How to Beef Up Your Direct Mail Campaign

It’s a known fact that direct mail campaigns have not been working as efficiently as they should be. So direct marketers need to become more creative in order to catch the attention of others.

When a prospect picks up your envelope, together with his other post, he spends less than three seconds assessing whether or not to open it. Naturally, this problem means that direct marketers are tempted to “spill the beans” on the envelope; pushing their features and benefits, even the offer. This is a big mistake.

The envelope is merely there to carry the contents inside it but this has pushed marketers to think of creative ways to design them even more so.

Facing that same dilemma, one company decided to conduct a number of B to B and B to C envelope tests, to discover which pulled in the better result. Envelopes with teaser copy and offers on the outside or envelopes with nothing but the stamp and return address on the back.

This is what they found:

They found that when readers weren’t sure what was inside, they were more inclined to open the envelope. They wanted to know what the offer was and not the name of the company since this can lead to conclusions with certain reputations.

So what can be taken from this experiment?

Simple is Best

Don’t reveal everything on the envelope. Timing is key to establish a great relationship.

Create a personalization

Letters that start with ‘To Whom It May Concern’ seem very impersonal. Take the extra time to address it to a certain person using their name and title, if you know it.

Write out their Name

If you do some of the actual writing, not only will it seem as if you care, but it will seem as if this person is one of a select few receiving the offer. When someone knows that the offer within isn’t on the table for any Joe Schmoe in the world, they’re more likely to feel just special enough to open up the envelope. This also reflects well on your company, which is obviously made up of the kind of people who enjoy getting and giving mail – one of the classiest forms of communication around.

Include a logo on the front of the envelope

If you’re marketing to a list that knows you very well, and is, as far as you know, very happy with your service. Then put your logo on the front top left hand corner of your envelope or discreetly on the back flap. Then, they’re more likely to open your envelope because, like the company in the example, they could be missing out on something great, and want to read about it before making the decision to disregard it.

Check and check repeatedly

Make sure to test the envelope to be certain that it works. Have the right combination to make your marketing campaign succeed.

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