Generating creative ideas for your direct mail campaign designs that work really well can be difficult. One easy way to ignite ideas is to pay attention to the direct mail that you receive both at home and at work. Save the pieces that catch your attention either in a good or a bad way. Analyze them to see what made you react. Compare the pieces to determine what prompted you to open or discard them. Write a list that includes all of this information into categories to reference as you plan out how to apply it to your direct mail pieces.

Here are a few questions to ask yourself as you are making your list:

• Were you drawn to (or put off by) the size, shape, color or feel of the mail piece?
• Did teaser copy catch your attention or arouse your curiosity?
• Was the mail piece addressed in a way that made you curious?
• Were you drawn to the marketer’s message or offer? How did they do that?
• Were the important points organized, clear, and compelling? How was this accomplished?
• Did the mail piece ask for the order or a response in a way that moved you to take action?
• How long did you spend reading the mail piece?
• Did it tie into any online component? If so, did it work well?
• How can any of the elements be used by you?

Direct mail is an outreach to consumers, donors, or businesses designed to generate a response: a donation, a request for further information, a purchase, or a visit to a website.

Make sure to identify what each mail piece is doing and what you want yours to do. Direct mail is effective because it can be targeted to a specific audience to arouse interest and its results can easily be measured. When done properly, direct mail marketing creates engagement with an existing or potential customer to build a relationship with them to elicit them to buy from you.

In the past when you designed your mail piece were you taking all of these factors into consideration? Have you looked at your piece through the eyes of your recipient? Remember to address “what’s in it for me?” from their point of view. When you appeal to them with what benefits them, they buy from you; they do not care about the features of your product or service. Not sure if your mail piece is at its full potential? Call or email us, we will review it and give you some tips.

If you have any questions please contact us today.  We are glad to help!