IVE Data-Driven Communications

10 Common Mistakes to Avoid in Direct Mail Marketing

Direct mail marketing is still an effective tool for businesses, despite the rise of digital technologies. However, if you’re not seeing the returns you’d like on your campaigns, you might be making some common mistakes. Avoid these top ten pitfalls and you’ll see better returns in no time.

  1. Mailing the wrong people: Generic content sent to a broad, unspecified audience won’t get you far. A targeted approach is needed. Drill down into your mailing list and consider your top customers, their interests, demographics, and what they have in common.
  2. Using a bad mailing list: Don’t waste time and energy on a poor mailing list. Ensure your list is accurate and up-to-date. If you’re obtaining lists from a broker, ensure they can deliver high-quality, targeted groupings. If you’re collecting lists through your own processes, validate them upfront to save time later.
  3. Failing to include a letter: A mail package without a sales letter is less likely to generate leads and conversions. Letters add a personal touch and create engagement.
  4. Lacking personalisation: Personalised messages attract more leads. Make sure your copy feels inclusive towards your target demographic and address them directly.
  5. Knowing your audience: “Sell the benefits, not the features” depends on your audience. Know who your audience is, and whether they’re more interested in benefits or features.
  6. Wasting time with superficial copy: The goal of direct mail sales copy is to generate an immediate response. Avoid gimmicky flourishes and focus on presenting facts in a concise, compelling format.
  7. Pulling your punches: Start strong, as you only have about 5 seconds to grab your reader’s attention. Ask a tantalising question, jump straight to the reader’s most pressing concern, lead in with an interesting statistic or fact, or put the offer upfront.
  8. Burying your strongest copy: Save your best copy for the hotspots of your sales letter: your first paragraph, subheadings, image captions, final paragraph, and postscript.
  9. Not knowing the key phrases: Use tried and true phrases that work, such as “free,” “no obligation,” “see inside,” and “new” or “proven,” depending on your audience.
  10. Not tracking results: Track your campaigns’ results to measure their success. Provide a code for customers to redeem their offer and compare the number of codes collected to the number sent out.

By avoiding these common pitfalls and tracking your results, your direct mail marketing campaigns will improve over time. Contact IVE today for advice on how to engage your clients with relevant, important, and intended messaging.

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