbox will add a touch of professionalism, which has an immediate effect on first impressions.
If you’re looking for a unique way to present your direct mail materials, Mail It Direct’s credit card-thick laminated postcards (STRONG mailers), are a great way to reach your customers. Our STRONG mailers will be the first thing your new customer will notice in their mailbox. Did you apply the 40/40/20 rule? If so, be ready to see double digit response rates, and huge ROI’s.
Mail It Direct provides direct response marketing services and support throughout the entire process from list-building to design to mail delivery tracking. We proudly offer our STRONG mailers, our ultra-glossy, thick, and rigid plastic postcards that are sure to get your prospective clients’ attention. With a 100% read rate, your direct mail ad will surely be a success. Call us today to learn more.