I’m often asked for a recommendation on where people can learn more about direct mail advertising. My advice is always the same....the best place to learn is your own mail box.
In my almost 45 years in the business I never found a better source of knowledge than to review the mail that comes in my mailbox six days a week. Like most people, I discard many items I receive but, unlike most people, I never discard a single piece of direct mail advertising without first having read it.
What can you learn by doing this? Here are some of the valuable lessons you can get:
1. What are my competitors doing?
Chances are you will receive mailings from others who are in the same or a similar business to yours. Reviewing their direct mail will keep you up to date on the competition and is likely to provide you some valuable ideas on how you adapt things they are doing to your own needs.
2. Ideas for layout, format and design:
You will often a layout or a design element that you find quite attractive. Chances are you can adapt some of these ideas to your own direct mail and even improve upon them. Are you receiving lots of jumbo postcards or are most people mailing standard size?
3. Offers:
Study the offers you see, particularly if they are from a competitor. If you are a dry cleaner and you offer $2 off on a cleaning job and your competitors are offering $3, you are likely to lose business to them if they are mailing in your same market. You will also find offers from other businesses that can be adapted to your own. One example that most people are familiar with is the offer made by Bed Bath and Beyond where they regularly send coupons worth a 20% discount on a single item. You don’t have to be a linen store obviously to use this idea. It can be applied to almost any retail business.
4. Frequency:
How often are people mailing? Study mailings being made by people in businesses that are similar to yours to see what their frequency is. This can give you an idea on how often you should be mailing to keep up with your competition.
You may want to start keeping a file of mailing pieces that you find attractive and interesting. This will serve as a valuable resource for ideas when you sit down to plan your next mailing.
Finally, a word of caution. Be careful to analyze mailings you receive from others in light of your own business needs. Don’t assume that because a competitor is doing something in his mailings that he is necessarily successful. His requirements may be different than your own. His mail may be part of a larger promotional program that is different from your own. So don’t blindly follow someone else.
When you’re ready for your next mailing don’t hesitate to contact the people at Avery Print and Mail Center. They stand ready to assist you with all aspects of your mailing program. You can reach them at 877-Avery-PMC (877-283-7976.
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