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5 Mistakes To Avoid In Direct Mail Content
The time and manpower required in direct mail marketing can be overwhelming for most businesses, not to mention the different aspects of the process itself: from the mailing list, to the marketing objective, to the content and design. Many companies hire designers and copywriters to do most of the work, but after all that still comes the distribution process and then dealing with inbound mail. It’s a long process from start to finish, which is why many businesses employ direct mail packages from companies like Adpost.
If, however, you decide to tackle direct mail marketing on your own, one of the most important things you will need to keep an eye on would be the content. Mistakes in content can lay your investment to waste, so steer clear of the following:
- NOT HAVING AN OFFER.
When sending direct mail, you are not simply sharing or giving information about a product or service. It would be ideal if your mail recipient automatically decides to purchase from you based on solely on your mailer, but that is hardly the case. The lack of an offer means that your potential customer ends up making a split second decision about your product, which almost always leads to a lost sale. Having an offer, on the other hand, buys you time to build your potential lead’s interest in your product by requesting for additional information or by trying an offer for a free demonstration or consultation.
- SUPERFICIAL CONTENT.
Content that has no depth does nothing except maybe create a negative impression for your company. A superficial copy would also undermine you company’s expertise and credibility. Get quality content by doing intensive research and choosing the best information to use in your mailer. Use facts, be specific with details, and/or cite relevant examples. Study your product and know your audience, this way you can present information that would be both meaningful and appealing to your reader.
- ALWAYS USING BENEFITS OVER FEATURES.
The most widely adopted rule in writing marketing material is to promote benefits over features. However, you should always take your target market into consideration when creating your mailer. For instance, business-to-business marketing usually works better with the presentation of hard facts or features. Find out what’s important to your target and address that in your mailer.
- SAVING THE BEST SELLING POINT FOR LAST.
Everyone knows that in any marketing effort, grabbing and holding on to your customer’s attention is of utter importance. While it may be good for a book or a movie to start slow and end with a bang, it doesn’t hold true for mailers. If you’re lucky, your recipient will open your envelope and start reading, but if nothing jumps out of the page within those first critical seconds, your mailer will likely get tossed. Always start with your best selling point.
- NOT USING MAGIC MARKETING WORDS.
Most general advertisers frown upon the use of magic marketing words because they are considered clichés, but just because certain words or phrases are commonly used doesn’t mean that they lose their marketing pull. In fact, using magic marketing words like “free,” “save,” or “guarantee” help draw your readers’ attention and spark interest.
Content is crucial to any marketing campaign. Find what works by testing your mailers.
