Don't Read if You Like Your Current Direct Mail Campaigns

By Celine Horan

Your grandpa's marketing campaign of sending out flyers and letters, is just that: grandpa's strategy. It's old, slow, and just doesn't appeal to people the way it used to. Nowadays people are "pushing their envelopes" with new strategies- ones that work in the present.

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 has one role and one role only; to carry the items it contains within it to the person to whom the envelope is addressed. That's it. The resulting fact has forced copywriters to dream up inventive ways to tease, and entice prospects to open the envelope, and read the sales copy within.

This has all been tested, too. There's an actual company out there that collected statistics- they took the time to record the rate of opening for envelopes covered with bells and whistles, and those merely with a stamp and return address on the outside.

These were the results:

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?

Don't overdo it

Advertisements are meant to come "in" an envelope, not "on" an envelope. Keep all those fabulous deals to yourself until the recipient has actually opened up your mail. You wouldn't give a ride to a hitch hiker holding a knife, and no one's going to open mail that's already stabbing them in the eyes with neon colors and prices in large fonts.

Build a relationship

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.

Address their Names by Hand

The best impression is to handwrite a person's name on the front. It creates a personal touch and gives your company a head's over the others.

Put your Logo on the envelope

If you are spreading your ideas to people that already know you well, including your logo would positively push them to open it more so. The logo normally goes on the front top left corner of the envelope.

Finally, don't be scared of a trial run

If you're not sure if your mailing is going to work out, then go ahead and do a small sampling to work out the kinks. Send out a couple of versions to smaller mailing lists and see how many responses you get for each version. Research can be costly, but marketing without it is really just building a bonfire to empty your moneybags into.

About the Author:

Prepared for the babyboom crisis? Then get Celine Horan'sFREE impact report now! Celine Horan is a niche marketing strategist, gunslinger and industry expert who offers high level marketing support coupled with profit boosting, agency level copywriting services to the career development, recruitment, training and e-learning industry.