MAILING TIPS

This article is taken from a brochure provided by the United States Postal Service.

When you plan to do a mailing, a primary decision is obviously this: who do you mail to?

If your mailing is an offer to your present customers, you can simply take the names and addresses out of your files. If you don’t already have such a list, you can build one by recording the information on sales slips.

But what if your goal is to attract new customers? Then you could try trading names and addresses with related businesses in your area. If you sell furniture, for example, you might trade customer names with a carpet showroom.

Or you could use the services of a "list broker." That’s a professional whose job is to supply mailing lists of prospects to companies of all kinds. A list broker can enable you to mail only to people who live in a specific geographic region – perhaps the entire community in which you do business, or to certain ZIP codes. With a list broker, you can even target an audience by factors such as past purchasing patterns.

You might also ask a list broker about economical "shared" mailings with other establishments. For instance, if you’re offering a discount, it can be included in a collection of money-saving coupons sent to local households.

To many people, one of the most daunting aspects of advertising is the issue of what to say. How do you write compelling copy that sells hard? And how do you put it into an impactful layout?

At this point, many businesspeople prefer to work with local direct mail professionals. On the other hand, nobody knows your product or service as well as you. And if you have a way with words, or a flair for design, you may want to have a go at it yourself.

Whether you’re putting on your own creative hat or judging the work of others, consider the golden rule of persuasive communication. Everything you say, and everything you show, should be guided by the self-interest of the consumer. Think carefully about the people who’ll be reading your letter. Show them how well you understand their needs, and exactly what your product or service will do to make their lives better. Avoid overblown "hype" and superlatives that no one will believe.

And pay particular attention to the line that appears on the outer envelope. After all, that’s what gets a person to open it up.

Every piece of direct mail advertising possesses something very important called "the offer."

When you get home at night, it’s an interesting exercise to check the offers in the mailings that other companies send you. It’ll give you an idea of the variety of approaches you might think about.

One classic example: if prospects respond by a certain date, you’ll allow them a discount on your product or service.

Or perhaps, if they drop by your establishment, you’ll have a modest gift waiting for them.

Many offers consist of a promise to send more detailed information. Perhaps you have an interesting catalog to provide. Or you could offer a free phone consultation. In some cases, you might even consider a free trial of your product or service. This inducement has built up many a long-term customer relationship.

Of course, the kind of offer you make depends on the nature of your business, the type of customer you’re talking to, and the purpose of your mailing. But there’s nothing like a good offer – especially one with a deadline – to induce action on the part of the consumer.

The United States Postal Service does everything possible to help your mailing program succeed.

They offer several mailing options, such as First-Class Mail, if you want your mail to travel faster. This can be a benefit for time-dependent promotions, such as sales. And if you want your mailing to seem more important – thus more likely to be opened – First-Class Mail can give just the desired effect. What’s more, it’s not necessary to mail in large quantities in order to enjoy a discount on First-Class postage.

Should you want to benefit from significant economies, you can use presorted standard, instead. In most cases, this is the choice of direct mailers.

The USPS has also set up Postal Business Centers all across the country which will help you explore the various ways that mail can meet your business needs. They can help you find professionals in your community who can assist with any part of your mail operation. Whether you’re looking for a printer, list broker, design studio, or full-service advertising agency, they can help you find suppliers to fulfill your needs.

One of the most exciting phases of a mail operation is when you sit back and watch for the results.

Measuring a mailing’s success often requires only the most basic kinds of calculations. Considering what you spent on your mailing, did you earn back more than your outlay?

In many cases, answering this question is straightforward – such as when you’re making the entire sale by mail. If people are redeeming discount coupons, it’s also easy to tell how many purchases are related to your mailing.

If the purpose of your mailing is to build store traffic, you should be able to detect an increase in sales shortly after the mailing goes out.

Incidentally, don’t be disappointed if a lot of people don’t answer your mailing. Sometimes a success rate as low as 1% can translate into significant profits. And mailings can have success rates as high as 10% or 15%.

Also, when you gauge the effectiveness of a mailing, try to consider it long-term. Check to see if you’re getting one-time customers or clients, or steady ones.

And when you have a winner, consider expanding on it. Mail to another list of names.

The men and women who answer your mailings can be particularly valuable to you.

Whether they’re brand-new customers or established customers returning for more, you know one very important thing about them: they respond to mail advertising.

So wait a little bit, and write them again. You might make them another offer or perhaps inform them of a sale. Or, from time to time, you can just send out a friendly reminder that you’re always ready to be of service.

As your expertise and level of comfort with direct mail grows, you could even include a questionnaire (perhaps with a free gift to those who return it). After all, the more you learn about these particularly promising consumers, the more effectively you can target their needs in your future efforts.

Unlike any other advertising medium, you can use the mail to develop a personal, ongoing – and perhaps even lifetime – relationship with your customers.