Direct mail marketing is a great way to advertise and generate measurable sales results for your business. However, coming up with a clever direct mail creative can be a difficult task, and we all know how many direct mail pieces end up in the trash. The challenge is to make your mail piece stand out from the masses. Although direct mail is one of the most effective forms of traditional advertising, the pieces that are sent out do not have to be traditional in nature, and this is the key to catching someone’s attention before your mail piece is toast. There are many creative ideas you can utilize to produce a clever direct mail campaign that will boost response rates and, ultimately, increase your sales. Here are 4 ideas to get your creative juices flowing to boost results for your next direct mail campaign
1. Include a Sample
Who can say no to a freebie? Giving out free samples is a great way to grab your audience’s attention, and give them a taste of how great your products or services are at the same time.
Whether it is a coupon for a free trial, a mini lotion packet, or a sample carpet tile, it will get the recipient’s attention. This clever direct mail strategy will not only get attention, but also keep your business in the consumer’s mind when they need your products and services in the future.
2. Make it Lumpy
Make your direct mail package lumpy or multi-dimensional. People are more eager to open lumpy or thick envelopes, because they want to find out what’s inside. It doesn’t have to be a traditional envelope either – think outside of the box! What about a tube? Receiving a package is like receiving a present; few people can resist opening it. Although it may be more expensive to send, multi-dimensional items grab attention better, and will lead to a higher overall ROI for your direct mail campaign. Multidimensional can items include key chains, booklets, pens, or any other items that connect to your business.
(Source: http://www.printsome.com/blog/2013/25-creative-t-shirt-packaging-design-examples)
3. Use a Postage Stamp
We know that targeted direct mail marketing works much better than mass, untargeted mailings. Creative direct mail can take this process to the next level. One instance of how this is possible is by making the mailing appear as if it is personalized to the correspondence rather than generic. You have probably already heard about addressing the mail piece directly to their name and adding the receiver’s name to the header of the mail piece. What about using stamps? Instead of using a bulk mail stamp, which often gives a more generic, mass-mailer effect, try using an actual postage stamp instead. If you make the envelope look like it came from a person rather than a machine, it is more likely to be opened.
4. Add Art to the Envelope
Another clever direct mail idea is to add one or more images to the envelope exterior. This will set your material apart from all the other mail delivered, and will likely make them curious about what the envelope contains. A boring, plain envelope is more likely to get lost in the sea of identical mail. You can customize your envelope by simply using a colored envelope (i.e. blue, green yellow), or try adding a graphic image to it. Graphic images can be a company logo, a picture of a product, or anything else that you feel is relevant to your direct mail offer.
(Source: http://www.atbreak.com/picts/window-cleaner-envelopes)
While direct mail is definitely a great marketing tool for businesses, boring direct mail pieces can be a waste of everyone’s time and effort. It is important to have your direct mail campaign stand out from the moment your audience receives it – after all, you only have a few seconds to catch their attention. Being clever with your creative can do just that. For more direct mail marketing information, please feel free to contact US Data Corporation at (888) 578-3282.