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October 27, 2009 at 08:00 PM
Direct mail campaigns can be an effective way to generate responses from clients and prospects. They can also be quite expensive. Using the following ideas can help you maximize your direct mail ROI by increasing your open rates and response rates. Here are the first five:
Idea 1: Send a plain letter.
Try sending a plain letter without illustrations or brochures. According to a study conducted by the Direct Marketing Association, the plain letter had a better response rate than an illustrated letter or a brochure with no letter at all. The plain letter was the winner by nearly 1% in 100 out of 125 tests.
Idea 2: Personalize your mailers.
When you personalize your letters and other direct mail pieces, you can increase your response rates by as much as 10-50%. The key to success is tying together a targeted list, an offer that is meaningful to the people on the list, as well as personalization that captures the readers’ self-interest.
A personalized direct mail piece can also create an emotional attachment to the ads and in turn to your company. Some people may even keep a personalized direct mail piece to show family, friends, and to hang on the refrigerator or work cubicle. There are many companies who now specialize in this type of personalized direct mail marketing.
Idea 3: Try a “lumpy-bumpy” mailer.
People are more likely to open envelopes that are “lumpy-bumpy.” One reason is natural curiosity about what is in the envelope. Another reason is the potential value of the item in the envelope. The lumpy-bumpy item can be something as small as a dime, a ruler, a packet of seeds or a magnet. Just make sure that the item somehow ties into your promotional message.
