Direct mail is still one of the most successful marketing methods. Though it continues to yield high ROI for its users, there are some pitfalls you should avoid. We’ve created a list of three common mistakes mailers make, so you’ll know how to plan, prepare, and execute a more successful campaign.
Mistake #1: Not Analyzing Mail Recipients
Most of the time, mailers will gather their list of recipients and mail the same message out to every single person. While it’s easier to do this, it can be a costly mistake. Not everyone on your list is the same. They will live in different locations, be in different stages of life, and will have different interests and needs. It’s crucial to the success of your campaign that you analyze the people on your lists. Who are they? What products or services are relevant to them?
As you analyze the data, you can look for patterns and information about your customers and then customize your mailing. You can change out the offers, messaging, and even images to different groups on your list. This will enable you to create a more eye-catching and effective mail piece.
Mistake #2: Not Capturing Responses
A common mistake mailers make is not having a good mechanism for capturing responses. If you’re not capturing responses from your mailings, it’s impossible to know how the campaign did. Did it work? What parts didn’t work? Having this information will help you adjust and tailor the next campaign and allow you to make informed decisions.
The best information to capture are the names and addresses of those who responded, but if you can’t capture those, try getting an email or an IP address. Analysts can often locate the names and addresses of your customers from their emails and IP addresses. QR codes are another way to capture data, but keep in mind that not everyone will use them. Whatever your method, try to get as much data as you can.
Mistake #3: Not Analyzing Responses
Finally, the biggest mistake mailers make is not analyzing their responses. Often, people look at the overall response rate to determine whether or not a campaign was successful, but the data can reveal a whole lot more than whether or not it worked.
When you analyze responses, you can see what parts of the campaign worked and what parts didn’t. Maybe, your message was fantastic, but the images paired with it didn’t resonate. Maybe, your campaign knocked it out the water with customers in the 30-40 age range, but it completely missed customers in the 50-60 age range. Your campaign may have been very successful with audiences in urban areas but not so much with audiences in rural areas. Every piece of information will lead you to refining your customer profiles and help you create stronger and more successful campaigns.
Data Analytics can make a world of difference in the success of your campaign. Before you send out your next mail piece, be sure to analyze your customer data and know who you are mailing to, have a strong system setup to capture responses, and don’t forget to analyze your responses.
If you would like more information on response modeling, reach out to our team.