Direct mail marketing is still a viable option. Numerous companies use mail campaigns to spread awareness of their products or services. Even so, nobody’s perfect. Mistakes will happen, as will bad luck. Due to mail being a centuries-old practice, most companies have made all the mistakes so you don’t have to repeat them. You don’t have to be perfect, but you do have to avoid common pitfalls that come with the mail.

Failing to Fact-Check Your Addresses And Addressees

This should be one thing a company should never do. Sometimes it’s unavoidable, but your campaign should make the effort to ensure that the addresses are correct. Nothing is more frustrating than getting your mail back from the post office with an “Undeliverable” sticker. Make sure that the information you can access is up-to-date. Also, don’t address people as “Dear Sender” or “Resident”. It’s very impersonal and can give someone the impression that they’re receiving a form letter. While you are creating a form message, try and personalize where you can within reasonable limits. It’s better to take the risk that someone may have moved from the address than to alienate a potential customer.

Starting Too Big

Mail is one of the least expensive means of reaching out to customers. Even so, it can quickly become a giant expense. You can easily send too much mail and blow an established budget. You need to start small, to test your audience. That way you can see what works and what doesn’t. Marketing campaigns have a science to them. You need to have a sample size to start with and to analyze the results.

Not Tracking Your Results

Your campaign will work if you track your results. That way you’re not just tossing money for stamps and paper in the wind. Especially with how technology has changed, you need to be able to pinpoint if your current strategy is working. Modern tools will allow you to measure the response to your campaign. Postcards can carry addresses or QR codes for landing pages with visitor counters. You can number coupons individually and see how many are scanned online or at brick-and-mortar stores. There are dozens of viable options.

Providing Worthless Content

We call useless mail “junk mail” for a reason. It clutters our mailbox and doesn’t bring us any joy. Don’t fall into the junk mail trap. You are not delivering garbage. Figure out what you want to deliver with each postcard. You can choose if you want to offer news, discounts, or viable entertainment within attention span. News can let consumers know about special events related to your brand, while discounts will grab attention. If it’s entertainment, make sure your graphic design and copy are on point. Trader Joe’s newsletters manage to combine all three.

Failing To Follow-Up

You need to follow up with your target audience. One batch of mail and waiting for a response won’t cut it. You also can’t procrastinate when customers do respond. A connection is the key to winning over customers, to show that you are listening to them. If they order from a catalog you send, make sure the orders reach them in a reasonable, timely fashion.

Find Out More From PostLead

At Postlead, we can help you find out more mistakes that you can avoid, and means by which to craft your marketing campaign. Contact us today. We are very eager to get your content in the mailbox.