8 Ways to Improve Your Direct Mail Responses

The offer of an incentive can lift your Direct Mail promotion – especially if it is desirable, not a gimmick and is backed up with good quality graphic design. And, most important of all, relevant to your product or services. It’s also a good idea to state a closing date on your mailshot, to provide a real sense of your reader possibly missing out if they don’t respond fast.

First of all, write a design brief for your graphic designer telling them exactly what you want to achieve, your target market etc.

1. Use postcards to send out a press release. Using good quality graphics, be sure to concentrate the text on a single event, such as a new item or a service that your business sells or provides. Keep the text simple, and keep track of the responses to the postcard.

2. Send the postcards to specifically targeted people – especially existing clients or customers.

3. Decide on the size of the direct mail. A postcard is normally A6 (148mm x 105mm) but you could go larger, say A5 (148mm x 210mm). Use 300gsm card thickness if possible, 250gsm card minimum. Graphic design and print quotes can be supplied by sending me your specifications here.

4. If you don't fancy the postcard idea, try paper, but folded in an unusual or unique way. Or have unusual fonts or graphics. As long as you make your mailing interesting and unusual, it can help in its success.

5. Write killer, compelling text that draws the reader in. It's worth spending a lot of time on this step. The text is just as important as the graphics.

6. Include a free offer or a special 'hard to resist' deal with your mailing (see ideas below). This can encourage a much better response to your direct mail campaign and whets your client or customers' appetite.

7. Send using second class mail on a Monday, to plan for delivery that coming Wednesday. This avoids your mail having to compete with any weekend mail build up on a Monday morning. Allow a couple of days to pass before following up, this gives the receiver time to have seen and opened your mailshot.

8. Make sure that you make those all important follow-up phone calls to all those you sent the mailing to. You just can't rely on sitting back and waiting for the phone to ring. It's probably not going to happen!

Some ideas of offers to use with the above tips…

• Money off in £££s

• % price discount

• Buy one, get one free

• Free first month

• Lifelong discounts

• Exclusive additional benefits

• Free trial

• A related product free

• Multi-purchase discount

• Extra amount free

• Enter a free prize draw

• Enter a competition

• Membership benefits

• Loyalty points

Good luck with writing your design brief and please contact me when you are ready to progress with the graphic design and print part of your intended campaign. I can then get back to you with a very competitive quotation.