There’s something about a “strong offer” that gets people to respond. There’s something about a “good product” that gets them to tell themselves “I’ll think about it,” “I can’t afford that” or “I’ve got a lot of other things on my plate right now. I’ll get to this later.”
The point is not to try to sell your product or your service or your great idea in your direct mail campaign. Sell your offer. Make it strong, relevant and time sensitive and lead your prospect to a call-to-action that they cannot resist. That’s how you get a “wait till later” prospect to respond now. Hence the phrase, Make them an offer they can’t refuse.
The offer is one of three elements of direct mail strength represented in the 40/40/20 rule and, accordingly, accounts for 40 percent of your success.
The other 40-percenter is your audience. Clearly no one’s making a living selling heaters at the Equator or installing new AC systems at the North Pole. Your audience should be made up of the people who need your services, who can pay for or finance your product installations, who are within easy reach of your service vehicles – and who you are able to communicate with through your direct mail piece.
Finding the right audience is partly a consideration of your target market and partly the actual list you are using. Your target market takes into account demographics such as age, gender, income and location that are suited to your services and price points.
Importantly, this isn’t just about acquisition marketing. Your current customers already fit your target market, and your in-house list is a good starting point for your mailing. The best business is repeat business, especially when it repeats again and provides referrals as well. So, keep giving customers a reason to return and spend by sending compelling, irresistible offers.
Also, personalization of your direct mail has been shown to lift response rates as well. Using a name on the envelope and in the letter opening works much better than “Dear Occupant” or “Attention: Current Resident.”
If your list is small or otherwise not in good shape for your needs, you can use a bought or purchased list based on the demographics of your target market. But do put some effort into keeping your customer database up to date. There is gold in your customer contact information. Don’t squander it, develop it.
The other element of the 40/40/20 rule is your creative, which represents 20 percent of direct mail success. Creative includes copy, format, graphics and even your envelope. Speaking of, no one is reading your letter unless they are willing to take a moment to tear into that envelope. Give them a reason to do so with copy on the outside, including a benefit or tease that tells them “open immediately.”
Once your letter-writing begins, you’ve got room to stretch out for a bit – arousing curiosity, getting to the specifics, building credibility and overcoming objections. Start by drawing a picture of what the customer is likely experiencing and how this offer is the solution to the problem. Then keep going to develop the details that will encourage someone to respond – including testimonials, statistics and guarantees that provide proof and reduce risk.
Testimonials and third-party statistics provide social proof that reassures customers that they’re making the right decisions. Humans are a conflicted bunch. Although we like to be unique, we like to do what everyone else is doing too. And one of the biggest fears (in addition to concerns about family safety and security) is simply the fear of missing out. Setting a limit (“Only 10 left in stock”) triggers that fear.
Overall, focus on benefits instead of features. Then push for a response in a call-to-action. Don’t hide or be vague about the next step they need to take. Make the call-to-action stand out. Use a bold graphic with clear copy that gives them directions that are easy to follow.
Also, remember that customers have different communication preferences. Some will still make a phone call, while others prefer to text. Others will visit a website to check you out then schedule an appointment. Give them options so they can choose the one they prefer.
Before you wrap up your letter, add a P.S. after the close. This is about eye direction and human behavior as much as anything else. Studies show that your recipient’s eyes go to the P.S., so make sure you’ve got a summary of your offer and its value, plus a reminder of the urgency to push them to a response.
As your mailing and fulfillment service sends your piece to neighborhood mailboxes, an integrated marketing campaign that incorporates online media such as web content, social media and digital advertising will raise your letter’s visibility. Multiple impressions work together to get attention and generate leads. Incorporating email follow-ups, especially when using an in-house list, is very useful too. Similarly, don’t stop at one mailing, but follow up a letter with a postcard or two to increase response rates.
Track and measure your results as well to know what works best and what to fine-tune. Before you send to the full list, you can start with a smaller test sample. This process can help you gain confidence or fine-tune corrections as you track response to the sample.
For the full mailing, you can apply a few tricks of the track to track response. For example, you can use a promotional code that you ask customers to use when scheduling an appointment. You can create a unique URL and landing page for the letter and track visits to that page following the mailing. In addition to printing the web address in the letter, you could also include a QR code that sends visitors to that unique URL. You could keep track of calls to a unique phone number designated for the offer. At the very least, you could have call takers ask, “How did you hear about us?” or “Did you receive our letter?”