As a specialist online printing firm, we regularly help our clients get great results with direct mail, a form of print marketing that – despite what you might have heard – still gets great results and a fantastic return on investment if carried out correctly. Today, we’re going to share some of our tips on getting sales through printed direct mail.
Build a great list
The list itself is the most important part of any direct mail campaign. Now, some companies simply send their materials to everyone, and wonder why they don’t get results. The best option is, instead, to build a list of people you know will buy. How? By taking details of already-existing customers. Then, when you send your promotions out, you can be sure you’ll make some sales. Also remember that offers and vouchers should not only be for use of first time customers because it makes current and long standing customers feel undervalued.
Test everything
Direct mail can be tough to get your head around in the early days, simply because anything can affect how well your direct mail converts. The colour in the graphic design, the words you use in your headline, the size of the package, the font on the letter, the print quality and so on. That’s why the best way to achieve success is to try and test as many different factors as you can. The more you test, the quicker you’ll learn what works. Remember that with the benefits of digital printing your business can carry out short run direct mail tests which will allow you to adapt any campaign prior to going into a large full scale direct mail printing campaign. These tests will also indicate the typical response and conversion rates for you to carry out necessary computations and discover whether your marketing campaign will achieve its goals from brand awareness to increased sales.
Give them a great offer
Remember, you have to give your potential customers a reason to respond. They aren’t going to respond to your new line of products, or a new service you’re offering. But they WILL respond if those products are half-price for the first month, or if that service comes with the first two months free. Make them an offer they can’t refuse. Give specific voucher codes which will allow you to monitor the success of any campaign and will build your customer base. As mentioned in the Marketing Donut ‘A good mailshot should include a clear message and a strong call to action.’ This is one of the best pieces of advice when it comes to direct mail, you may see it as being simple but the amount of printed direct mail without those two factors is astounding.
Follow up with purpose
So, you’ve got a fabulous printing and direct mail campaign underway a great offer and your customer knows about it. What next? Simple, follow up with them! There’s an art to this, however. You don’t want to overdo it, otherwise you’ll be seen as pushy, and nothing’s more likely to kill sales in the UK than pushiness. Instead, set out a firm plan that’ll ensure you get conversions without seeming too keen. A personal short email asking if they received their voucher or a quick call just to make sure that there is nothing they need.
If you’re interested in learning more about direct mail printing have a look at this fantastic article by Marketing Donut: Running a direct mail campaign
Get in touch
If you’re at all unsure about how to get results with your direct mail printing, give us a call. We’re specialists in leaflet printing, letterheads, leaflets, flyers, envelopes and direct mail packages that work, and we’d like to do the same for you.