Creating an Effective Offer Guarantees Direct Mail Success

If you are small business owner looking for a way to prospect new clients (or retain current ones), direct mail marketing is an effective tool. Why? Because most people read their mail. In fact, 98 percent of U.S. households bring the mail in each day it is delivered (according to USPS research). By contrast, fewer check their email accounts every day (and many marketing emails are lost to SPAM filters).

If you want to send the most effective direct mail marketing piece to your clients or prospects, you need to carefully craft the offer you include. As much as 40 percent of the success of any direct mail piece is dependent upon the offer it contains, according to marketing experts. If your piece lacks an offer that captures the attention of your prospects, it won't matter if you're sending the most beautiful postcard or sending it to a perfectly targeted list.

Don't waste your marketing dollars on ineffective mail pieces. Eight simple questions are all you need to answer to ensure that the offer is one your potential clients will jump on. We'll begin with the first four.

1. Is my offer specific? Prospects are not interested in generalities. They want details. Sure, "significant discount" implies some sort of savings, but their first question will be "how much?" Make sure your offer includes concrete numbers and concepts, not vague promises.

2. Is my offer exclusive? Prospects like to feel special. They don't want what is available to everyone else, but what is only available to them. Think about the things you know about your clients and prospective clients. Use those little details to craft an offer that feels like it's exclusive. For example, let's say your business is auto repair and maintenance. Can you divide your database into segments by the type of car each client owns? If so, create a mail piece with an offer for each specific type of vehicle. Perhaps something like "As a loyal Honda driver, receive 40 percent off your next oil change with this postcard."

If you're mailing to a list of prospects, you can use the same tactic. Just narrow your list by some sort of demographic factor. In the event that you are mailing to a list that is not narrowed by demographics, perhaps a list that just includes all households in a given area, you can make your offer more effective by addressing the mailing pieces to individuals rather than "to occupant.'

3. Does my offer have value? Free is great, but only if what you're receiving is actually worth something. Even if you're offering something that costs you little to nothing at all, put a price on it. For example, if you're a financial advisor and you want to offer a free retirement planning introduction, don't just say "Call me for a free retirement planning introduction." Much more effective would be, "Call me today for your free retirement planning introduction (an $80 value)."

4. Is my offer unique? If every business in the neighborhood is running a 25 percent off coupon or a buy two get one free deal, find some way to make yours special. Perhaps include a gift with purchase, or enter a certain number of first responders into a drawing or raffle.


Please check back for the second part of this article which will give you four more ideas to create more effective offers for your direct mail campaign.


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John Welsh is the CEO of http://www.postcardsandinvitations.com has been in the greeting card, graphic design and direct mail industries for over 30 years. His background of working with Fortune 500 companies allows him to bring large company expertise to small businesses.