Just When You Thought Direct Mail Marketing Was Out. . .

Any American living in the States is subject to receiving a slew of direct mail. In case you are unaware of what direct mail is exactly, they are the pieces of seemingly random paper we receive in our daily mail with specific companies' advertisements printed on them. In a way, they are mini billboards, but with more information. Mike Ryan, the President of Cactus Mailing, writes, “Direct mail marketing provides a higher return on investment (ROI) than any other means of advertising.” Instinctively, a fair amount of recipients throw these pieces of paper away. Which may be why Ryan also reports, “...it typically takes 3-5 postcard mailings to the same mailing list before the response rate ramps up fully,” meaning that with direct mail, it takes several tries to really cement the message into your recipients' minds. Especially for small businesses who are trying to circulate their name even more, direct mail marketing must be done repetitively and with fervor. It is similar to television advertisements being repeated three or four times during the course of a thirty-minute program. It might come off as bothersome and pointless, but no matter how annoyed we are, we tend to remember those commercials and their jingles the most. The same idea goes for receiving the same direct marketing mail pieces over and over. Another important aspect of direct mail pieces is the sense of urgency in their body copy. Since recipients are already naturally inclined to glance at flyers and throw them away, the message they display must be timely, important and express urgency. For example, if you own a salon, you will want your pieces to exclaim short-term deals so it urges the recipient to act fast. If these short-term deals end July 30, begin sending the direct pieces out on June 1, so you are guaranteed to reach the recipient at least 3 or 4 times before the offer is up. Although marketers will argue whether e-mail marketing or direct-mail marketing is more effective, author Joanna Krotz makes a compelling argument for the latter. On Microsoft's Web site, Krotz writes a list of some of the reasons as to why direct mail marketing is still alive and effective: it generates traffic for Web site, targets customers who might distrust your Web site, sends content or news about your company or brands, and most importantly, improves customer service in general. Krotz writes, “With appropriate lists and laser-targeted customers, direct mail is very effective.” Speaking of laser-targeted customers, more personalized direct mail products should be taken into consideration when your customer groups' characteristics are so focused. Depending on what your company's service is, thinking outside the box when sending direct mail pieces can be a smart way to engage the recipients even more. A good idea is sending direct mail with a promotional gift. They are far less likely to throw away a mini manicure set or a full-color fridge magnet they receive as apart of your direct mail marketing program. Marketing your company and company's products in more creative ways is vital. Catalogs are also sometimes overlooked in the direct mail marketing process. Catalogs are effective as direct mail by providing a lot of information at once in a magazine-type form. As Krotz reports in her article, “Postage generally runs about 40 percent of the cost of sending out catalogs, according to the Direct Marketing Association. So you may pay the same postage for a 20-page catalog as you would for a 40-page catalog. You wouldn't want to miss out on sales opportunities the fatter catalog would give you.” Therefore, it makes more sense to get the most for your dollar and send your recipients as much information as possible when shipping out catalogs. The number one thing to remember, however, is the idea of repetition. Businessknowhow.com reports that after a year-long study dealing with the receiving on direct mail, it concludes that the magic number is nine: a recipient of direct mail must receive the same direct mail nine times to ensure the transition from apathy toward the company to purchasing readiness. Although the number may seem large, it's probably accurate. In a world with countless distractions, noise and clutter, current or potential clients are bound to ignore your marketing message at least a couple times before they really understand it. However, with persistence and creativity, you are bound to get the message across to them sooner or later.