Last Updated on July 16, 2021 by Carlos Alonso
You probably pulled a direct mail campaign to get the attention of your prospects, but it didn’t work. Well, that isn’t encouraging because, according to research, direct mail is the method for converting your prospects to clients. It is way better than online or social ads or even email. You get 80-90% positive client response. So if your direct mail campaign didn’t come through for you, the problem might be you.
But not to worry, that’s why I put this article here. You’ve got to get up and show your prospects what you’re made of. How will you do that? By getting back to the drawing board and seeing the cause of your failure. You are going to learn ten reasons your Direct mail campaign isn’t working. I am ready when you are. Let’s roll.
Let’s Talk Direct Mail
Firstly we look at the result of a campaign you run directly to your prospects. You know you got many return contacts but did your contacts buy from you? Even if you did sell some, did they convert to clients? Eighty-eight percent of clients want to be contacted by direct mail before a virtual introduction. It’s cool if they do buy from you, but if they don’t, that’s not good enough. And so, you need to learn the causes and effects of your failure.
You run a campaign to get the attention of people who have never bought from you. That’s achieved with direct mail. You put a bunch of envelopes in the mail, and you ask people to respond to them. But this only works if people respond. So you ask a list of people you know to respond to them to learn things from them that you can use in your future designs.
You know these people. You have a relationship with them, and the fact you know them means you can learn something from them, just like a friend would. No one likes a coffee house friend that leaves them hanging, and you understand that.
The problem (the majority of the time) is the promised results. There has to be that promised result, and the campaign needs to deliver on that promise. Well, how is that promised result implemented? Well, as you can see in the article about maintaining your credibility and trustworthiness, it comes down to both different situations and a healthy mix of both.
Here’s the lesson you learned from your poor performance. You banked on the fact that you implemented a campaign that promised results. But it never came through. Studies show that 58% of people will respond to offers from people they know. If you are one of them, your prospects may have responded to you by hitting the send button on that campaign. Is that what happened in your case? A lot of nothing, not even a thank you.
Great Offers
They also show you have to make sure your campaign has a visible offer in it. Something that sends a clear message to the recipient that buying from you is essential. The visual yield from the campaign should not be ignored if they responded. There is an endless supply of free brochures on the Internet, or you can spend a few dollars on printed copies. The campaign piece will tell your prospects how your company operates, including happy customers’ stories and testimonials.
When a prospect opens this mailer, they believe they are about to get a great deal. The word “deal” is so intriguing, and this is an excellent example of word advertising. You want to deliver the goods for what this person hopes for entirely—nothing fancy on this sheet. Just simple shoutouts to show their support. That is how you get your users to get engaged by your company. That is what you can do in your marketing campaign: send a link with a download link at the end of your prospect’s email.
You want to find out more about them to become more loyal to your company by opting in for future opportunities. Some organizations even reward those who stay on their list. That persuasive method could be applied any time a customer comes to your organization. If you hired an effective direct mail campaign specialist to manage your copy, you would know this one.
Mingling Direct Mail With Current Media
Your prospects will open the email and click on it, thinking they will get a great deal. Then they will see the download link. After that, they will be on Facebook. And guess what, they’ll see the ad, too. Then they’ll see more exit marketing material, more free material, more ads, and maybe a call-to-action, which leads to more sales. It’s pretty simple.
If you know how to make your prospect open, click, and buy, it will make all the difference in the world. That’s the truth. I’ll be honest, the posters and brochures looked good but were they any good? Of course, if you pull those off, your sales are still good. But nothing beats a combination of the two.
Some Take-Aways on Your Brand’s Website
When setting up a website, the first thing you need to do is check to make sure your content covers your prospect’s issues — don’t slap in some blog post and throw in some shiny graphics. It never works.
You do not provide solutions for any of the problems and frustrations your customers have. So what you should do is help your prospects solve their problems. That is where you get back to the drawing board. The other reason websites don’t work is that they do not educate prospects on their issues. If your website can’t answer all the questions, you’ll have a pretty hard time getting success in any of your campaigns.
One of the ways you can reach more prospects is by paying attention to your website. First, ensure that you look at the other brands in your niche and study them to see what is being said and how they promote their services. Also, take a look at your slogan and ask yourself if it is clear. If not, change it.
Learn the differences between you and other brands and how they are advertising and promoting themselves. Then, take a look at the video’s position and see if it promotes the business’s mission and vision.
Now that we’ve laid down the facts on doing a great direct mail campaign let’s look at why your drive is not working. Let’s continue.
1. Not Clear on the Target Market
It is crucial to know who your targets are when you are creating a direct mail campaign. The right people need to receive your marketing material, so you must make sure that you have the correct information for them. If you don’t send it to the right people, there’s a good chance it won’t reach its target audience. That makes it vital that you know who you want to send your mailers to.
