Not seeing the numbers you expected from your direct mail marketing? If your campaign is underperforming – or flopping, even – it may be the result of these common mistakes. Whether you’re willing to give direct mail a try or are considering this marketing tactic for the first time, it’s important to avoid mistakes that could ruin your campaign.
- Failing to test. Just because everyone in your company (or family) loved you and your idea, it doesn’t mean that it’ll translate to business success in the market. Testing direct mail is critical to measurable lead conversion. Your marketing strategy should be thoroughly vetted before implementation, or you may waste the time and effort. Consider giving direct mail another try in your marketing strategy, but this time, test the creative mailer and call to action to see if they work.
- Targeting too broad of an audience. In any marketing strategy, you want to target as many people as possible. But when you try to appeal to too many people, your brand fails to appeal to anyone at all. Similar to online marketing, your direct mail strategy should focus on targeted consumers. Not only does this improve your lead conversion efforts, but it also ensures that your campaign is worth the effort. Often times, the mailing list itself is the make or break factor of a direct mail campaign.
- No specific offer. While building brand awareness is important for any marketing strategy, this isn’t the point of direct mail. Rather, direct mail is focused on lead conversion and getting prospective clients to make a purchase. This requires both a call to action and a compelling offer that drives them to perform that action. Take caution, though, as making a compelling offer could tempt you to use too much salesy language and superficial copy.
- Failing to plan. Direct mail marketing isn’t something that happens overnight. This takes considerable planning, effort and thought. If you rush a direct mail campaign, chances are that it won’t reach its full potential. Don’t be afraid to take the time to prepare for the campaign internally and externally.
- Not investing in direct mail services. Many marketing agencies that businesses work with these days tend to focus exclusively (or overwhelmingly) on online marketing. The reality, though, is that direct mail is a specialty that requires the guidance of an experienced agency. Even if you have the capacity to run your own direct mail campaign in-house, investing in direct mail services greatly magnifies the likelihood that your lead conversion rates will improve.
A trusted and reputable direct mail provider will perform a direct mail analysis on your business based on your industry. They’ll be able to give you a direct quote and establish a full marketing assessment that creates a powerful synergy between direct mail and your other marketing efforts.
At TMR Direct, we have incredible experience working across a spectrum of industries and optimizing direct mail for hard results. We can help you improve your lead conversion and grow your business today.
