What is Direct Mailing as a Marketing Tactic?

(Abstrakt Xxcellence Studios / pexels)

Direct mail marketing may seem old-fashioned, but it is far from outdated. Below, you can look at the tried-and-true tactics I developed over many years as a direct marketing coach. You’ll learn why direct mail reigns supreme and how to use it as one of your tools to grow your business.

Direct mail marketing puts physical promotional materials directly into the hands of potential clients using traditional mail. It dates back to ancient times when merchants advertised their goods on papyrus.

Many decades ago, before the rise of the internet, your parents or grandparents were bombarded with advertisements in their mailboxes: magazines, flyers, coupons, newspapers, and more. (Anyone remember Publisher’s Clearing House?)

What’s old is new again. Direct mail popularity is rising as the internet has become crowded and noisy with promotional materials.

Traditional direct mail had limitations regarding costs and tracking results in the past. That’s not the case anymore. Now, anyone can create and send any format anywhere at decent prices that earn more than they cost. Unique tracking codes or phone numbers help business owners track and measure their success.

​Below, we’ll discuss more of what direct mail marketing entails so that you can use it in your business.

Direct mail marketing promotional materials are tangible. Customers can hold them, feel them, and put them on their countertops as reminders. They include brochures, catalogs, letters, one-pagers, postcards, samples, or shock and awe packages. These are just as useful for B2B as they are for B2C.

Direct mail marketing accomplishes many goals. These objectives include but aren’t limited to:

There’s no one-size-fits-all approach or style. However, an effective mail piece has the following in common:

Understand your audience in order to create a more effective campaign. Conduct exhaustive market research to establish your ideal clients’ demographics, preferences, desires, needs, behaviors, and pain points. Without this information, you’ll be hard-pressed to develop persuasive messaging that resonates with your recipients.

Create crystal-clear and measurable goals before beginning a direct mail campaign. Everything else that follows falls into place much more easily when you know, for example, if you intend to promote a new product or service, raise awareness of your existence, create sales leads, or drive traffic to your website.

Keep your mail piece’s content short, sweet, to the point, persuasive, and interesting. Focus on your product or service's advantages to customers. Try using visuals to grab the audience’s attention. New designs can make your material more visually appealing.

You must select an appropriate format based on the type of direct mail you’re sending out. For example, letters are good for longer and more personalized messages. Postcards are cost-effective and have a high awareness rate. Catalogs and brochures are effective at presenting a variety of items and services. Think about your goals and the content when choosing a format.

Personalization is essential for effective direct mail advertising. Adapt your content to your audience segment to increase your response rates. Use variable data printing (VDP) to personalize each mail piece with the receiver’s name, address, and any other relevant information.

Consider using an expert design and copywriting service to guarantee your direct mail piece has a polished appearance and reads well. Don’t clutter your piece with too much information or multiple offers. The writing should be straightforward and convincing. Emphasize benefits and include a clear call to action.

Every piece of direct mail should include a prominent and appealing call-to-action (CTA). What are you hoping your audience does after reading your material? Do you want them to visit your website, call a dedicated phone line, or redeem a special deal? Don’t make them guess. Make it clear and easy to complete the action.

You’ve given your clearly defined target audience some excellent reasons to complete the obvious CTA. Now, how do you override their fear of taking that first step to give over their contact information (usually an email address) or make a purchase?

​Improve response rates using discounts and incentives. Or encourage their sense of urgency and motivate quicker action through exclusive deals that are genuine and either for new members or are only available for a limited time.

Create your mail piece. Then, change one component at a time and test it on your audience to see what changes are more effective.

​Include personalized uniform resource locators (PURLs) and QR codes in your pieces to funnel readers to landing pages or unique online offers. This is an example of technology bridging the gap between traditional and digital engagement methods, making more interactive experiences possible.

Many people see “direct response” or “direct mail” marketing and incorrectly assume it ignores our digital age. That couldn’t be further from the truth.

Wise direct marketers understand that direct mail marketing is the number one way to grab the attention of customers who are inundated and overstimulated with digital messaging. At the same time, they can further nurture customer relationships and repeat business by utilizing email marketing, SMS, social media, and the like.

There’s room for today’s digital techniques in supportive roles. Direct response marketing takes center stage as a tried-and-true marketing method.

​In a world where many think online marketing dominates, direct mail remains one of the best and most effective ways to reach ideal clients, personalize their experiences, and produce measurable results. I’ve written quite a few of the best books on direct marketing in my many years in the business. Using my techniques, any willing business owner who puts in the effort can turn around lackluster business performance.