I have been working with direct mail for a long time, which means I probably look at my mailbox a little differently than most people. Where someone else sees a stack of mail, I see targeting, format, paper, postage, offers, calls to action and occasionally something that makes me wonder, “Who approved this?”
But every once in a while, a piece makes me stop. That matters. Because if you can get someone who analyzes direct mail for a living to stop, open, unfold, scan or save a piece, you are doing something right. And that is really the challenge with direct mail. Getting delivered is easy. Getting noticed, opened, explored and acted on is much harder.
The mail pieces that work on me and the ones I see working for marketers across industries, usually have a few things in common. They create curiosity, give me a reason to interact, make the message relevant and provide a clear reason to respond.
Successful direct mail still has to get noticed, feel relevant and give the recipient a compelling reason to do something. So what might that look like today?
Example #1: The B2B Mailer That Doesn’t Look Like Every Other B2B Mailer
Imagine you are a marketing director and receive an oversized, brightly colored envelope with this teaser: We have an idea for your next campaign.
Inside is not a 12-page corporate brochure explaining how wonderful the company is. Thank goodness.
Instead, there is a short personalized letter and an unusual folded piece that opens to reveal three campaign ideas specifically related to your industry. A QR code takes you to a landing page with additional examples and an invitation to schedule a 15-minute brainstorming session.
Read this full article on Printing Impressions, a publication of PRINTING United Alliance, ASI’s strategic partner.
