Create A First Class Mailshot To Win More Custom
Writing and mailing a letter can make good marketing sense
In an increasingly digitally-obsessive age, using traditional mailshots to carry your marketing messages can reap excellent rewards for your business.
As many companies don't bother with a traditional postal letter relying on email marketing, the receipt of a posted letter or brochure can be seen as something different and read.
Business Marketing: Create A First Class Mailshot To Win More Custom
Using direct mail these days over online communications might sound a bit ‘old hat.’ But there are several reasons why it could prove a sound investment for your >business marketing strategy:
For starters, unlike with emails, there’s every likelihood that (providing it’s addressed properly) your mailer will at least be opened.
- People have become used to receiving boring communications like bills in their ‘snail mail’ so anything more exciting is sure to be welcomed. There are some ingenious ‘pop-up’ mailers you can get now which can be customised around your brand.
- Having something your prospects can refer to readily if they are not in a position to respond immediately can be helpful.
That said, once your communication is opened, you only have seconds to make an impact before your mailing is tossed in the bin.
So that’s what we’re aiming for – impact.
Mailshots can comprise a single element, or several, but they should always include a letter. The most important element of every mailshot is the letter.
Have you ever requested a company brochure only for it to arrive in an envelope accompanied only by a flimsy compliment slip – or worse – nothing at all? If so, what thoughts did that provoke about the company concerned?
Your letter should be personalised (addressed to an individual) and should contain a compelling proposition or offer and a means of response.
Coupons tend to work well in the majority of promotions, but if you include one, make sure you adhere to the Code of Sales Promotion Practice.
How do I know which elements to use in my mailshot?
First, identify your target market and your key message. It’s generally advisable to focus on one key message in a single mailshot, rather than talk about how all your products suit everybody.
Remember you are writing for a real person, so use plenty of ‘you’. The headline is possibly the trickiest part of a mailer, so you might want to wait until the body of your letter is written before coming up with something attention-grabbing. Also it is advisable to split-test elements of your letter such as the headline, to see what elicits the best response.
As well as the words you choose to promote your business (the ‘copy’), you will need to consider other elements such as layout, graphics, weight of paper, printing, dispatch and so forth. Unless you have a team in-house that can handle all the elements of your direct marketing campaign, it would be advisable to seek out the expertise of a marketing consultant or agency.
Your marketing consultancy will be able to oversee every element of your mailshot, from planning, through to design and distribution. As well as being a more cost-effective way to create your mailshot, you will get invaluable advice from experts with years of experience behind them.
Just make sure the consultancy you choose can offer examples of previous campaigns they have run and provide you with sound references from satisfied clients.
