3 Do’s and Don’ts of Direct Mail Marketing

If you’re an entrepreneur from a younger generation, you might believe that sending ads through the mail is “old school.” But direct mail marketing remains one of the most tried and tested marketing communications strategies since the inception of advertising itself. It continues to be one of the top tools for marketers and business owners to reach their target audience compared to more modern techniques, like email. 

Direct mailing in Toronto is great for lead generation and tends to have a higher ROI than other advertisement forms, even paid ads. It is also an excellent tool for brand awareness because it’s more likely to be read than an email. Direct mail continues to be one of the best ways you can connect directly with your potential customers.

Once you understand how to properly utilize the power that direct mail advertising has, you can create effective marketing campaigns to advertise your business. After all, if direct mail didn’t work or turn a profit, why do you still receive flyers and postcards in your mailbox today?

Let’s discuss the do’s and don’ts of direct mail marketing. 

What exactly is direct mail marketing and what does it entail?

Direct mail is a marketing strategy that involves sending a physical letter, flyer, mailer, brochure, postcard, etc., to your target audience or current customers. It can be used in both B2C and B2B selling, but it is most commonly used within the consumer advertising space.

What are the main advantages of direct mail marketing for my business?

Still not convinced a direct mail marketing campaign is worth the energy or investment? Here are the key benefits of direct mailing:

• Direct mail marketing has been a leader in response rates when compared to other marketing methods. 
• More than half of your recipients will open and read your marketing message. 
• Most recipients look forward to receiving mail because it feels more tangible and personal.
• Because direct mail has been around for a long time, it feels more familiar and is better at building trust with your audience. 
• Direct mail has the potential to be highly targeted when used with the right consumer data lists. 
• There are endless creative options available with direct mail printing; you can make every marketing campaign one-of-a-kind.
• Direct mail campaigns can be simple but still maintain a great ROI.
• Direct mail can be highly trackable by using personalized URLs, custom phone numbers or exclusive offers.
• By applying an expiration date for offers on direct mail, you can easily predict your window for increased demand versus online advertisements, which are more volatile.
• Direct mail works well in conjunction with digital marketing; the possibilities are endless. 

The Do’s of Direct Mail Marketing

Before you begin with your direct marketing campaign, you need to know some best practices.

1. Focus on defining your target audience

Conducting adequate research on your target audience and potential mailing lists will put you leagues ahead of other businesses. Unless you have no marketing budget, merely sending out your direct mailer to a blanket area or postal code can be a massive waste of money. 

You’ll need to create a targeted mailing list if you want to ensure your marketing campaign gains new customers for your business. Marketing has to do with offering your products or services to an existing or promising audience. That means it’s your job to find an audience with a need or desire for what you are offering. If you can understand this, you’ll be well on your way to a successful marketing campaign.

2. Start small so you can test the market

If your business is based in a big city, like Toronto, you’ll want to focus on sending out your direct mailer to a smaller subdivision rather than sending it out to the entire city. This way, you can test the effectiveness of your marketing campaign and keep track of the ROI. Having this information will be invaluable for your future, large-scale campaigns.

3. Make sure to include a compelling call to action.

All marketing efforts should include a relevant call to action or CTA. Your CTA will take your direct mailer from simply being brand awareness to generating a lead or even creating more sales. It will direct your audience to the next steps they should take after reading your marketing message. 

The Don’ts of Direct Mail Marketing

1. Wasting too much time on the design

One of the biggest mistakes a business can make is investing too much time on creating the flashiest postcard or flyer without putting much thought into the marketing message itself. While it might catch someone’s eye, the content of your direct mailer might fall flat and lead to no follow-through with your potential customer.

2. Little to no quality control

Typos, formatting issues, or low print quality will get your mailer thrown straight into the trash. Don’t be afraid to hire professionals who know what they are doing when it comes to print advertising, as well as getting copywriters or editors to check your work. 

3. Fail to follow-up

Once your mailers are sent out, you will (hopefully) have a group of customers who have come in and done business with you based on your direct mail. You can keep track of this by using special coupon codes or any other number of ways, but make sure you are gathering this information. That will allow you to re-engage with these customers, so your business stays top of mind. 

Direct mail marketing does not have to be complicated. Sending out an eye-pleasing yet straightforward postcard that incentivizes people to shop your brand, follow you on social media, or use a coupon code are all great ways to drive new traffic to your business.

To learn more about direct mail marketing, call Troi Mailing Services in Toronto at 1-866-486-9350 or contact us here.