It’s interesting how something can get repeated often enough that it gets accepted as fact. For example, everyone “knows” George Washington’s dentures were made of wood, right?
Wrong! Although our nation’s first president suffered dental problems throughout his adult life, his dentures were made of various materials including ivory, bone, human teeth and metal. Yet, the myth has been repeated so often over so many decades, it is routinely accepted as fact.
That’s apparently what some folks would like to see happen with direct mail. The myths are so aggressively repeated, it’s almost as if some people are campaigning to convince us direct mail is outdated, expensive and no longer effective.
None of those things are true.
In fact, while digital marketing is an important component of a healthy modern marketing mix — we’re strong believers in digital marketing — it’s actually most effective when combined with the “tried and true” method of direct mail marketing. A brief look at the myths:
- Myth: Direct Mail Is Outdated — Direct mail is only for old people, right? Wrong! The Direct Marketing Association reports that young adults — those millennials so many marketers covet — are among the most likely groups to respond to direct mail. One thing hasn’t changed over the generations: People of all ages enjoy mail, and they enjoy it even more if you send them something interesting and compelling.
- Myth: Direct Mail Is Expensive — The excellent response rate of direct mail — approximately triple to quadruple that of email — coupled with economies of scale realized by volume printing, reduced postage for bulk mail and the use of low-cost mailings such as postcards, make direct mail an attractive investment for marketers.
- Myth: Direct Mail Is No Longer Effective — Again, not true. Customers trust printed marketing materials, and the return on investment (ROI) for direct mail is as strong as ever, with an estimated $12.61 in sales for every dollar spent on direct mail nationwide, according to the Rochester Institute of Technology.
All of that being said, it’s also important to remember that, like any component of an effective marketing mix, a direct mail piece is only effective if it hits the right target, at the right time, with the right message. Here are a few key things to remember when crafting direct mail so you can avoid common mistakes people make:
- Test, Test, Test — New to direct mail? How will you know what works, or who to target? An expert direct mail marketer generally knows what works and what doesn’t, and can help you with targeting to reach the right audience. Even then, if you don’t have previous campaigns to compare, chances are you need to test different versions of your campaign with samples of your audience, so you can see what works best and use that information to fine tune.
- You Need a Strong Call to Action — It may seem simple, but you’d be surprised how many widget makers don’t ask people to buy their widgets. Your direct mail piece needs a strong call to action. What do you want people to do? Donate to a non-profit fundraiser? Vote for a candidate? Buy your widgets? Say so, with a clear call to action that lets readers know exactly what you are asking them to do, and how it will benefit them. Which brings us to the offer…
- You Need an Attractive Offer — You not only need to let people know what you want them to do, but also why they should do it. The offer should be compelling. If you offer a 1% discount on a $1,000 purchase, will anyone spending $1,000 really be compelled by a savings of $10? Probably not. But a deeper discount or a free gift with purchase might push the offer over the tipping point. Even in the non-profit world, where you’re asking people to contribute to a fundraiser, the “offer” matters: If I make a donation, what will you accomplish with it that will make me feel good about my contribution?
- Copy Still Matters — Your audience needs to connect with your piece for it to be effective. The audience cares most when they form a connection with the material. As marketing guru Denny Hatch quotes entrepreneur Bob Hacker: “The seven key copy drivers — the emotional hot buttons that make people act — are fear, greed, guilt, anger, exclusivity, salvation, flattery. If your copy isn’t dripping with one or more of these, tear it up and start over.”
At Mellady Direct Marketing, we take a great deal of pride in putting our three decades of direct marketing experience and expertise to work for you. Our team is adept at creating marketing strategies that use all of the effective modern marketing tools in conjunction with each other — including digital marketing and direct mail — to bust the myths, build your brand and help you succeed.
In the interest of practicing what we preach, here’s a call to action! Contact us online today, or call us at (661) 298-9190, and find out how a direct mail campaign from Mellady Direct can help you achieve your goals.
