4 Common Mistakes In Direct Mail Marketing

Many businesses focus their efforts on creating mailers with outstanding design and content. While these are always worthy of close attention and in-depth research, many fail to grasp that direct mail has steps and phases that take precedence over design and content. Be mindful of these four mistakes that can sabotage your marketing efforts.

1. NOT HAVING A MAILING LIST UP FRONT.

Many businesses underestimate the importance of having the right mailing list. The mailing list is the heart of direct mail marketing – it is the audience you are targeting.  Above all else, you should have your mailing list identified and selected before starting any direct mail campaign, because you will be writing and designing your campaign with your target market in mind. Also, every mailing list should include the list of customers who bought from you in the past, or prospects that  previously responded to your offers or mailings – a list that many businesses fail to create or maintain.

2. NOT TESTING THE MAILER.

Just because you had something work in the past doesn’t always guarantee success. Your offer, your mailing list, market trends etc. change, and there is no fixed formula that ensures you get the same results every time. There are some great tips to achieve an effective design and compelling content, but your design and content will change with every mailer. In fact, if you don’t bother to test your mailer against another, there is no way to tell what works and what doesn’t, and chances are you will keep repeating the same mistakes and waste money. Even if you think you are satisfied with the response rate for a current mailer, who’s to say that that is the best response rate you could ever get?

3. INADEQUATE FOLLOW UP.

Once your copy has reached its intended recipients and you start receiving replies or inquiries, many companies make the mistake of not having procedures in place to fulfill the inquiry in a timely manner, which is the next logical step. A potential lead can quickly lose interest or forget about the offer altogether when there is no immediate follow up. If you include a reply or order form in your mailers, you need to make sure there is an organized process that is followed so you don’t lose potential leads and sales. Many companies lose additional opportunity by not sending follow up mailers to those recipients who didn’t respond – a second or third mailer can reinforce your offer and generate a response.

4. DIRECT MAIL REVIEWED BY A COMMITTEE.

Feedback is valuable before rolling out any marketing campaign. The key is to get the feedback and input of those in the know; getting a committee together to dissect the merits of your marketing mailer can be counterproductive if the people involved do not fully understand what direct mail is and how it works. Reviews based on personal opinions and preferences can lead to preconceived notions of how something should work versus how it actually does.  Trust the experts who know the ins and outs of direct mail marketing and limit the review process to a few people.

Be mindful of these pitfalls and you can reduce the risk of having a campaign fail. Eliminate unnecessary risks altogether by using  Adpost’s direct mail service.