Jef Richards, the Department Chair of Advertising and Public Relations at Michigan State University, said, “Creative without strategy is called art. Creative with strategy is called advertising.” This wise saying holds true for direct mail marketing strategy. Without a specific strategy, you could easily be doomed to fail.
When it comes to the right direct mail marketing strategy, there are many different factors that you need to look at before you make your final decision. You may need to use a different type of strategy for mailing catalogs than you would for mailing postcards or flyers. You may decide to use just one marketing method or you may want to combine several methods instead.
Choosing a Direct Mail Marketing Strategy can be Difficult
When you are trying to come up with the best possible direct mail marketing strategy you may have a hard time choosing a single one because every strategy ever used probably has at least one good element. Look at varying marketing plans and evaluate what you like and dislike about each one, and how well it would tie into your current campaign goals.
Every marketer and business owner is different, with different objectives, experience in marketing, and budget amounts. What works well for one company may fail miserably with a different product and business. All of the factors and elements in your case need to be considered before you can choose the right strategies for your marketing goals.
Are You Mailing Catalogs, Brochures, Flyers, Letters, or Postcards?
If you are mailing catalogs then you need a strategy that is designed for this activity, not one that is often used for newsletters or postcards. Look at your materials and pick from the various strategies that were designed for these materials if you want results that are impressive and a campaign that is incredibly successful.
One of the benefits of direct mail is the variety of options that you have to choose from when it comes to the materials that will be sent. You can use postcards, letters, brochures, catalogs, and other items to get your message out there.
Source: 10 Tried and True Benefits of Direct Mail
If you are mailing large catalogs, you may want your targeted demographic to be extremely pinpointed. Catalogs are an expensive item to print and mail so you want to make sure that the recipient is a potential customer.
Are You Willing to Provide a Free Offer?
One of the most attractive direct mail marketing strategy options is to provide some type of free offer that your reader will see as valuable. This lets the reader know that you are serious about showing off your products or services, and it helps you grab their attention from the very start. When consumers get something free this makes them feel valued, and they are more likely to take you up on the offer.
Insist on a Top Quality Mail List that is Accurate
No matter what materials you use, whether you are mailing catalogs or sales letters, make sure that part of your strategy is a top quality mailing list that is accurate and verified. There are many businesses that offer mailing lists for specific demographic groups that have been verified for accuracy, and these are very affordable options for your campaign and strategy.
What Marketing Budget Have You Set?
Part of finding the best direct mail marketing strategy is evaluating your campaign budget and making smart choices on how to best use the resources that you have available. If your budget is tiny but your advertising plan calls for a multiple page brochure you will quickly have problems trying to make these two concepts mesh together in a good way.
What is the Purpose of the Current Campaign?
The direct mail marketing strategy that you decide on will depend on what your goals and campaign purpose is. If you are trying to generate leads then you may need a different strategy than if you are trying to boost your sales and your company bottom line. Look at what you want to accomplish with your new campaign, and then evaluate whether the strategy in mind will work well.
Should You Use a Variety of Materials?
Using more than one type of materials can give you exponential results from direct mail efforts. If you are mailing catalogs, sending out postcards, and attracting consumers with flyers then you will be far more effective than picking one single type of material to send. Mixing up various materials will help your company gain more attention and exposure.
Will You Integrate Various Marketing Efforts?
Any direct mail marketing strategy that you are considering should be one that integrates a website and other online methods with printed materials. Add some social media marketing, design a professional website, and send out appealing materials through the mail in order to gain maximum exposure and the best possible response that you can get.
Which direct mail marketing strategy do you usually use? Are you happy with the results?
