Direct Mail

3. The Mailing

A good mailing package will create a better response rate. You are competing with all the other mail that members of your target groups receive. See Writing a mailshot.

3.1 The letter should explain the offer.

• If possible, it should be personalised, by addressing it to a named individual.
• You have less than two seconds to convince the reader it is worth reading.The first half-dozen words are crucial.
• You should usually include a brief, relevant headline.
• In the first paragraph, describe the benefits.
• The bulk of the letter should then explain and amplify the first paragraph.It should be clear, simple and convincing. Avoid being flamboyant or patronising.
• Avoid jargon or technical terms, unless you are writing to a technical audience.
• In the final paragraph, explain just how to respond to the letter (the call to action).
• Sign the letter. If you are mailing in bulk (more than about 500 letters each time), get your signature laser printed.
• Always have a P.S. that restates the benefits - everyone reads it.

3.2 Include relevant enclosures.

• A well-designed brochure will help to establish your credibility.
• If possible, include a sample of some kind.
• If you are selling a range of products, enclose a price list.

3.3 Make responding as easy as possible.

For example, you could include:

Make it clear to the reader exactly what you want him or her to do.

• A self-mailing order form for the reader to tear off and return.
• A pre-printed reply card.
• A well-designed 'fax back' form.
• A pre-printed business reply envelope with a Freepost address.

3.4 Give readers an incentive to reply promptly.

• For example, you might offer them ten per cent off, as long as they reply by a specified date (up to three weeks away).
• Cost out any incentives you offer carefully, to avoid making a loss.

3.5 Mailings to businesses will usually be opened as a matter of routine by a secretary. But when mailing to consumers, the first hurdle is getting them to open the envelope.

• Using stamps, rather than franking, will raise your letter-opening rate.
• An unusual size or colour of envelope may attract attention.Avoid brown manila envelopes, which always look like bills.
• With a small-scale mailshot, consider getting the addresses written by hand.
• If you overprint the envelope - free gift or special offer - the message must be justified by the contents or it will disappoint people and backfire badly.Do not mark the envelope 'private' or 'confidential' unless this is really justified.
• Window envelopes need no labels and are therefore marginally cheaper to use.

3.6 Choose the best possible timing for each mailshot.

• For business targets, do not send out mail just ahead of a public holiday.
• Tuesday and Wednesday are generally the best days of the week for a mailshot to reach people, though Saturday morning is ideal for leisure and gardening products.
• Avoid main holiday periods - mid-July to early September and the Christmas break.Early January is a good time for many businesses.
• A mailing promoting an event should generally be sent six weeks beforehand.

3.7 Depending on the nature of your mailing, you may follow it up with a telephone call.

• Make this call part of your overall sales strategy.

3.8 Be ready to react quickly when orders come in. Poor service puts customers off.

• Decide in advance what you will do if the response rate is two or three times what you were expecting.