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Building a brand – top direct mail tips

By / / In Insight /
Tony Kemp shares top tips for companies wanting to make the most of their direct mail opportunities to engage with customers in a busy marketplace.
direct mail

Up to now, it has only been big businesses with deep pockets who could afford direct mail brand building activity. Now small and medium sized businesses can join in. Big company tactics at a small company budget are out there.

The Federation of Small Businesses’ latest member survey indicates that more than one in five companies feels their lack of marketing skills is holding them back. With advances in technology, marketing tools which anyone can use are now readily available and offer a great opportunity to boost brands of all sizes.

One to one communication
Speaking directly to your individual customer via a direct mail campaign can trump anything else you may do to market your business – if it’s done well. The more it is personalised, the more it makes the client feel special; it’s friendly and shows attention to detail. So the logical progression is to individualise as much as possible in your direct mail marketing activity.

Direct mail or email – electronic v traditional?

Research suggests that most people prefer traditional mail rather than email.Mail box UK

According to the Royal Mail’s MarketReach research, direct mail is seen by consumers as being more authoritative and informative than email. They are also more likely to go online after considering a direct mail missive. Emails are perceived as being more informal and quick, but 70 per cent of respondents also said they felt they received too many emails.

And research has shown that 51 per cent of emails are deleted within two seconds whereas 69% will open a letter from a company about a promotion or special offer. Furthermore, 60% will open mail if it’s from a company about a product or service they don’t currently have.

Add to this a poll of 9,000 people for CMS Ltd which suggests that 83 per cent of people feel direct mail is easier to take in than email and it is becoming obvious that targeting doormats makes business sense.

Use this knowledge to your advantage. Contact via email, but ignore the power of the post through the letterbox at your peril.

Get noticed
Remember to make your direct mail attractive and eye-catching.

Every business large or small has access to literally thousands of really well-designed, fully flexible templates to create direct mail which will make an impact. Our own Hello Market allows marketers and businesspeople to produce professional looking direct mail adapted to suit individual recipients.

Pictures can make a significant impact on your customer. Choose wisely and vary where possible. Beware using a poor photo – something which isn’t up to standard doesn’t create a very professional impression.

Print techniques and clever colour
Think about how the customer will feel when handling your communication. Full colour is standard these days, but there are clever techniques available such as gloss and watermarking which will make your mailing special.

Author: Tony Kemp
Hello Market | www.the-gma.com

Communications expert Tony Kemp is managing director and owner of online direct mail platform, Hello Market.

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