For all the people that check their physical mail, which is just about every adult, over 40% look forward to it, while the rest don’t reflect much on this ingrained habit, according to a 2015 report from Gallup. Direct mail is one of the most effective ways to get your message to a prospect, but if you can’t capture their attention, your carefully crafted direct mail piece might face a quick trip to the recycling bin.
The advantage to direct mail is its physicality, actually putting something tangible in customer’s hands. If you can give people a reason to look a little longer or hang on to your mail, they will continue to see your company name, your message and your offer.
Here are five creative content ideas to make your direct mail pieces stand out and get noticed:
Send Something Useful
Nothing hangs around more than something useful. Magnets are a well-established direct mail tool. Put your offer or brand statement with your phone number on them, and customers might see it every time reach in the fridge. Alternatively, your mailer could function as a grocery or home improvement to-do list, placing your product or service in the mix. Another popular tactic is calendars, especially with important local dates for sports schedules. If you send a mailer with purpose, people will hang on to it.
Ignite Curiosity
Use direct mail’s physicality to your advantage and try different tactics to stand out in the pack of mail landing in your customer’s mailbox. Send something “lumpy.” People will be intrigued to open an odd, misshapen or even heavy envelope. You’ll have their attention immediately, all you need is a personable and direct message. If you have a product for sale, you could send a sample. Not only does it pique curiosity, but people generally love free stuff.
Get Personal
If you’re sending mail to existing customers from your database, tailor the mail piece based on their history with you. And if you add the customer’s first name, it becomes more of a personalized letter than a marketing message. For example, if you’re a mechanic, you could say something like “Paul, you bought tires last year, now would be a great time to get those checked and rebalanced.”
Be Seasonal
Different times of year call for different activities. Your mail piece could include information that’s relevant to the season. Baking tips and recipes for fall and winter holidays, party planning ideas, craft instructions, lawn care information for the spring and summer. The ideas are endless. People will hang on to your mailer for the season and see your company name much longer.
Go Local
Tell people what’s going on in their communities. You could send a calendar of events, or even a list of shops and restaurants close to their home. Of course you’ll want to be careful not to promote a competitor, but if your mail piece is a reference guide to a town or neighborhood, people will keep it. This can be especially useful if you’ve narrowed your mailing list down to new homeowners or people who have moved recently.
At Data Axle USA we are ready to help you with your direct mail campaigns with creative suggestions like these and more. Not only can we create professional-level postcards and brochures, we can make sure those items get into the right hands.
