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Online marketing might often take center stage in today’s digital age, but direct mail is still a very powerful and effective tool for reaching a wide variety of customers. Unlike emails that can be easily deleted, overlooked, or sent into a spam folder, a well-crafted piece of direct mail can grab attention, build awareness for your brand, and drive customers to take action. However, the success of these campaign usually hinges on how thought the design is and how carefully that design has been executed.
Working with an accomplished and experienced Denver printing company can get you started on the right foot to make sure your direct mail campaign has the best chance for success. Because of their experience in this realm, the printing company can point you in the right direction as far as branding, colors, printing techniques, and the best ways to help grab the attention of your potential clients. Their creativity and attention to detail is paramount, but it’s only a small part of the overall picture needed to create a successful campaign.
Understand Your Audience First
Before you even start to design the physical piece of direct mail, it’s critical to have a clear understanding of your target audience. This is more than just simply figuring out who you want to reach. What are their interests? What are their pain points? What do they need? Demographic information – like age, gender, location, and income level, to name a few – can really help tailor your message to resonate with the right group of potential clients.
For example, a direct mail campaign that you want to target young professionals might focus on convenience and time-saving offers. If you want your campaign to take aim at retirees, you may want to emphasize comfort and security. It’s all about understanding the group you’re trying to reach. If you have any data on the demographics of your customers, or if you have a very good understanding of the clientele you’re trying to reach, create buyer personas to represent those ideal customers. This will guide your design choices, messaging, and overall strategy for your campaign.
Set Clear Objectives
Once you know who you’re targeting, it’s time to set some guidelines for your campaign. This means figuring out what you want to achieve with through the use of direct mail. It can be any number of things from simply trying to generate leads or promote a new product, or you might want to drive traffic to your website or encourage repeat business. No matter what your objectives are, making sure they’re clear and concise can help shape your entire campaign. Don’t be afraid to be specific with your goals. Set metrics that you’ll be able to easily measure so you have hard data on the success of the campaign.
These objectives will help dictate the type of mailer you use, the calls to action you implement within the direct mail campaign, and how you’ll measure the success of it once the campaign is completed. Having these objectives in place early will give you a clear view of whether or not it was successful, enabling you to alter and tweak things for future campaigns. Knowing the goals of the campaign at the forefront will eliminate a lot of questions throughout the process, as it will give you a clear direction to move forward.
Choose the Right Format
There are a number of different formats that direct mail can come in, and each have their own distinct set of advantages. When selecting the format, it should align with your campaign objectives as well as your budget. A lot of this will depend on the message you’re trying to send. Use some of the larger options if there is a lot of information you need to get out, but consider the smaller items if you’re simply looking to create awareness about a promotion.
Postcards are a very popular option for a variety of different campaigns. They’re cost-effective and simple, making them ideal for short messages and the aforementioned promotions. Self-mailers are folded mailers that don’t require an envelope, offering more space than a postcard but lower cost than some of the larger items. Letters are great for detailed offers or messages, and they can be viewed as a more formal option. They are also a great option if you want to include personalized content. Brochures offer more space to showcase multiple products or services, while catalogs are perfect for businesses that are trying to promote a wide range of products. Talk to those at your Denver printing company to find out which might be best for your campaign.
Develop a Compelling Message
Right at the heart of any direct mail campaign is the message you’re trying to get across. It needs to be clear, concise, and compelling enough to motivate the recipient to take action. Grabbing and holding their attention is key, since many people’s attention span can be fleeting when it comes to pieces of mail. Without the right message, any direct mail campaign can fall flat – meaning lost resources and potentially distancing yourself from potential clients or customers.
One of the main elements is the headline. This is typically an attention-grabbing large bit of text that will be the first thing the recipient sees. It needs to be attention-grabbing, which means it has to be bold, benefit-driven, and relevant to the audience. Once you have your attention, you need concise body copy that is focused on the benefits you’re trying to impart on the recipient. Keep it simple. They don’t need to know a bunch of inside tech talk or jargon. Follow this with a call to action that should be clear and easy to follow – whether it’s clicking a QR code, going to a website, or simply redeeming a coupon. Don’t forget to tailor your message to the recipient. Use their name and build it to their specific interests or needs. Personalization increases engagement and response rates.
Create an Impactful Design
Good design can significantly bolster the overall effectiveness of your direct mail campaign. Along with being visually appealing, it should also be easy to read and aligned with your brand’s identity. Be sure to consider a number of design principles when creating your campaign. Colors are probably the most important aspect of your design, so it’s important to choose colors that align with your brand. Use the colors in your logo or other branding to create a uniform and consistent look.
It’s also important to choose fonts that coincide with your overall branding. Make sure those fonts are easy to read, and be sure to show a clear hierarchy between your major headlines, subheadings and body text so that your content is easy to take in. Choose high-quality images to balance the overall look and make your mailer more engaging. By selecting images that are relevant to your message, it will resonate more with your audience. While all of the text and images are important, be sure not to overcrowd the overall look of your mailer. There’s power in that white space, too, as it helps to create a clean organized look and can be used to the reader’s focus to the other key elements.
Ensure High-Quality Printing
The quality of your printed materials has a huge impact because it reflects your brand’s image. Poor-quality printing can make even the best designed direct mailer look unprofessional. That focus on quality starts from the paper. Make sure you choose a paper stock that feels substantial and not flimsy, but also aligns with your brand’s image. For example, a luxury brand may opt for a thicker, glossy paper, while an eco-friendly brand might choose recycled paper if it aligns with their message. You also want to choose something you know will stand up to the rigors of the delivery system.
You’ll be able to coordinate these things with your Denver printing company, but also consider using particular printing techniques to make your mailer stand out from the crowd. Things like embossing or foil stamping can really make your mailer send a unique message that grabs their attention the moment they see it. The most important factor in getting high-quality printing is working with a trusted expert. They’ll be able to make great suggestions specific to your project, and they’ll also be able to show you a proof of the item before it hits the first mailbox. Always proof your design before printing in order to catch any errors or inconsistencies. This will avoid costly mistakes and make sure you’re delivering the right message.
Designing and printing an effective direct mail campaign requires careful planning, creativity, and attention to detail. Take a serious approach to your direct mailer. By focusing on the right design and using the right print company, you’ll be able to use direct mail as a powerful marketing tool to add to your arsenal. For more information on how direct mail can work for you, reach out to the experts at Cottrell Printing today.