Why direct mail should not be underestimated or under-rated

Direct mail and sales letters may be much maligned. After all, who wants to be described as ‘junk’ or ‘trash’?

But there’s no denying that direct mail is targeted, accountable and affordable. You can tailor your direct mail campaign by postcode, gender or age. You can add in a coupon or discount code to check not just how many people have responded but also who. (Use my email address on my contact page and check out how I’ve personalised it to know if you visited that page.)

Hardly surprising that direct mail is outperforming digital these days, according to the Royal Mail. More than 92% of direct mail is opened and, last year alone, 14.2m people bought something. Wow.

Direct mail copywriting secrets for success
Direct mail is actually completely unique. It’s the only medium that can stimulate all the senses. It can create a tactile experience. It can use smell. It can use sound. Such lasting emotional connections are mega-powerful ways to build your brand.

And there are lots of clever tricks you can play to engage your reader, many of which have been tried, tested and proven to work as sure as eggs is eggs. For instance, hand addressed envelopes are more likely to be opened. And charities often use cheap-looking paper so that people feel their donations are being properly spent on causes.

So, how can your direct mailer or sales letter guarantee success? You need an unmissable headline that makes your target audience eager to read more. Inside, you need a hook that explains why your product or service is so special. You also need a good scattering of compelling headlines throughout the body copy so that readers just ‘get it’ at a glance. You can’t beat a great story to keep people reading from start to finish.

Lastly, you need a big juicy carrot to dangle to generate response, such as highlighting exclusivity, next-day delivery, last chance to buy, after-sales promises, etc etc.

P.S.

And don’t forget the all-important P.S. Your postscript should never be seen as a mere afterthought: research shows that many read this first. A P.S. can remind. It can reinforce. It can repeat. And it should always, but always, include a call to action such as ‘Contact award-winning direct mail copywriter Caroline Gibson today – 07957 567766.