A few years ago there was a shift. Getting mail, something people used to dread, once again became exciting as our virtual inboxes cluttered our space and mind. With spam in our emails becoming an all too real, and unmanageable problem, getting actual mail became a refreshing reprieve and a welcomed addition to our day. Direct mail advertising with Valpak can literally open the door to thousands of decision makers… but that’s only half the battle. Follow these five best practices in order to get your direct mail ad noticed.
1. Professional Design
When creating your advertisement, consider hiring a graphic designer to make your ad look professional. You’re investing time and money in this project; listen to the designer and let them do what they do best! Designers know how to work best with spacing, images, colors and typeface to properly reflect your brand. If you can’t necessarily afford a graphic designer, look for a full service direct mailer, like Valpak, that will mail AND create your ad.
2. Personalization
Mail evokes emotion. According to the United States Postal Service, 67% of households think that mail is more personal than the internet. To add to that, when a consumer gets a letter addressed specifically to them, not only do they appreciate it, they spend time looking at it, acknowledging the effort it took the company to make it. “We get less mail these days than we used to, so the opportunity to make an impact through personalized print marketing is huge,” states Trish Witkowski, a mail engagement expert and chief folding fanatic at Foldfactory.com.
3. Less is More
The results are in. The number of people who actually read advertisements with paragraphs on paragraphs of five point font: ZERO. We know you have a lot to offer, but don’t put everything on your ad. Unless you are buying a large format print ad, you need to keep it simple. Many marketers need to avoid one big pitfall: the “Throw everything at them to see if something sticks” idea. Kitchen-sink offers confuse people, Witkowski says: “Do this, get that. Don’t like that? Do this, and get this instead! Plus, here are eight testimonials. Plus, plus, plus…”
Not only is it hard to read, making your font size smaller to accommodate more text, makes consumers think you’re hiding something. It’s the asterisk effect. Keep everything you’ve got to say legible and to the point.
4. Make the Offer Pop!
You have lots of great things to share about your business, but you need to be sure that your primary call to action or offer stands out the most. Make sure your offer is visible and worthwhile to a potential customer. Consider these questions:
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Is this Coupon Enough of a Benefit to the Customer?
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Is the Expiration Date Reasonable?
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Are My Competitors Offering Better Deals?
5. Consider Flying Solo
If you’re reading this, congrats! You must have a strong desire to stand out from your competition. One great way of doing that is to try your own, individual direct mailer. Nothing against co-op direct mail (like our famous Blue Envelope), but investing in your own solo direct mailer may be what you need to set yourself apart from the competition. According to the USPS, mail is usually read by the household decision maker and the 2015 DMA Statistical Fact Book, asserted that on a weekly basis, the average household receives 19.1 pieces of mail (down from 24.7 in 2008). If you do the math, that’s an average of three pieces of mail a day; one of those could be yours.
Direct mail has proven to be alive and well, and is above all, a profitable and worthy component of your integrated marketing strategy. Many companies are competing for their audience’s attention on the internet, making it hard to stand out. However, this leaves a huge void in print marketing that is begging to be filled.
Compared with how quickly you delete an email, consider your daily ritual of going to the end of the driveway and checking your mail. You set aside a few moments to take the time and look at every piece of mail. The bottom line is, print materials are likely to receive extra attention – especially if you follow the above ways to get your direct mail noticed.
How to Use Direct Mail Advertising:
If using direct mail as a marketing tactic makes sense for your business, the first step is planning a campaign. Whether you’ve done 50 direct mail campaigns, or this will be your first, we suggest you get started by talking to your Valpak neighborhood specialist to develop a plan customized to your business needs. Learn more about all the different direct mail services we offer, and contact someone to get started today!
