In a world of emails, texts, and social media posts, people still expect to check what’s in their physical mailbox every day. direct mail industry statistics show that around 94% of people open your mail. however, some marketers still question the role of direct mail in an increasingly digital world. let it be known: the truth is in the impressive response rates of direct mail. Smart brands aren’t just using direct mail, they’re also finding new and innovative ways to get higher returns on their direct mail investments. It’s called direct mail optimization. It sounds complex, but it is actually quite simple. And your brand can do the same with all types of direct mail, including the direct mail letter. Let’s learn how to optimize your direct mail letters to get the results you want.
1. clean up your bad data
It is essential to know the wants and needs of your target market. For your direct mail letter to be successful, you need to know who you’re selling to. This aspect of direct mail optimization starts with an up-to-date database, through data hygiene and list management.
The return on investment of your campaign is solid when it is sent to specific mailing lists. clean your current list by detecting and correcting inaccurate records, such as duplicates. keep track of your duplication percentages for specific lists and try to assess the root of the problem. this helps you clean your lists before each campaign.
deceit leads to overprojections. Consider this: what if 10% of your 10,000 leads were duplicate contacts? If you’re projecting that 25% of those 10,000 potential customers will make a purchase, you’re not basing it on an accurate audience. therefore, over-projection. on the receiving end, if you are the consumer, you are receiving the same mail twice. that’s annoying to your prospects and sends a message that your brand doesn’t know what it’s doing. finally, it is a waste. Nearly 40% of marketers waste money due to bad data, and roughly 30% have lost customers because of it.
The key is to analyze your data, clean it regularly, and find a “data ambassador” (assigned employee) in your organization to take charge. if you raise your standards, you will win the battle against dirty data.
2. select the best direct mail letter format
We’ve already established that we’re using the direct mail letter format, and that’s a good thing. but what font size should be used? There are many possibilities. Contrary to popular belief, you have options. standard letter size is the most popular format, and a large or “oversized” envelope provides the best response rates (6-7%). But there are a variety of direct mail letter sizes you can consider with direct mail optimization. there are some crossovers between the different sizes, but we’ll rank them to help you decide what’s best for your marketing needs. let’s take a look:
- Standard Envelopes. These are #10 (4.125″ x 9.5″) business and correspondence envelopes. standard, yes, but also very reliable.
- monarch envelopes. this size is sometimes referred to as the “all-purpose” envelope (3.875″ x 7.5″). it’s versatile, with a longer triangular flap than standard envelopes.
- advertisement envelopes. these sizes are numbered and are known as a-style envelopes. Ads come in a wide variety of sizes, from A-2 (4.375″ x 5.75″) to A-10 (6″ x 9.5″). are popular for sending pictures, greeting cards, small brochures, and more.
- 6″ x 9″ envelopes. This size is ideal for folded letters to accompany printed materials such as brochures and other sales materials.
- Larger envelopes. The 9“ x 12” is suitable for mailing proposals or brochures that cannot be folded. Fair warning: this size is susceptible to higher USPS mailing rates, but oversize letters (also known as flat) have the highest household response rates (6.6%). so if you’re going to send a letter, consider going big for best results. how big? According to the USPS, the word “flats” refers to large envelopes, newsletters, and magazines. however you choose to label them, they must be greater than 6.125″ tall or 11.5″ long or 0.25″ thick.
one more option: automatic submissions
If you want to save on the cost of an envelope, consider self-mailing. not only is it cheaper, but you will have room for more copies. You can also implement a punched reply card or coupon as part of the design. To get the recipient more involved, use a single fold (multi-panel door fold, roll fold, or z-fold) and get creative with how you organize your information. Other popular options include a sleeve, snap pack, or mail-in booklet.
sound complicated? we have over 65 years of direct mail experience. We’ve seen it all and can answer any questions you have. we’ll work with you to help you decide which direct mail letter is best for your next campaign. Contact an MSP representative to discuss your goals.
3. customize to connect with your customers
personalized direct mail is more than just using someone’s name. that’s a big part of direct mail optimization. people love to see their names in print. creates a connection between you and your customer, plus it could lead to a response rate increase of up to 135%. And that’s a great direct mail marketing strategy. But there’s more than that. here are some customization ideas to try:
- If you’re centering your mailing around a franchise location, try adding a local angle to the piece. include the address and hours of operation of the nearest or most frequently visited store using geographic location and user buying habits as variables.
- if you are using a mailpiece with a card return response, save customer time by filling in information such as their mailing address. This increases the chance of a response by making it easier for them to complete.
