Simply sell directly

Direct Mailing


During the past few years, the Internet brought numerous changes in our lives, including changes on the business self-promotion area, but the advertising material follows the same old principle of senders and receivers. It is widely thought that envelopes are still more successful than email messages which are often ignored. Traditional advertising based on a communication directly focused on a specific target can be highly more efficient than virtual communication.

How is social media relevant in the advertising of today?

The Internet is an invaluable resource because it is widely accessible and it provides an economical channel for exchanging and sharing information. At a very low cost, a company can reach a high number of people. At the same time though, the Internet remains weak when it comes to effectiveness. Any successful promotional strategy must determine a return of image and an economic return. However, social media provides more frequent return of image than economic return which means that not every “like” translates into a purchase. This happens because not all Internet users have the potential to become customers. Usually, people who use the Internet have the habit of looking at the ads and sharing the information, without actually making a purchase. Moreover, on the Internet there is a massive stream of information and your message can be easily lost in it. Internet users prefer to ignore any promotional message as a way to protect their time against the invasion of information. At the same time, Internet advertising has a very impersonal approach using tricks such as catchy headlines that hide uninteresting content and unnecessary products. For all these reasons, a printed letter is a better way to convey a message to a potential client, and a brochure addressed to the client directly can attract more attention than a catalog available only online.

Which promotional messages work better on the Internet and which in direct mail?

The Internet is an invaluable resource because it is widely accessible and it provides an economical channel for exchanging and sharing information. At a very low cost, a company can reach a high number of people. At the same time though, the Internet remains weak when it comes to effectiveness. Any successful promotional strategy must determine a return of image and an economic return. However, social media provides more frequent return of image than economic return which means that not every “like” translates into a purchase. This happens because not all Internet users have the potential to become customers. Usually, people who use the Internet have the habit of looking at the ads and sharing the information, without actually making a purchase. Moreover, on the Internet there is a massive stream of information and your message can be easily lost in it. Internet users prefer to ignore any promotional message as a way to protect their time against the invasion of information. At the same time, Internet advertising has a very impersonal approach using tricks such as catchy headlines that hide uninteresting content and unnecessary products. For all these reasons, a printed letter is a better way to convey a message to a potential client, and a brochure addressed to the client directly can attract more attention than a catalog available only online.

What are the pros and cons of direct mailing?

The low costs of online communication has made many entrepreneurs and businessmen to give up on paper-based material, yet the truth is that direct mailing is still the most efficient and spread tool of Direct Marketing strategies. It is true as well that making and delivering promotional material is much more expensive, but it is a strategy that keeps open a personal dialogue with clients, and make them more willing to actually read the material. A message directly addressed to a client determines a positive emotional response that makes him more interested in making purchases.

How to maximize the efficiency of direct mailing considering the high costs?

To have an effective direct mailing campaign means that the numbers of letters sent is equal or close to the number of purchases. Such a strategy must be treated more like a private correspondence than a commercial endeavor. There are some key tips to keep in mind when preparing a direct mailing campaign:

  1. Prepare a list of contacts that will receive the material. Considering the high costs, send your material only to clients with a clear, established interest in your offer.
  2. Personalize your message. Avoid to use “Dear customer” and use your client’s real name instead.
  3. Have an original and rewarding proposal. To raise effectiveness, use letters and brochures on special occasions, when you have something appealing to communicate to your client such as exclusive offers, launch of a new feature or product, a new service, or just discounts.
An idea for an exclusive offer is having a coupon attached to the letter. Usually, coupons determine economic value for the client and the company itself, despite being an investment for the company. It also creates a sense of trust and the client will feel more willing to open and read future letters.