The Direct Mail Marketing Secret That’s “Hiding” in Plain Sight
You know I’m a big fan of direct mail marketing and printed sales enablement tools. Direct mail, when done properly, is one of the most effective, yet under-utilized, tools a marketer can use to engage customers. And I can back that up with plenty of research. But like everything else, there’s always room for improvement.
I recently saw some research from Pitney Bowes that points to a simple way to make your next direct mail marketing effort more successful. And it’s based on a rather obvious fact. If a higher percentage of recipients open your direct mail envelope, the number of people who respond to the offer will probably increase.
Help Your Direct Mail Piece Engage the Recipient SOONER
The most compelling message or offer won’t do much good if the consumer discards the envelope unopened. So it is important to start the conversation while the consumer is still deciding if your direct mail piece has value.
There’s only one way—and one place—to do that. And that’s on the outside of the envelope. If you rely on plain stock envelopes to carry your communication, you are wasting plenty of space that doesn’t help you a bit. Thus, you should take advantage of that “real estate” on the envelope to grab attention and start the dialogue immediately. But how?
Push the Envelope … to Work Harder
This is an easy one. Use color and graphics on the outside of the envelope. Customize it with your logo, your tag line, your sales message. It’s how you plant the seed and create intrigue. It’s how you pique the curiosity of the person deciding whether to open or toss your direct mail piece. A great message on the outside of the envelope can push that needle to “open it.”
In fact, the research shows that 69% of consumers ─ more than two thirds ─ would be more likely to open a mail piece with color text and graphics compared to a plain white envelope. The study was an eye-opener. It proved that bold graphics and messaging can be envelope-openers.
“Our research shows that color is the first and probably the most important factor in driving interest,” says Tim Troast, then the manager of marketing, mail finishing solutions, US mailing for Pitney Bowes.
Better Direct Mail Results Are a Click Away
We’ve been helping businesses improve the impact of their direct mail efforts almost since Pony Express delivered them. As a result, our experience has given us plenty of direct mail advice to share and customize for your business situation.
Please contact Superior today or reach out to one of our sales reps and ask for help to create your successful direct mail campaign.
