Direct mail has some of the highest response rates and competitive cost-per-acquisition across most marketing channels including digital ones like email, social, and display advertising.

As with any marketing effort, there are a few critical questions you need to address prior to launching a campaign. Here is our list of six key factors that impact direct mail performance.

  1. Your Audience: THE WHO. The target(s) most likely to need, value and buy your product or service.
  2. Your Offer: THE WHAT. The incentive or benefit needed to drive action.
  3. Your Channel: THE WHERE. The channel(s) of communication that are most relevant and effective at each stage of conversion.
  4. Your Cadence: THE WHEN. The ideal timing and frequency of each communication. Seasonality can also be a factor.
  5. Your Message: THE WHY. The benefits and rationales that make adoption most valuable and relevant to your target.
  6. Your Creative: THE HOW. The design, images and formats that deliver that message.

Direct mail marketing campaigns can lead to a number of beneficial outcomes, such as increased lead volume, site traffic, demo signups, sales, and more. But before you walk through the content and logistics of your campaign, it’s important to determine which objectives matter most.

Example of Direct Mail Marketing Objectives

As you think about your direct mail objectives, remember that direct mail isn’t a ‘one-and-done’ tactic, and it should be part of an integrated marketing approach. So your objectives can (and should) vary based on your prospects and their stage in the buyer’s journey.

Here are some examples to help you get started:

  • To generate 200 new sales leads over 8 weeks
  • To get 300 prospects to my landing page and sign up for a webinar
  • To have 50 prospects call our office to set up an in-person demo or meeting
  • To cross-sell new products to 25 customers
  • To have 100 people download our eBook from our website

Tip: Your direct mail piece should include a clear, simple call-to-action that directly aligns with your marketing goals. So if your goal is primarily lead capture, it would make sense to direct your prospects to fill out an online form. But if you are trying to make an immediate sale (and you have the kind of product that doesn’t require a long sales cycle), only providing a phone number for response may generate a better close rate.

Just like any online marketing effort, be prepared to test, learn, and test again. It is rare that any direct mail campaign will be successful right out of the gate, so allow a minimum of 6 months to a year of focused testing before deciding whether direct mail is right for you and your marketing efforts.

Photo Credit: https://unsplash.com/photos/jGUMdcl1p2Y