Five essential tips for running a profitable B2B direct mail campaign

Posted: August 23rd, 2011 by Suzanne Stock 0

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So why use direct mail in the first place? The fact is direct mail works. Every year it generates billions of pounds in sales, and it continues to grow.  But doesn’t it annoy people? Yes, occasionally, but business owners have been grumbling about receiving ‘junk mail’ for the best part of a century, yet most of us still open and read it. Don’t believe the hype.

Here are five essential tips for running a profitableBusiness to business direct mail campaign:

1.  Have a clear objectiveFirst be very clear about what you want to accomplish.  For example, are you asking the recipient to contact you for more information or are you going for a direct sale? Obviously this will depend very much on what product, service or idea you are selling (it’s inevitably one of the three), but it’s critical that you are clear about your intent.

2. Your mailing list  Your mailing list is the single most important weapon in your armoury.  Many data providers can supply you with seemingly similar lists, but price, quality and service will vary dramatically. Before you make a decision to buy, check out more than one data supplier and don’t just compare prices.  It’s also critical that all relevant quality and verification checks on the data have been carried out including ‘laundering’ (i.e. is the list fully up to date and cleansed of duplicate records? Many aren’t!); if you are purchasing telephone data as well as mail addresses, enquire whether TPS (Telephone Preference Service) / CTPS (Corporate Telephone Preference Service) files have been checked and updated daily. Is the data you are purchasing actually ethical and legal?

3. Your mail piece  To ensure that your mail piece actually gets read it must be professionally written. If you are sending your piece in an envelope, be certain that you give the recipient a very good reason to open it – i.e. an irresistible / time-sensitive offer, or a strong pull on their natural sense of curiosity.  Bear in mind also that a well-designed large postcard is one of the best ways of grabbing attention and quickly getting your message across. 

4. Your offer The strength of your offer is critical.  Don’t base it on guesswork; be certain that your prospect actually needs (rather than ‘wants’) and is able to afford what are offering. Be certain to add a sense of urgency and / or a time limit with set dates. And remember not to dilute your message by asking for too much in one go, or confusing the reader by giving them too many options.  One clear call to action at a time is the golden rule.  If you are unsure of your offer, run a series of split tests and see which one gets the best response before you do your main mailing (more on split testing soon).    

5.  Postage
Don’t neglect postage costs and the different ways you may be able to make a saving. Postage can account for 18% to 45% of your total cost per mailing piece, so it’s certainly worth the trouble.  Be certain to factor this into your planning and budgeting.  Depending on the carrier you are using, it may be possible to negotiate a discount, e.g. for mailing your piece to every address on delivery routes in a selected area. Check with your carrier and, if possible, shop around.