Are you aware of the Do-Not-Mail registry bill? Did you know that Colorado, Michigan, Texas, Washington and another eight states have introduced legislation for constructing a state run do not mail registry? Are you afraid that passing of the proposed registry will restrict the number of direct mail recipients? Did you know that Do-Not-Mail registry carries with it many advantages including enhancement of response rates. Read on to find out what the registry means for you and how you can make the most of it.

Passing of Do-Not-Mail registry at the state level will necessitate creation of state wise databases allowing residents to drop out of direct mail reception. Complaints of junk mail will carry a penalty of $2000 per violation. The registry will reduce the number of possible direct mail recipients but it will simultaneously allow you to target more appropriate audiences, who are more likely to respond. Thus, instead of lowering response rates Do-Not-Mail registry will improve them and save you a significant amount of time and money wasted on targeting wrong clients. Further, you will be able to insert requested information in mails and tailor them to meet client needs. The increased relevance of mail messages will greatly enhance your direct mail success.

To personalize your messages and make mail recipients more receptive to your messages, use latest technologies for direct mail such as VDP (Variable Data Printing). Research indicates that technologies such as VDP can enhance personalization and content relevance to a level that boosts response rates up to 500 percent. Such technologies limit the possibility of losing customers due to inappropriate targeting practices and also raise your return on investment.

To minimize direct mail marketing violations, create lists with specific, complete, precise and up-to-date information and supplementary columns for driving variables using advanced services. A few extra steps will facilitate targeting appropriate audiences, mailing of customized rather than generic messages and mistaken mailings to wrong residents.

Do-Not-Mail Registry was recently taken up by the Senate Consumer Protection and Housing Committee. If it is passed you can expect similar legislations prohibiting mails to listed residents to be implemented throughout U.S. These legislations, however, do not mean that customers will respond negatively to direct mail. Direct mail continues to be the most effective and popular marketing method, as it enables consumers to read and understand product features, benefits and limitations at their own pace without intrusive persuasion from, say telephone callers. If the Do-Not-Mail registry is put in place, customer responsiveness to direct mail can be expected to rise. With decline in the chances of receiving bogus, spam and generic messages, customers are more likely to devote greater attention and show keener interest in direct mails.  

Although Do-Not-Mail registry is likely to invoke a good response from customers in the beginning, you can expect many customers to opt out of the listing within a short time span. Meanwhile, divert all your attention to creating more specific and relevant direct mail campaigns. This practice can greatly increase your direct mail success, with or without the Do-Not-Mail registry.

Businesses have to market their products and services to attract customers. Direct mail is an effective direct response tool that can be used by all businesses, even those that cannot outsource to direct mail advertising companies, as they can be created in-house.

Direct mail is a direct marketing tool that has been developed to attract customers and eventually increase sales.

Here are some tips on how to create a direct mail campaign that gets responses:

1. Address the needs of the customer

Direct mail should identify and address the needs of the customer. This is only possible if you understand the target audience well. The customers should immediately connect with the direct mail postcard.

2. Get to the point

The main point of the direct mail should be highlighted at the start to grab the reader’s attention. Customers will not read the complete direct mailing piece if the point is not clarified at the start.

3. Highlight the benefits to the customer

The direct mail should focus on the benefits the product or service brings to the customer, rather than the features. The customer wants to know “What’s in it for me?”

4. Personalize the direct mail

Personalization refutes the customer’s impression that they are recipients of a mass mail. Use first names to address the customer. Refer to a previous purchase. These personal touches make the customer feel valued.

5. Have a call to action

The objective of direct mail marketing is to get a customer response that will ultimately lead to a sale. The direct mail should include a clear call to action such as visiting the store, calling a number, filling a form, etc.

6. Include a deadline

The call to action can be made more urgent by including a deadline. If the customers want what you are offering, the deadline spurs them into acting immediately.

7. Simplicity is the key

A Direct mail campaign should be simple and understandable rather than verbose and smart. Avoid technical jargon. Avoid fancy words. Stick to the point and keep it simple.

8. Use lots of white space

Do not make the text too long or cramped. Use white space generously and stick to one idea per sentence or block of text.

9. Stick to a single sheet of paper

Most people do not enjoy reading lengthy sales letters. Your sales letter can be effective in a single sheet too. This encourages customers to read it through and saves cost for you.

10. Include pre-paid postage

If the direct mail needs a response through post, it is advisable to include per-paid postage. Customers may put off and forget sending the response if they need to buy stamps first.

11. Include customer testimonials

Use customer testimonials with the direct mail to increase your credibility. References from customers are an acknowledgement of your product or service’s value and efficiency.

12. Repeat the call to action at the end

Repeat the call to action at the end of the direct mail to emphasize it and trigger the customer’s action.

