Finding the Sweet Spot: Frequency in Direct Response Marketing

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The best direct marketing strategies are those you can consistently repeat and your target audience readily accept. Take direct response mailers, for example. It works best when you adopt and stick with a certain frequency (consistency). However, it also takes your target audience’s approval for a winning combination.

Companies with good marketing strategies understand a certain amount of communication frequency works best. Contact potential clients too much, and you’re as much of a nuisance as a door-to-door salesman popping by during dinner. Contact your potential clients too little, and they will likely forget you exist.

You can’t set up a business–whether online, brick-and-mortar, or both–and expect clients to flock to you. You have to communicate with them in ways that aren’t over- or underwhelming.

So, how do you find the sweet spot for communicating with potential clients by mail or email? It starts with building a plan you can consistently repeat and that your audience will accept.

​Let’s look at what it takes to find a good balance.

Everybody has a sweet spot for communicating. You don’t necessarily need to pop into your audience’s mailbox or inbox once a week, but you do need some routine outreach.

As a general rule of thumb, send direct response mail once a month. In cases where you can easily find your industry standard (assuming it isn’t monthly), start with that frequency.

​Ramp up delivery frequency for new product launches or big events. Try less frequently if your business has matured and you’re more interested in customer retention.

You can’t develop the habit of communicating with your audience regularly without the consistency piece of the puzzle. A single piece of mail won’t win you trust or recognition. Often, your audience needs multiple interactions with you before they convert.

​Absence doesn’t always make the heart grow fonder; it makes the brain forget. Clients will forget you can solve their problem if you go too long without contacting them. They’ll also likely be uninterested when you do show up in their mailbox again. Send mailers out routinely without long breaks in between.

The best way to ensure you communicate with your target audience with enough frequency is to schedule it. Consider the following factors (differentiators) that will affect your unique strategy.

The right frequency for you depends on your budget. A small budget means you can’t mail as frequently. You must also be more mindful about how long you can afford to run your mail pieces. Avoid going over budget and not having enough left for a second campaign.

​Direct response mailing is pricier than emailing. Planning your advertising strategy ahead of time can help you save money on printing costs.

Timing matters. Mail your pieces so they arrive at a time when your clients desire your product or service most.

Let’s imagine a business that sells fine chocolates, for example. In that case, it would want to send out mailers around special holidays or customers’ birthdays.

Mail potential clients when they put their house on the market or when a house gets sold if you’re a cleaning service. You get the idea.

​Timing can be tricky. However, try strategizing ways to catch your audience when they need you. Don’t send direct mail marketing campaigns if there are obvious times when they won’t need or want you. You’ll avoid wasting time and money with little to show for it.

The industry you’re in affects the frequency of your mailers. Your industry may be more competitive and require frequent mailings to stay in the game.

Well-established businesses can reduce their communications to when they have a big event, promotion, or new offering. Those still building awareness and client bases will want to send direct response mail more frequently.

Some direct mail types achieve higher engagement than others. Those carrying a coupon, for example, typically get more responses. Free product samples also get high rates of response.

​Coupons and freebies are enticing. People like getting a deal. Consider offering potential clients an incentive to purchase from you or give you a try.

Send high-performing mailers out more frequently. Stop using pieces that perform poorly. Adjust poor performers and try again, or consider overhauling your strategy.

Direct response mail advertising isn’t a one-and-done thing. It’s ongoing. You build your business faster by repeatedly putting your brand into the hands of potential clients.

Mail consistently. Schedule it ahead of time so this vital piece of the marketing puzzle doesn’t get lost in the shuffle of everyday business life.

Sending mail for one month and forgetting about it for the next three is a good way to waste the money you spent that first month. Your customers are likely to forget about you.

Direct response mail is a vital component of an ongoing marketing strategy. Ensure the messages you send out are cohesive so customers easily identify you.

Even direct response marketing by email follows similar rules. With emails, you’ll typically engage in more frequent contact.

With direct response marketing, consistency is critical. Mail according to a predetermined timetable to keep your audience informed and involved without overwhelming them.

Start with the monthly rule-of-thumb or whatever frequency is standard for your industry, but don’t stop there. Test different frequencies to find the sweet spot that maximizes response rates but avoids audience or subscriber fatigue. The right frequency can help build relationships and improve your overall marketing effectiveness.

​Regular communication engages your audience and helps build familiarity with your brand. Approaching your mailings strategically to achieve frequency and consistency will boost your efforts no matter what channel you use.