Direct Mail Marketing Tips: Sending The Right Message

Sending the right message: how to match a direct mailer to your marketing

By Joanna L. Krotz

OK, you're past the hard stuff. You've created, honed, and tested your mailing list. You've set realistic goals. You've created a marketing message that rocks — one that emphasizes tangible solutions and customer benefits.

Your direct mail promotion is good to go. But you still have to face a couple of thorny challenges:

How can you quickly produce an affordable and professional-looking direct mail piece?
Which direct mail format or type of mailer will maximize your marketing dollar — brochure, flyer, catalog, gift certificate, etc?

Here's what you need to know about creating your own professional direct mail piece along with guidelines for selecting the right piece to meet your marketing goals.

Getting started

If you're still not convinced that direct mail can work for your kind of business, consider: According to the most recent annual Vertis Customer Focus: Direct Marketing survey, 76% of adult consumers read direct mail advertising. The survey of 2,000 adults measures general and industry-specific shopping trends. In addition, the study found that women ages 28 to 48 were more likely to read retail, entertainment and fundraising direct mail, while men 28 to 39 were more likely to report reading entertainment or automotive direct mail. "Based on the readership increase among adults, companies and organizations should consider including a direct mail component in their marketing campaigns when outreaching to new and existing customers," said Therese Mulvey, vice president, marketing research, at Vertis, when survey results were released

Despite these positives, with direct mail marketing, you have only a moment to pique a customer's interest. To capture your prospect's attention, the design and wording of the mailer and package you produce is key. For instance, a financial planner or healthcare practice trying to build clientele must send mailers that convey trustworthiness.

Looks count

Using the right colors, typeface, and professional look and feel goes a long way toward attracting your target customer.

There are four steps to creating your own distinctive direct mail piece.

1. Select your publication format. In Microsoft Office Publisher, which is included with Microsoft Office Small Business Management Edition 2006 the New Publication task pane makes it easy to get started. Publication templates are organized into Publications for Print, Web Sites and E-mail, Design Sets, and Blank Publications. Under Print Publications, you'll find a broad array of publication types appropriate for direct mail pieces, including postcards, catalogs, coupons, brochures, newsletters, gift certificates, and more.

2. Emphasize your brand. Although each piece should have its own look and message, you still need to make sure it's consistent with your company's other marketing materials and overall branding. Pay attention to color palette, fonts, design elements, and messaging tone. You may choose to start with one of the dozens of customizable Master Design Sets that carry the same consistent look across various types of marketing materials. Quickly apply a new Color Scheme or Font Scheme to get just the right look. You can also choose from among fifty new direct mail templates that can be downloaded for free from the Office Online Template Gallery into the Publisher Catalog. These online templates include oversize postcards, tri-fold mailers, invitations with tear-off response cards and more.

3. Polish the piece. Don't overlook the finishing touches and details. Publisher offers advanced layout features that quickly add gloss and interest, including automatic Baseline Alignment and Multiple Master Pages. The improved Design Checker task pane identifies potential printing problems, way before costly rework may be required at the printer.

4. Prepare for mailing. You can either print and send the piece yourself or package it to send to a printer and/or bulk-mailing house. Use the Pack and Go, Take to a Commercial Printer feature in Publisher to bundle up all your fonts, graphics, and publication. If you need to find a local or online printer familiar with Publisher files, search the Publisher Service Provider Program list in Office Marketplace. Refer to additional resources for more detail about preparing your file for commercial printing.

Getting Results

How often and what mailing format you use to communicate with customers is shaped by the kind of business you have. Professional services, such as accountants, medical offices or technology service providers, typically need to develop long-term client relationships. Such companies probably don't need to communicate with a customer more than, say, once a quarter. Retailers, on the other hand, must expect frequent churn and so need frequent contact. But even then, businesses vary. A refrigerator appliance store needs to acquire customers at a different rate than a bakery does.

Here are four direct mail marketing goals and the mailers that will help you get there.

1. Boost sales. When you want to attract new customers or broaden your product line or service offerings, you need to include a clear and enticing call to action. Giving customers an immediate taste of your offering usually works best. A tri-fold flyer detailing a free sample or offer is most effective, whether the flyer is all text or has imported photos or illustrations. What's more, you can use one of the folder panels for the address and postage, which makes it very cost-effective. Your discount or special offer can also be showcased in a special tear-off tab at the bottom of the flyer.For an up-market or classier package, consider an envelope and note card that delivers a special gift or service when the customer brings it in. You might also offer time-sensitive gift certificates or a card for a set of discounts (for instance, 50%- off lunch on Wednesdays), coupons for a one-time bonus, targeted catalogs, or tickets for a prize drawing if the customer buys an item. For business-to-business marketing, the certificate or note card might offer a free week's service or a learning experience.

2. Reward customers. To retain and acknowledge the customers you already have, try sending "With Compliments" notes or offers. These should be as personalized as possible, designed like a greeting card or personal stationery. Sending a simple "Thank you for your business" card to a valued customer is both an inexpensive and effective way to develop loyalty. Holiday greetings, birthday or anniversary cards, letters that extend special shopping privileges (such as after-hours sales or shop-by-phone offers) will also make customers stick around. You'll find templates for all these publication types in Publisher, as well as several in the Office Online Template Gallery.Another mail campaign idea is to launch a frequent buyer's club. Along with registration and club membership material and information, you can send letters and cards that offer discounts or free products that rise in value the more a customer spends.

3. Generate leads. Here, too, the format of your direct mail package and offer depends on what you're selling. Instead of a call-to-action form, the purpose of this direct mail piece is to evoke a warm reception for the follow-up call you'll make within the week.For example, if an interior designer is using a realtor's list of new homeowners, the mailer should be a personalized and handsome package that welcomes the prospect to the area, offers some valuable community information (such as news of restaurants or schools). The letter would then let the homeowner know that a designer will soon call with some suggestions, local referrals, to schedule a free house visit, or an invitation to drop by the office to chat.Professionally designed and well-written brochures, banners, posters, or invitations to special events or seminars will also help warm up a customer for a salesperson's follow-up call. If you can tuck in a promotional item like a tool or an accessory — something that relates to your business and that people will keep — all the better.

4. Building profile. When your campaign is designed around brand awareness — say, a grand opening, a start-up service, a new location — the direct mail piece must convey the news and communicate a clear brand message. For professional services, consider an informational press release or media kit that's mailed to prospective clients and to the local newspaper and broadcast stations.You can also launch a newsletter with information for the customer. Just be aware that to build credibility this newsletter should provide a service. It should do more than simply sing your company praises. If you choose to create a newsletter, be sure you have the resources for subsequent issues. Newsletters should go out at least quarterly, if not more often, in order to be memorable and effective.So-called "dimensional mailers," that is a direct-mail message that arrives in a tube or a box or a direct mailer with some kind of flap or pop-up format (in other words, three dimensions) always get noticed, although they tend to cost more. And don't forget to try a combination booklet/brochure and newsletter, so you can combine your pitch with news of your industry or field.If you've been dismissing direct mail's potential, think again. Nowadays, with cost-effective programs and customer databases, it's much easier to produce pieces that generate response. Just remember to match that message to a well designed and written mailer.