Increasing Direct Mail Effectiveness Using Promotional Products

Direct mail is mainly used by charities and not-for-profit organisations as a way of communicating with potential funders.

But businesses should also consider using direct mail as it provide a targetted approach to marketing services and products.

Having a database of customers and potential customers and being able to analyse these to target specific subsets of customers will allow you to reach potential customers and not waste time targetting customers who won’t be interested.

Its easily measurable as well in whatever form you choose to direct mail – the easiest being via a special offer mailout.

But to get that added extra with your direct mail you need to be a bit creative.

Many businesses or customers receive marketing letters through the post all the time, so most of these are overlooked and thrown away.

But make your direct mail stand out and your in with a good chance of it being opened and read.


Getting Your Direct Mail Opened

Getting your direct mail opened is often a challenge with the competition of other direct mail and increasing time pressures on people.  But sending out a direct mail with something in it gives you more of a chance.

I know I love getting mail that has something in it, some kind of ‘lump’ inside that makes the letter stand out and creates a bit of intrigue along with the typical post received.

Or even those letters which feel more stiff that the usual floppy letter with a single piece of paper in.

Now obviously your not going to start sending out promotional mugs or promotional umbrellas in your post but their are many ideas you could use.

You could opt for your more traditional direct mail gift such as pens, post it notes or keyrings.

Or you could go for something a bit different like a USB’s, pedometers or shopping trolley coin keyrings.

All of these can be sent at a low cost and have a relatively low production cost.

Receiving a gift like this through the post will increase the chance of the letter being opened and read and give you a little boost in the eye of your customer.


 

Using Your Direct Mail to Receive a Gift

The other way of using promotional products for direct mail is to offer them as a gift when responding to your mail.

This way you have the added task of getting your letter opened.

Look at customised envelopes or at least some high quality envelopes rather than flimsy bendy ones.

The envelope is going to be your first impression in this scenario rather than using the intrigue of ‘lumpy’ mail.

Once inside, you need to offer your customer the incentive.

You can do this in many forms such as for the first responders theres a gift or special discount.  Or perhaps a gift with every order over a certain amount.

You need to target your audience with what you offer.  For example if your targetting businesses you need to offer something useful to them such as money off discounts or products useful to businesses.

If your targetting direct consumers then you need to offer something more specific to everyday life such as travel accessories, beach items or something useful for the home.

Being able to respond to your customers needs and to the current environment will mean you give customers what they want, when they want it which will create a good impression.

So, although direct marketing is on the decrease with the increased use of internet marketing there are still so many ways it can be used to increase your brand awareness and market your current offers.

Using direct mail isn’t free like email campaigns but in my opinion its more effective – I know I have many direct marketing emails being filtered into my spam box and the rest I rarely read once I realise its spam.

Whereas mail is slightly different.  People will often open mail – they will very rarely just bin it.

But you need to add something to it – an offer or a freebie will always make people want to read more.

And with less businesses using direct mail, nows the time to stand out and try this approach.

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