By now, you’re probably well aware of all the studies that have been done that prove direct mail marketing is just as effective as it ever was. Statistics abound that confirm it not only has a much higher response rate than digital marketing, but often generates a better ROI, too.

So why, then, isn’t it working for you?

First off, understand that direct mail is great – but it’s not a silver bullet. Nothing is a guarantee in this life, as you’ve just experienced. Secondly, if your direct mail messaging fails, it doesn’t mean you should give up. It means you need to re-think your approach.

Back to the Drawing Board

By far, the most important thing to understand about direct mail marketing success is that timing is literally everything. Instead of sending general campaigns, you should be thinking seasonally. Take advantage of the calendar and use targeted mailing to contact people with birthday promo offers and new mover programs, for example.

Next, make sure that you actually have something to say that is worth paying attention to. Never send out a piece of collateral without a relevant offer or, at the very least, without showcasing exactly what problem you can solve for your prospects. Don’t contact someone just for the sake of it, as that’s a really great way to get them to tune out immediately.

Another factor that will affect the success your direct mail campaign is the expiration date. If you don’t give your prospects enough time to act upon your offer, then your entire campaign will be in vain. Conversely, having too long of an expiration can result in a lack of urgency to redeem. The most optimal time-range is ideally 90 days from when your direct mail collateral hits homes.

You should also make sure that you’re targeting the right people in the first place. Pay attention to the demographics of your ideal customers and use targeted mailing lists to take your efforts directly to those people.

Finally, make sure that your online presence is properly aligned with your direct mail campaign.  You’d be shocked by how much a thoughtfully designed landing page – complete with a compelling all-to-action – can help. But above all else, make sure that your prospects know A) where to go, and B) what you want them to DO. If you want someone to take your desired action, you need to make it as easy as possible for them to do so. A CTA (call-to-action) and online links therefore become one of the best opportunities you have to accomplish precisely that.

If you’d like to find out more information about how to best re-think your approach after suffering a direct mail setback, or if you have any other questions that you’d like to get answers to in a bit more detail, please feel free to contact us today.