Adding direct mail to your existing marketing efforts can increase awareness of your brand, boost traffic to your social media and website, and increase your customer base.
The first step to integrating direct mail is to define the goals for your mailer, this will help you build a strategy and create an effective campaign. For example, your goal is to increase brand awareness in your business’ neighborhood and keep people up to date on your latest products. A good strategy would be to send out a monthly postcard to neighbors and customers, telling them about your new services, promotions, or upcoming events.
As always, start simple. It can be overwhelming to start direct mail marketing on top of everything else that it takes to run your business. But as you become familiar with the process and develop a campaign that suits your business needs, you will be able to increase the complexity of your mailers.
Allocate Your Resources
An important part of adding direct mail to your marketing mix is to make sure that you are prepared with the proper resources.
First, if you’re considering direct mail, the cost is a significant factor. It is a continuous process, not something that can be done in an afternoon. That’s because inconsistent mailings will only cause you to waste money. So, make sure you have enough time and money to support your campaigns until the return can cover the costs.
Secondly, a bulk mail project is not easy to do on your own, there is a lot of planning and prep that goes into it. If you are a small business owner or an entrepreneur, you will need to seek out an experienced mail house to work with. Start planning your project at least a month before you plan to send it.
Read more about Pricing your Bulk Mail Project.
Find a Direct Mail Services Provider
Once you are clear on your direct mail objectives and you have the resources in place, you will need to find a direct mailing services provider. When looking for a services provider, select an all-inclusive mail house. You want a company that offers a variety of products in professional design, mailing options, short runs and turnaround time, as well as significant postage discounts.
There are two main things to consider when choosing a provider, services, and products.
Choose the services that ensure you have the most accurate mailing list, the best design, and the best strategy for your company. Your mailing house will take care of the design, addressing, labeling or envelope stuffing, and mailing of your marketing products.
The best service providers offer a large variety of products from which to choose. Self-mailers, postcards, brochures, and flyers are some of the most popular products that can help you to achieve your marketing goals.
Next, you should consider the color options for your product and the printing method you want to use. Some companies offer full-color options and high-quality offset and digital printing, while others provide limited color options and few printing finishes. Make sure their product and service selection meet your desired results.
If you are a beginner, we recommend starting with a well-targeted mailing list aimed at recipients that are most likely to buy. A quick win will set your future mailings on the right track to success.
Adding direct mail into your marketing mix is one of the smartest decisions that you can make.
It’s a well-known fact that consumers prefer a combination of digital and tangible marketing. They feel more personally engaged in advertising and spend as much as 25% more due to the varied marketing approach. By allocating enough resources and finding the perfect provider, you will be well on your way to having a successful campaign.