Small business owners and partners can follow these guidelines to create direct mail advertising campaigns that will be effective in getting responses, resulting in more sales. Direct mail campaigns also work well for pomotional introductiory offers for a new product or service.

To beat the recession small business owners are banding together “Buy local” campaigns to encourage consumers and businesses to buy local at independents —the neighborhood café, independent bookseller, or boutique grocery store.   Direct Mail Marketing is an effective marketing tactic that can be used by most small businesses to urge local consumers, large businesses, governments, universities, and hospitals to spend more of their dollars closer to home.

Direct mail is the delivery of advertising material to recipients via postal mail. Direct mail companies can design marketing pieces in many different formats including advertising circulars, catalogs, CDs, “pre-approved” credit card applications, and other commercial merchandising materials that can be delivered to both homes and businesses. It may be addressed to pre-selected individuals, or unaddressed and delivered on a neighbourhood-by-neighbourhood basis.

Advantages Of Direct Mail Marketing:

1. Targeting – The critical aspect of direct mail is its ability to precisely target customers. For many industries, direct mail is the primary means of acquiring new customers. The small business rents mailing lists which most closely match the psychographic and demographic profiles of its current customers. These can be further filtered by several criteria such as previous purchases of similar products, financial information (e.g. household income) and how frequently the person purchases — factors referred to as RFM for “recency, frequency, monetary”.
2. Personalization – Direct mail can address the customers directly and be tailored to their needs based on previous behavior and history. Variable information based commercial printing enables personalization of imagery as well as marketing message and personal information (such as name, address or zipcode). For example, all female recipients of an offer can receive a personalized package with a man’s picture on the cover, while all mail recipients receive a picture of a woman.
3. Optimization – Direct mail can be tested to find the best mailing list and the best creative writing or design. Then the best results achieved from the initial test can be rolled out to a wider audience.
4. Measurability - With source codes, the performance of lists can be measured by measuring the Return on Investment (ROI) on the direct mail campaigns. Without a positive ROI, a marketer should make changes to the direct mail campaign in order to improve results with the next direct mailing.

Direct Mail Advocates claim the following results:

1. Efficient use of advertising and marketing budgets
2. Highly targeted and personalized
3. Response can be easily measured
4. Easy to predict Return on investment (ROI) based on past performance
5. Can be creative with information creating entertainment value to attract new customers
6. 87% of customers are either “very” or “quite” satisfied with the products they buy through direct mail

Here are some key tricks on how to direct mail to achieve desired results:

Address the needs of your target customers

Direct mail should identify and address the needs of your target customers. This is only possible if you understand your target customers’ needs well. The customers should be abel to immediately connect and relate with the direct mail message.

Stay on Message

The primary message of the direct mail should be highlighted right from the start to grab the reader’s attention. Customers will not read the complete direct mail piece if the main point of the message is not clear right from the beginning.

Highlight Your  Advantage and Benefits

The direct mail should focus on the advantages and benefits your product or service will bring to the customer, rather than the features. The customer wants to know “What’s in it for me?”

Personalize the direct mail campaign

Personalization makes customers feel warm and fuzzy. Use first names to address the customer in your direct mail campaign, refer to a previous purchase. These personal touches make the customer feel special.

Include a call to action

The objective of direct mail is to initiate an action that will ultimately lead to a sale. The direct mail should include a clear call to action such as visiting the store, calling a number, filling a form or taking an ation to qualify for a promotion etc.

Have a deadline

The call to action can be made more urgent by including a deadline for a promotion such as a special discount, “2 for 1″ purchase or buy 1 get 1 free. If the customers are interested in your product or service, the deadline can spur them to take an action immediately.

Simplicity is important

Direct mails should be simple and easy to understand. Avoid jargon and fancy words at all costs. Stick to the point and keep it simple for all your customers to understand what you have to offer and its benefits.

Less is better

Do not make the promotional direct mail message long and verbose.  Most people do not enjoy reading lengthy direct mail letters. Your direct mail message should not exceed 3 sentences. This ensures that your customers will read it and it will also save direct mail costs.

Provide pre-paid postage

If the direct mail needs a response through postage mail, it is advisable to include per-paid postage so it is convenient for customers to respond to your direct mail campaign. Customers can get put off and may forget to send their response if they need to pay for stamps or visit the post office before mailing it.

Include customer testimonials

Use customer testimonials in your direct mail campaign to add credibility to your direct mail message. References from customers are an acknowledgement of your products or services advantage and benefits.

Repeat the call to action

Repeat the call to action at the end of the direct mail message to emphasize and trigger an immediate call to action.

Small businesses can follow these guidelines to create a succesful direct mail to generate new revenue streams. Direct mail is also an effective marketing strategy for introductory promtional offers when launching a new product or service in the market.