How to Add Extra Punch to Direct Mail Campaigns

The idea of a “snail mail” direct mail marketing campaign might seem outdated in today’s technological world. However, traditional mail has one significant advantage over e-mail campaigns: the customer has to interact with your message. Mailboxes do not have filter settings, so customers have to physically and consciously handle and dispose of your material. This affords a guaranteed chance to catch the customer’s eye. An effective direct mail marketing strategy will make them pause and see what you have to say. APS Fulfillment Inc. has been providing expert direct mail marketing services from our Florida location for many years, so we know what works and what doesn’t. When designing your campaign, take a look at the following ways to improve the direct mail marketing fulfillment of your company.

Listen to AIDA

AIDA is a wonderful “woman” who can help your direct mail marketing service succeed if you follow her lead. AIDA stands for “attention, interest, desire, and action,” and represents the stages through which a customer will open your mail and follow through on its contents.

Attention

Your direct mail marketing company will get your letters to the customer, but it’s up to you to keep them from getting ignored. Don’t be afraid to try something novel like a uniquely shaped envelope. People receive enough traditional-style mailings that when a distinct image comes along they can’t help but pause. Experiment with different designs and see what works.

Interest

Congratulations, the customer has looked at you! Now you have to hold their interest long enough to make them read your message all the way to the end. Part of successful direct mail marketing fulfillment is being able to target your message. Properly looking at the gender, age, and income of the people you want to reach will let you choose the right artwork, language, and even color design to get your material noticed. Devise a simple, clear, powerful message—the equivalent of an elevator pitch—and incorporate it into the mail. If the customer is part of your mailing list, consider personalized messages like birthday greetings or something that shows you’re grateful to them. People like feeling appreciated. And if you can give that sense of personalization, you will succeed in capturing their interest.

Desire

This is one of the trickier parts—making the customer desire to take advantage of your service or business. A good direct mail marketing campaign is specific and will inspire a level of urgency in the customer. This can be done through hot new items, sales, or special promotions like having a portion of proceeds during a period go to charity. Consider what can make someone “on the fence” nudge over to your side along with what could motivate a person who isn’t even thinking about your business.

Action

The end goal of any direct mail marketing fulfillment service is to inspire a level of action from the customer. Your material should include a clear call to action in order to encourage your customer, whether it’s signing up for a new membership, attending a sale, or some other activity. In order to better measure the success of your direct marketing campaign, some elements of the action should be easy to identify and track. This can include things like specific coupon codes or registration methods.

APS Fulfillment Inc. is a specialist direct mail marketing company based in Florida. We’ve seen clients both large and small follow the tips of AIDA to great success in refining and improving their direct mail services. For more information on how APS Fulfillment Inc. can help give your direct mail campaign the extra punch, it needs with AIDA, contact us today.