There are loads of good reasons to add direct mail as an arrow in your marketing quiver. But in this digital era, many marketing professionals have no idea how to conduct a successful direct mail marketing campaign.

Want to get back in the game and increase your success? The more you embrace a “direct-mail” mindset, the better your response rates will be.

6 Fundamental Principles to Include in Every Message You Send

1. Write in a direct-mail style. 

Direct-response copy is usually significantly longer than branding copy. Instead of emphasizing pretty design and clever copy, it depends on salient sales arguments backed by extensive proof and facts.

2. Seek responses first.

The primary objective is not to build your brand or entertain, but to get more inquiries, leads, and sales. Look to add a compelling hook or a clear next step in everything you print. Place at least two calls to action somewhere in the design.

3. Put the offer front and center.

The pitch you make should never be an afterthought, but something carefully worded and prominently featured on the page.

4. Include freebies, special discount offers, or guarantees.

Without these components, direct-mail response rates are usually lower.

5. Have a back end. 

The real money in direct response is made through the sales of additional products to customers who made an initial purchase. Without a back end in place, you are leaving money on the table.

6. Test everything. 

Brand advertisers who roll out massive campaigns without meaningful, real-world testing risk failing big and losing a lot of money. Beyond polling focus groups or launching an A/B poll, you can also “test small” with live promotions where people vote with their credit cards (instead of with their opinions!). This is a more accurate indicator of whether your offer will work.

The Numbers Don’t Lie

On average, U.S. advertisers that spend $167 per customer on direct mail annually sell $2,095 worth of goods per buyer. And the margins increase when you target people who have already demonstrated they will buy a product online or from a previous coupon you’ve printed.

Ready to get started with your next direct mail campaign? We’ve got answers to all your questions. Reach out to us today!