Direct Mail Can Be Very Profitable If Done Right!
What is Direct Mail?
Direct mail is a form of marketing that involves sending a physical piece of promotional material through the U.S. Postal Service to attract new business or pass along relevant information to previous or existing customers.
Direct mail average response rates range from 1% from a list of prospects to 3.7% from an in-house list of previous buyers. Those are typical results, but by no means the rule. With the right mailer and the right list, it’s possible to sell to 10%, 20%, or more people on your list.
If done properly, it can be very profitable but if done poorly, it might as well be called "junk mail".
The Mailing List
The key is in the list. Direct mail can work extremely well when an appropriate message lands on the doorstep of someone who wants or needs the service being promoted. Unlike advertising, which speaks to everyone in the hopes that those who are in the target market will hear the message, direct mail speaks only to those buyers most likely to want or need what’s being promoted. For that reason, direct mail is considered more efficient.
Defining Your Target Market
So who are the right customers? That depends entirely on your business and what you’re selling.
When you think about your ideal customers, how would you describe them? Do any of the following factors matter?
- Gender
- Age
- Income level
- Education level
- Homeowner or not
- Kids at home
These are basic demographic questions you should be able to answer about your customer if you’re planning on using direct mail, but the more specific you get, the better your results. For example, would it be helpful to know if those on your list have hardwood floors, have pets, own stocks, or have asthma? What would you most like to know?
Where to Find Your List
Contact Printing Etc for a FREE Market Analysis and based on our 25 years of experience in the Direct Mail industry, we'll recommend the best parts of your area to send your mail to.