2. The Format of Your Direct Mail Piece Is Not Appealing
Direct mail is a great way to gain attention and create brand recognition. It’s also an effective tool for generating leads. First, however, it’s essential to make the most of your mailing format. A great design will stand out in the clutter of other marketing materials.
What makes direct mail campaigns so effective? The most common direct mail formats encourage response. An oversized envelope, a business envelope, and a postcard are all well-known direct mail strategies that can effectively get people to respond.
3. You Are Targeting the Wrong Customer Base With Your Direct Mail Campaign
Too many people don’t think about their audience when launching a direct mail campaign. So don’t just throw your direct mail campaign out there. Direct mail campaigns aren’t for everyone, and they don’t work for everyone. It’s a big waste of money if you’re not targeting the right audience with the right offer.
4. Bad Timing
Timing is critical when it comes to direct mail. It is essential to choose a marketing campaign that coincides with a specific event, such as opening a new store, a seasonal sale, or an event tied in with your company’s mission statement.
Find a professional direct mail service provider that understands the power of timing. You must choose a reputable company with a well-tested direct mail process. Contacting them for information on upcoming events and marketing campaigns will help you get more out of your direct mail campaign.
5. The Offers Are Not Personalized
Did your mailer have a customized look and feel? Marketing campaigns in the past were traditionally low-tech and general in their appeal. That was when companies assumed that a generic message would appeal to a large number of customers, which would provide the best ROI. Unfortunately, the strategies that worked in the past are not practical today.
Consumers are more comfortable sharing their data and information than ever—and so should you! Collecting customer data and leveraging it to personalize communications is a smart move for brands. Customers want relevant, personalized messages from brands.
Almost half of the world’s consumers are willing to give their personal information to a trusted brand. A research study published in Forbes Magazine shows that nearly 85% of shoppers are more likely to buy something from an established company that cares about the customer’s experience. You have to care about your prospects by offering them real value. You have to make an effort.
Customers are willing to do their part, but brands have to take part as well. To make the best use of limited budgets, marketers need to look beyond traditional mailing lists and instead utilize data from their databases. The data enables them to manage their client base more effectively, reduce wastage and send more targeted mailings.
If you’re looking to create a more personal and unique experience, consider variable data printing. Variable data printing allows text, graphics, and images to be changed in real-time without stopping or slowing down the printing process. This type of communication gives customers a unique and personalized experience.
Eighty-eight percent of marketers say they’ve seen growth in conversion rates due to personalization. Of those, more than half reported higher conversions than the norm.
6. There’s No Clear Call to Action
The biggest reason most direct-mail campaigns fail is a lack of clarity. When it comes to any form of marketing, it’s essential to include a clear call to action. Without a clear call to action, you risk sending an entirely irrelevant message that will have no impact on your prospect’s decision to engage with you.
I guess you are asking if using a call to action in your direct mail campaigns is necessary. Well, it is. And that’s because your prospects are receiving hundreds of emails from other brands in your niche. Now leaving your campaign plain without telling your prospects what to do about what they just read is mean. We can, however, help you with that.
7. Incorrect Budget and Scale Of the Campaign
It is essential to understand your campaign goals and the scale of your direct mail program so that your campaign runs effectively. Many companies are offering direct mailing services, but you should choose one that can fulfill your needs.
Spend too little money on your direct mail campaign, and no one will respond. On the other hand, if you spend too much money running a campaign, you’ll waste valuable resources and not get the return on investment you’re looking for. It’s difficult to determine how much direct mail you can afford and the best scale for a campaign without experience.
8. Your Expectations Are Not Realistic
A direct mail marketing campaign is a significant investment. However, you should not expect to reap enormous rewards immediately. Research the average return on investment for a direct mail campaign and make sure your budget is sufficient to achieve that goal. Check out the chart below for a clear understanding.
It’s important to remember that it takes more than one direct mail piece to see results. You send multiple mailers to get customers’ attention and continue to post messages on your social feeds to get noticed, right? The same principle applies to direct mail: you must continue communicating your message by sending and sharing direct mail pieces that stay fresh and relevant with customers over time.
9. No Follow-up Plan For Leads Generated From the Campaign
Your direct mail campaign may effectively generate leads, but the conversion rate is not as high as you have expected. A poorly planned follow-up can cause irreparable damages to your organization.
10. Not Using Valuable Content Inside the Mailer
Product-focused direct mail is a dying art. Today’s customers are less likely to be interested in your sales pitch. Customers want solutions, insights, and advice. They don’t want to be sold to. Instead, a customer testimonial, a straightforward statement of benefit, or a forceful call to action can do the trick.
When I talk about valuable information, I mean who gets to benefit from the product you push. What problem are you solving with your product? That’s the key to a successful direct mail campaign.
If you are having a hard time getting leads resulting from your direct mail campaigns, that isn’t reassuring. However, since it is a promising investment, you might be guilty of the mistakes we’ve addressed. If that’s the case, work on your failures and give them a shot.
