When unexpected events occur that force many businesses to close or employees to work from home, such as the unfortunate circumstances caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, operations come to a halt for a lot of businesses. Owners wonder what they can do to cost-effectively stay top of mind with customers and bring revenue to their business during this time of need—and direct mail may be the solution.
How can direct mail help?
During these times, people are likely stuck inside their homes without much to do. They are exhausted from reading emails about business updates and tired of watching the news. The most excitement many people experience is walking to the mailbox to get some fresh air and something different to read. These are great opportunities for businesses to find creative ways to stay in current customers’ minds, be informative about their products and services, and reach new audiences that aren’t targeted through other marketing channels.
Direct mail is an easy concept, but should be taken seriously in order to reach your business goals. Here are several important points to keep in mind when creating your direct mail campaign.
Mailing list
Do you want to reach people within 10 miles of your business? Is your target market a certain age? Do your customers have specific interests? Businesses need to zero in on ideal customers, because mailing to someone out of scope can be a waste of money.
Design
It only takes a few seconds for consumers to realize they’re interested in reading your material. Your goal may be to remain brand-specific so you can stay top of mind for current customers, or you might want to take a more product or service-focused approach to reaching new customers. Either way, it’s crucial that your design immediately catches your readers’ attention!
Content
Keep it concise and to the point. Just like the design, the goal of your content is to engage your reader. However, if you’re mailing to current customers who are familiar with your business, this may be the time for a trifold letter with informative content about a new product or service.
Call to Action
What is your end goal by sending direct mail? Whether you want people to immediately make a purchase or you’d like to encourage them to visit your website or call your office, it’s very important to include that call to action on your mail piece.
Analyze
Don’t just send direct mail out and hope it works. After it’s been delivered, analyze your customers to determine who has called as a result of seeing your direct mail piece. You have the ability to change parts of the deliverable for future mailings in order to generate higher response rates.
Even during slow times, some local businesses remain ready to help you with direct mail and printing services. Before choosing a company to work with, make sure they offer the professional, effective capabilities and customer service to make your project a success.
