Did you know that 99% of the mailers sent in the post end up in the bin without even being read?
The truth is that whether we are at work or at home our main aim when faced with a pile of mail is to reduce it and consign it to trash without even opening it.
However, there are steps you can take to ensure that your mailer has the maximum chance of being read and if you follow these simple steps you should find that the response rates to your direct mail campaigns will increase dramatically.
Use a coloured envelope
Tests have proven that coloured envelopes tend to be opened a lot more than standard white or brown envelopes. This is not only because they stand out from the rest of the pile of mail but they also tend to imply there is something of value within the envelope.
Handwritten address
Using a very standard black/white font to address the envelope will again make it look like a bill or something that represents junk mail. Using a coloured handwriting font will make it look more personal. If the number of mailers is quite small then you may think of engaging someone with nice handwriting to actually write the addresses by hand!
Make It Lumpy
Tests have shown that mailers that are “lumpy” in nature tend to get opened quickly. To make the mailer lumpy you could enclose a small promotional item such as a pen, key-ring or a USB stick all of which are quite useful items for people to use.
Use a real stamp
Depending on the aim of the campaign and your budget, it may be worth investing in the extra cost of a real stamp rather than just franking the mailer. Again, this makes it look more personalised and will increase open rates.
Let us help
Implementing the above principles in your next direct mail campaign will dramatically increase the response rate but you may need a helping hand. At D2R, it is not unusual for us to get response rates for our clients in excess of 5% and some in excess of 20%. Considering the industry average is less than 1% this is a phenomenal result.
So just give us a call before your next campaign to find out how we manage to do that and we would be happy to show you.
