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Direct mail - extremely effective acqusition, customer service and retention

List, offer, product, creative - the mantra for direct mail.

Direct mail can be personal, not just personalised making it an extremely effective means of acqusition, customer service and retention.

Whilst many direct mail marketing campaigns have low response rates - less that 0.5% can still be profitable - it is not unknown for rates as high as 40% on large mailed quantities (100,000 plus) to occur.

Thus direct mail advertising can also be a very powerful and profitable direct marketing tool, but it has to be targeted so to be. When targeted it becomes something that recipients can appreciate. Often it is the best way for a brand to demonstrate that it really does understand the aspirations of its customers, one by one, not as some inchoate mass.

List

You should never underestimate the importance of having an accurate list that contains relevant customers or prospects. There is no point is wasting money sending men a mailing about a woman's magazine for example.

Also, how old is the data you are thinking of using? What’s the source of the list? Is it reliable? Is your own database of customers, prospects or responders up to date?

Have you developed a detailed profile of the target market for your direct mail, or have you fallen into the trap of thinking anyone, or any business, will be attracted by what you have to offer?

Offer

Be very clear about what you want to communicate. Only clear, simple messages will be understood. What is the single-minded proposition and your ‘call to action’ – what you want the reader to do next?

Product

Have you had your product descriptions professionally copywritten or are they jargon? To tell people about your product or service is extremely important but it has to be in their language not yours.

Creative

The structure of the letter is very important – remember many people won’t get beyond the subject line and opening sentence. So you’ve got to grab their attention immediately.

Keep your opening paragraph brief and state your reason for writing. The body of the letter can then give a bit more detail. You might need to give a simple example, case study or testimonial.

Closing the letter is very important too. What do you want the reader to do next? Is it absolutely clear?

Think about things like a special offer, discounts and announcements. Use trigger words, like ‘save’, ‘free’, ‘special’, ‘offer’ but don’t over do it and only use the words if they are true.

And direct mail, treated with respect, is popular.

Research shows that:

• 37% of consumers had responded to a direct mail campaign at least once in the past 12 months, with 41% saying they had ever made a purchase.

• 64% of consumers said that value for money was the main benefit of buying through direct mail, whilst 60% said convenience.

• The average consumer spent just under £590 through direct mail.

Business managers receive an average of 13 direct mail items per week at work, open 70%, redirect 9% to a colleague and file or respond to 20%.

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