A good direct mail campaign will communicate with your target audience and give them positive memories. That communication can create leads, and leads mean new customers. Direct mail doesn’t have to abide by the CAN-SPAM Act, as email marketing does, and can be a viable strategy. At Postlead, we know how to craft your mail marketing campaign, and how to inspire consumers to take action. Below are some tips that you can use to improve your postal plans:

1.Know and Identify Your Audience

The difference between “junk mail” and “direct mail” lies in their distribution strategy. Junk mail reaches people indiscriminately to blare advertisements at them, and usually without permission. Direct mail marketing takes more discernment so that readers will take the time to view your message. You know your target audience. Or if you don’t, quickly procure and identify a list of potential target customers. You can purchase mailing lists -- you cannot use this strategy for email due to legality issues -- or generate them on your own based on available data.

2. Get Creative with The Reader’s Experience

While the mailbox in real life is smaller than an email box, you still want to own the reader’s attention when they check their envelopes and magazines at the end of the day. You are delivering a piece of paper. The paper shape, bond, and size can make all the difference when you want to impress your readers. If you are an artistic type, as an example, you can send your message as an origami tutorial.

3. Master Your Design and Message

You get one shot to make a good first impression on your reader, at least for a campaign. You want your customer to spend a few minutes perusing what you send, whether it’s a brochure or a postcard or even a magazine. Good advertising copy informs people what value you can deliver to them, through sales of products or services. The right words can deliver your message and intent, and inspire a consumer to take action. So can apt graphic design that handles the first impression. Both must deliver value to the consumer and practice gestalt, or a complete design that is greater than the sum of its parts.

4. Test Your Mail Campaign With a Small Sample Size

You need to know if your strategy is working, even with direct mail marketing having a higher response rate than email marketing does. A mail campaign can be inexpensive if budgeted accordingly, but you still want to get the highest value for your dollar. Sensible analytics can help and do exist. Curate a small list of potential customers, and send accordingly. Then measure the call to action, as well as your lead generation. Once you get some data and analysis, curate your campaign accordingly. See what works, and what doesn’t.

5. Follow Up With Clients

Seeking feedback and sending reminders, within reasonable limits, can increase a consumer remembering your brand. People do love simple postcards, which can be sent cheaply. Use phone calls sparingly, but use them to get further information about your future consumers. Again, use common sense and be reasonable; consumers can be sensitive about giving out contact information. Sending an email asking them to sign up for an electronic newsletter is reasonable. Contact us at Postlead today to see other tips to inspire your consumers. Reach out and let us know how you can present action with the right mail piece.