- In your copy, direct your recipients to a custom URL or purl. here they will find personalized content, plus you can more effectively track what they do. You can even use custom qr codes to make visiting these custom pages easier than ever.
Does customization take a long time? It does not have to be. variable data printing capabilities allow you to create hundreds or thousands of variations of a mailpiece at mass production rates. that way, you enjoy the benefits of customization without sacrificing time.
4. use a tried and successful direct mail letter format
When you’re creating your direct mail letter or mail piece, there’s a formula you can use that’s proven successful. You’ll maximize your results by following a few direct mail optimization tips:
- headline. Have a clear title that reflects your objective. after all, humans have an attention span of eight seconds. grab your attention right away.
- body. People spend more time with physical mail than with email, so include more information. but don’t get carried away. simple is even better. Plus, sell your story with images and visuals. our brain processes them faster than words.
- call to action (cta). When you’re crafting your call to action, clearly tell the recipient what you want them to do. And because some people will just skim the content, repeat the cta several times, obviously. don’t forget to use a p.s. at the end to repeat it.
allow a variety of ways to respond. direct mail campaigns that include email, web, and social channel options (also known as omnichannel marketing) receive a 37% increase in responses.
Also consider the power of the exterior of your mail. a special offer call waiting inside (or something similar) can increase your open rates.
5. send your direct mail letter in the middle of the week
Did you know that Monday is usually the day when people receive the most mail? that’s great for monday but bad for your brand. avoid sending a campaign that arrives on the first business day of the week. the same goes for Fridays. everyone is usually in weekend mode at this point. By scheduling your direct mail piece to arrive on a Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday, you’re increasing your chances of direct mail success.
6. measure your success
There is an old advertising rule that it takes at least seven impressions before people decide to connect to a product or service through a marketing message. embrace concept. plan to send multiple emails and use direct response for more immediate feedback. your customers can:
- sign up for an email newsletter,
- call for more information,
- visit a web page,
- make a request.
However you decide to get an answer, you’ll be better prepared to track and measure your results.
a/b tests
Here’s a fairly obvious but important question to ask with any direct mail campaign. How can you increase your ROI if you don’t know what’s working? Don’t let a/b testing intimidate you. From the simple to the complex, these direct mail optimization comparisons can provide valuable insights for future mailings.
simple test. at a minimum, run a simple a/b test that includes a difference, such as the offer. Split your mailing list in two so that half get one version and the other half get the second version. then track the results to see which offer was redeemed most often. remember to use a unique coupon or promo code, or even unique urls to make it easy to compare redemption rates.
control group test. A control group test would include something you’ve mailed before plus a test piece. decide what you want to test, such as design, color, images, etc. then split the list in half to see which one gets the best answer.
complex test. Of course, you can perform a more complex test. you can divide your mailing list by purchase history or demographics and then create mailings for each. You can also try a variety of direct response methods, as mentioned above, to determine what works best. for example, see how a cta phone number compares to a website url or qr code.
7. innovate and integrate your direct mail letter
If you really want to know how to optimize your direct mail letter, consider a new approach. One of the main reasons people ignore direct mail is because there is too much of it. They don’t have time to sort it all out. so you need to get creative with direct mail optimization techniques.
experiment with sensory devices
Innovative marketers are testing sensory devices with their print materials. Incorporate smell, touch, taste, sound, and video into your ads. it’s called “embodied cognition.” the more senses you appeal to, the better the message will be encoded. the result: higher response rates.
direct mail optimization for usps delivery
There are other ways to innovate. take advantage of postal service discounts by optimizing your direct mail letters for delivery.
- preclassification. get a lower shipping rate by pre-sorting your outgoing mail by zip code.
- smart mail. this 65-bar image gives usps more information and functionality.
- combined mail. Consider mixing your individual mail pieces with other direct mail marketing companies to receive usps discounts.
- co-palletizing. this method shares mailboxes on a pallet for a discount.
Both combined mail and co-palletizing reduce the number of times the post office touches your mail. this results in faster shipping and discounts.
Try integrating some of these innovative steps into your next direct mail campaign to see which one works best for you. msp has dedicated staff who run a postage and freight feasibility report on every job. you get the lowest postage rate while meeting “at home” date requirements.
direct mail optimization: how to create your best direct mail letter
You can create a direct mail campaign that stands on its own, or you can design an omnichannel campaign that complements your email efforts. Regardless of the method you choose, you can learn how to optimize your direct mail letter so that it becomes a highly effective form of marketing.
msp can help you get the most out of your next direct mail program with competitive rates and enhanced personalization techniques like those mentioned above. Contact us for a free consultation.