Tom Lines, Account Manager for Direct Marketing Services, has been helping his clients maximise their response from their direct mail campaigns for two years now. Here he talks to us about the top tips he gives to all his customers.
Q: How can you make your direct mail letter stand out on the doormat?
Tom: A simple A4 colour letter inserted into a plain white envelope can be highly effective with the right targeting and content, but to achieve more stand out on the doormat I recommend trying a different sized mailing. Sending a larger sized mailing, a postcard or a glossy product brochure inserted into clear polywrap are all examples of what can be easily achieved. The important thing to remember if you are considering sending a larger or heavier mailing is that postage can be more expensive, so you need to make sure that the return you think you will get will cover the extra cost.
Q: Should your direct mail letter be personalised?
Tom: One of the key benefits of direct mail is that it enables you to communicate directly with an individual on a one to one basis. You should take advantage of this and address your letter to the recipient using the contact details you have and include content that is going to be relevant to them.
Q: What key things should your direct mail copy include?
Tom: Whatever they key objective of your campaign is will affect the content you include, but I recommend every letter should include the following as the basics:
- Your company logo and business address
- The mail date
- A brief introduction to your business
- The main benefits of your product or services
- A time sensitive, special offer
- Multiple contact details (e.g. phone, email, web)
- A unique source code for tracking purposes
- A signatory so the recipient knows who the letter has come from (e.g. Managing Director, Sales Director, Business Development)
- A “P.S.” to reiterate the key message or offer closing date
Q: Why is it important to include a time sensitive special offer?
Tom: Usually when you send out a direct mail letter, you want the recipient to respond or “do something”. By including a time sensitive special offer, you will create a sense of urgency and this will make it more likely your recipient will respond quickly so they don’t miss out.
Q: What are the most common mistakes clients make when trying to write a direct mail letter?
Tom: I think customers often underestimate how difficult it is to write a targeted, concise letter and don’t spend enough time getting it right. First impressions count and if you are struggling to write a good quality letter it might be worth spending that little bit extra to get a professional copywriter to do it for you. This has the added advantage of freeing your time up so you can focus on what you do best - running your business.
Q: How can you track the success of your direct mail letter?
Tom: You should never send out a direct mail letter without making sure you can track the response you get back. Including a unique telephone number or email address is ideal, but not always practical for small businesses. In such cases, I recommend including a unique reference code instead which you ask your recipients to quote in the letter when they contact you.
If you want to include a reference to your website, you should try and include a link to a campaign specific landing page where they can get more information and complete a coded form to request a free call back. If this isn’t possible, you could simply monitor the number of visitors your website gets after your mailing has gone out, to see if there is a peak in numbers.
