A Definition of Direct Mail

May 28, 2017 | News

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Direct Mail is a decades old very effective direct marketing technique which introduces the seller to the buyer in their own home using the postal service. This is a definition in itself, but in our latest blog article we have decided to delve into defining direct mail in a little more detail.

Some definitions available online

We’ve written many articles about direct mail on our blog, but thought it would be useful to investigate and explore the definition of direct mail. We will start by listing three online definitions of direct mail, just to give you an insight into what a high-level definition for direct mail is:

So, to summarise direct mail is all about the use of promotional marketing advertising through the postal system.

Essential elements of a great direct mail campaign

We think all of the following define a great direct mail campaign. We can’t include an entirely exhaustive list here, but all campaigns need to include the following:

  • Is direct – it’s in the name, so never forget that “direct mail” needs to be sent to a specific individual, family or business/organisation, so accuracy of naming and salutation is critical
  • Delivers great ROI– there’s no point to the campaign if ROI (return on investment) is not achieved
  • is personalised– the campaign must be personalised to your customer’s requirements, this includes basic name and address information as well as more enhanced behavioural personalisation such as buying habits from eCommerce systems
  • is optimised to provide the best response rates– a large number of techniques can be used to achieved this – read our detailed related article on this topic
  • Embraces the use of technology– a variety of technologies are available to use in conjunction with direct mail projects, e.g. PURLs, near field communication, etc.
  • Is measured and tracked– stats are available, A/B tests are applied to ensure the best results, response tracking is measured
  • Is timely – where applicable direct mail campaigns need to be timed for maximum effectiveness. A classic example of this are Christmas direct mail campaigns, other include seasonal sales such as Black Friday
  • Uses cleansed data– data is cleansed through PAF and other means, this will increase both response rates and campaign ROI, through a more focused approach which removes duplicates, goneaways and deceased records
  • Involves use of mail! – an obvious one, but a factor not to be underestimated. Shop around wisely and buy your postage at the lowest possible prices, after all why pay more for postage when you don’t need to! Speak to us today about how we can save you money on post!

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The definition continues to change

As a direct mail agency we’ve written various articles about “direct mail not being dead”; this is true for a number of reasons. It’s especially true because direct mail still delivers great return on investment and in these high technology times is adapting and changing all of the time. So, as the definition continues to change, it’s important for users of direct mail to understand every technique available and how these can be used to create the perfect campaign. Direct mail is an evolutionary marketing process which fully uses the available innovative methods which are available.

Create your own direct mail definition

We hope in this article you’ve learned more about direct mail. We’d now encourage you to take this academic knowledge and convert it into a successful direct mail campaign. It’s time to create your own definition and plan/execute a strategy, which will work effectively for you. Here at bakergoodchild we respect that every campaign is different and needs to be precisely tailored to the organisation and also the preferences of each individual being mailed.

Contacting bakergoodchild the Direct Mail Experts

We very much hope you have enjoyed reading this “definition of direct mail” article. As a business, bakergoodchild has massive experience in delivering direct mail campaigns and we can help your organisation. Contact us today for a friendly chat on 0800 612 1972 about how you can utilise the power of direct mail to the benefit of your business through a direct mail agency. Also, consider completing our contact form and we will call you back very shortly to create your very own direct mail definition.

Read about the definition of a mailing house by reading our blog, just click here.

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