We are excited to continue a series of articles that we’re sure you will find informative. Here is the second of twelve. If you missed the first one, please visit our website at www.mailmgmtgroup.com and click on the Newsletter tab.
“The 12 Most Common Direct Mail Mistakes and How to Avoid Them”
If you would like more information after reading this article, please visit our website and use the Contact Us form or just give us a call at 619-593-9121 X114. BONUS: Just for contacting us we will mail you a free “Handbook for Mailing List Acquisition & Data Base Management,” and our Certified List Broker Rachel Murany will offer one hour of list counseling FREE!
Mistake No. 2: Not Testing.
Big consumer mailers test all the time. Publisher’s Clearinghouse tests Just about everything…even (I hear) the slant of the indicia on the outer envelope
Business-to-business marketers, on the other hand, seldom track responses or test one mailing piece or list against another.
As a result, they repeat their failures and have no idea of what works in direct mail-and what doesn’t. A mistake. In direct mail, you should not assume you know what will work. You should test to find out.
For example, copywriter Milt Pierce wrote a subscription package for Good Housekeeping magazine. His mailing name became the “control” package for 25 years. That is, no package tested against it brought back as many subscriptions.
The envelope teaser and theme of that successful mailing was “32 Ways to Save Time and Money.” Yet, Mr. Pierce says that when he applied the same theme to subscription mailings for other magazines – Science Digest, Popular Mechanics, House Beautiful – it failed miserably.
“There are no answers in direct mail except test answers,” says Eugene Schwartz, author of the book, Break-Through Advertising. “You don’t know whether something will work until you test it. And you cannot predict test results based on past experience.”
(Robert W. Bly www.bly.com)
Note from Cindy: While the testing discussed in this article was for magazines, we’ve found that the same holds true for non-profit solicitations and consumer mail as well. A teaser, Headline, theme or design that works well for one organization may fail for another. There’s only one way to know, and that’s by testing.
People enjoy receiving direct mail
Today, our mailboxes are cluttered with health insurance notices, various bills, and coupons for the grocery stores in our local area. So when we receive a piece of mail from our favorite brand, it excites us.
There’s just something about receiving mail that makes people feel good. In fact, 56% say receiving mail is a “real pleasure,” and 55% “look forward” to learning what they’ve received in the mail, according to the USPS.
Direct mail continues to be a huge opportunity for marketers to connect with their customers. It can lead to more sales, brand awareness, and a deeper sense of connection
Mail Management Group can help your direct mail campaign be more successful. Contact us today!
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