Direct Mail Customization Tips

Direct mail is far from dead, despite what you might have heard. And while the internet age has brought many innovations in the marketing industry, there are still some very viable marketing strategies that can get you results in a more traditional way, including direct mail campaigns. 

Did you know that direct mail has a much greater response rate compared to every other digital marketing channel combined? Direct mail is 600% more likely to be responded to by consumers. At the same time, many businesses are using direct mail less as newer marketing strategies and technologies emerge.

This means that direct mail pieces become more unique and valuable. It’s a great time to start taking advantage of direct mail while the space is less crowded with competition. The following are a few helpful tips so you can make the most out of your direct mail marketing efforts.

Make Your Mailers Highly Personalized

Direct mail feels old-fashioned, which is why it remains popular for marketing today. You are putting something physical into the hands of your audience, and this is what gives this type of marketing an edge that digital marketing can’t compete with. Make sure that you emphasize this fact by adding some personalization to your direct mail campaigns.

For example, instead of relying on premade layouts that remind your customers of “junk” mail, show that you put some thought into your mail pieces. You could even try using a font that looks like it was handwritten to help personalize the name and addresses that they will be sent to. Troi Mailing Services can help with custom designs from scratch.  

Use a Larger Size

Making your mailers larger in size will help it stand out from the rest of your customers’ mail. With a bigger format, you can be sure that your direct mailer won’t get lost along with all the other standard sized letters or postcards. Using a large or unusual sized mailer will help catch attention, which also means that the time you put into designing and writing your copy won’t go to waste.

Make Sure Your Copy is Impactful

You don’t want to overwhelm your mailer with graphics, and you don’t want to have so little wording that your customers don’t understand what your piece is about. Ensure you have a good balance between the two, and that you keep your copy impactful, concise, and to the point. We recommend that you limit the opening of your letter, postcard or other succinct direct mailer to no more than 11 words. Try to stick to smaller words and short sentences, and go for a serif typeface that is easy to read.

Use a Self-Mailer

Direct mail is meant to be interacted with, so why not try mailing something that requires no envelope? This helps create immediate engagement, and the act of receiving a self-mailer can make customers even more receptive to the offer. Folded self-mailers are even better for tapping into the consumer’s curious nature and eliciting a sense of intrigue. 

Keep in mind that the production cost to create a piece like this can be a lot cheaper since there are no material or insertion costs for envelopes. 

Double-Check Tab Placements

There are specific regulations involved for folded mailers and the tabs used to seal them. There are different types of tabs that can end up altering the final look of your mail once it is opened. Make sure that you account for these finishing requirements, and that the tabs are not disrupting your design. At least make sure that your copy unfolds in cooperation with the tabbing. You might even find a creative way to work with the direct mail tabs and incorporate them into your design. Troi Mailing Services can help advise on sealing, folding and finishing regulations for machineable mail. 

Add Your Recipient’s Name Throughout Your Message

Getting a personalized piece of mail is always appreciated. Many people like hearing their own name, so you should try and sprinkle it throughout your copy to make sure that the recipient understands it’s not just another piece of junk mail. Your customers will notice and respond more positively when their name pops up more frequently, and it will give your mailer a much more personalized feel with a greater impact. 

Take Advantage of Automation

If you’re looking to keep your direct mailers as economical as possible, try to avoid services where the printer’s staff need to use a hands-on approach, such as manually inserting coupon cards into loose mailers. This human attention is going to cost you for manual work. Instead, try going with a perforated option where the recipient can detach your coupon card, which is something that our print shop can automate using a hands-off approach. Troi is set up for complete automation, and for providing cost-effective alternatives to manual direct mail processing wherever applicable. 

Throw in a Gift

Enclosing a small gift within your mailer is a good strategy to drum up more business. However, instead of going with something that is flat in shape, like a magnet, choose something a little bulkier and oddly shaped, like an enclosed polishing cloth. This hidden object will incite curiosity in the recipient, thus making them want to open your mailer and see what’s inside.

Some of the tips mentioned are on the simple side, while the others can be more complex. Try utilizing a couple of these tips to help make your next direct mail marketing campaign deliver great results without having to go completely over budget. 

For more information about direct mail marketing, call Troi Mailing Services in Toronto at 1-866-486-9350 or contact us here.

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