Direct Mail do's and don'ts

• Keep your message simple. You have only a few seconds to get your prospect's attention. On the cover of your mailer or brochure, offer a catch phrase to entice the prospect to read on--avoid too many details. In the body of your mailpiece, state a simple but powerful message that clearly tells what you are selling and the benefits.
• Profile your customers. Determine the segment of the population most likely to be interested in your offer. Age, income, interests, occupation and other factors will play a vital part in determining how your offer will be received. Once you've profiled your potential customers, a mailing list can be custom tailored to your specifications.
• Test. Many variables can affect the response to a mailing; the copy, the presentation of the offer, the timing of the offer, and of course, the mailing list. Before you go for that "big mailing", test by making variations to smaller mailings, of say, 1000 mail pieces. By fine-tuning your mailing in this manner, you can help insure that the "big one" will be as good as it can be.
• Analyze the response. Make sure you can track the response to your mailing. A simple code on your response piece will go a long way in telling you which combination of variables is working best for you.
• Evaluate the mailing by "Return on Investment." Remember, depending on the profit margin, it may take only a few sales to consider a mailing a "great success".

• Mail only once. Too many times businesses use a mailing as a one-time "knee jerk" reaction when things are slow. This approach does not give a true picture of the potential. Like other kinds of advertising, repetition is the key to success in direct mailing. Some experts say you should mail at least six times to the same group to get the best results.
• Forget existing customers. Direct mail is a great way to stay in touch with your existing customers. Remember it costs money to develop a customer. Keep in front of your existing customers by offering them "specials" several times a year.