When I write about marketing I make sure to include these 10 pitfalls to avoid in direct mail. Direct mail is one of the most powerful ways to market your products and services, but it’s easy to sabotage your efforts. Make sure you avoid these like the plague!
Here are 10 pitfalls to avoid in direct mail:
1. Not identifying your audience. Mail gives you the ability to target specific individuals, so take advantage of that strength and decide which segments will most likely respond.
2. Leasing a bad mailing list. Sending mailers to people who don’t match your intended criteria is wasteful and could prove embarrassing, too. Work with a quality List Broker, like Dataman Group in Boca Raton FL to obtain a well-targeted mailing list.
3. Relying on unclean data. Scrub your house list to ensure you’re not mailing pieces to inaccurate addresses, the deceased, people who have asked to be taken off your list and targets who have moved or changed jobs.
4. Being impersonal. Personalizing your message can make prospects feel like you value them individually. They need to feel that you understand their needs and interests. Use their name in your direct mail. If it’s warranted, include their address. Make them feel that you are marketing to an audience of one.
5. Not presenting a compelling offer. You’re sending a piece to motivate people to act. If your offer is weak your response will drop like a rock. You need to tweak your offer to appeal to different segments within your campaign. This also holds true for defining the benefits of your product or service.
6. Failing to indicate a call to action. Wikipedia defines the call to action (CTA) as an instruction to the audience designed to provoke an immediate response. Examples include “call now”, “find out more” or “visit a store today. Clearly spell out how people can take advantage of your offer (By phone? By e-mail? BRM?). Provide lots of choices. Create a sense of urgency so they’ll act fast.
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7. Using mediocre creative. Copy and design that aren’t engaging, relevant or easy to comprehend could turn off recipients before they even get to your offer. Professional copywriters and designers can help you best communicate your message.
8. Not continuously testing. Your campaign can always improve, but you’ll never know how if you don’t conduct small tests of variables like your list, offer, format and colors.
9. Omitting tracking mechanisms. You need to trace responses back to a piece to gauge how well it performed. Options include embedding codes on coupons and creating a special toll-free number.
10. Poor follow-up. Be prepared to quickly fulfill any orders or requests generated by your piece. If you disappoint a target who has raised his or her hand, why did you go through the effort at all? That’s a great way to diminish your brand.
Use these 10 pitfalls to avoid in direct mail as a guide. They are also applicable in every type of direct marketing.