Direct marketing sales letters are letters and packets mailed to a target audience. Popularly called “junk mail,” they generate millions of dollars in sales to businesses all across America. What some people call junk, others find valuable. Just go to any yard sale.
Contrary to popular belief, snail mail is not dead. Direct marketing sales letters are not curious artifacts from ancient history. In fact, they’re alive and well. Many businesses still use this valuable marketing method to promote their products and services, get leads and customers, and generate sales.
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Why you should consider direct marketing sales letters
Everyone does email, but few do snail mail. So this is one way you can make your company stand out from all the rest.
People don’t get much mail anymore. How often do you check your mailbox to find . . . nothing? So when they see your letter, it stands out.
Sure, they may just throw it in the garbage as “junk,” but at least they saw the teaser on the envelope. And if they opened it, they at least saw the headline, and other inserts. Maybe they even glanced at the offer.
But many email marketing letters are marked as “spam,” and are never even seen by the recipient.
At least the recipient will have seen your direct marketing letter. They had to physically handle it. Chances are it didn’t go directly in the garbage, but on a desk or table to be dealt with later.
To be dealt with later. Yeah, possibly thrown away. But chances are it just lies there, subliminally getting the attention of passersby, the envelope teaser piquing their curiosity if even for a moment.
Then several days later the recipient takes a hard look at it again. “Hmm,” he says, “I wonder what this is about.”
So he sits back in his recliner and starts to read. The headline captures his attention. The lead draws him in.
The promise that your product or service will solve a pressing need of his intrigues him. It’s a problem he never realized he had. The benefits are unbelievable, but the proof is convincing. He wishes he would’ve known about this product or service five years earlier.
He reads the offer that he can’t refuse. The other inserts seal the deal. He fills out the order form and drops it in the mail.
Congratulations! You just got a new customer!
Incredible stats
Here are a few statistics from smallbizgenius.net and compu-mail.com: check out these links for more stats.
73% of American consumers would rather receive direct mail sales letters, so they can read it at their leisure.
36:1, the ratio of all emails people get to all pieces of snail mail.
90% of direct mail gets opened, but only 20-30% of emails.
17 days: the average amount of time a direct mail letter lives before being thrown in the garbage.
17 seconds: The average lifespan of an email before being deleted.
28%: Direct mail recipients bought 28% more items and spent 28% more money than those who didn’t get that direct marketing sales letter.
29% ROI (return on investment) for direct marketing sales letters.
As you can see, sending out sales letters through the post office is still a great way to market your business.
Do your research first
If you have never done this type of marketing in the past, then before you decide to do it, you need to do your research. Direct sales marketing is not for every business.
For example, direct sales marketing is probably not the best way to market a small $5 gadget with a $1 profit, unless your purpose is to promote brand awareness or upsell these new customers.
So here are some questions to think about:
What is the purpose of this marketing campaign? To generate leads, get more customers, increase sales, upsell existing customers, promote brand or product awareness, or something else?
How much is the campaign going to cost? You may be able to get a bulk rate from the post office. You also need to figure in costs of a copywriter, graphic designer, printing services, stuffing and addressing envelopes, free offers or free gifts, and others.
Of course, if you want to do it the cheaper way, you could just mail out a postcard. Or you could have a one-page letter with no graphics that you print on your office printer. But you still need to consider the cost of paper and ink. You don’t need to offer any freebies, either.
What is your expected response rate? If your mailing list is just a bunch of random people addressed to: Current Resident, 123 Main St., Anytown, USA, you will have a much lower response rate. If your mailing list consists of existing or former customers, then you will have a much higher response rate. You can also purchase mailing lists targeted to a specific demographic which will increase your response rate.
What is your expected ROI? This is important to determine the success or failure of the campaign.
Of course you want your direct marketing sales letter campaign to be a success. So be certain you do your research first, you have a quality product or service to offer that people want, you have a mailing list that is targeted to your audience, you have a copywriter who can write a persuasive sales letter, and a graphic designer that can put it all together that will catch the attention of the recipient.
Then you can sit back and watch the sales roll in. Savor your success. Watch your business grow. But don’t sit for too long. You need to get up and get moving to retain these new customers. Make sure they’re satisfied and keep coming back for more.
A key to your success
In order to have a successful direct marketing campaign, you need a knowledgeable copywriter to write the letter and inserts. Your marketing letter must capture the attention of your prospect and move him to want to buy your product or service.
So, a successful copywriter will possess the knowledge and skills to write effective, persuasive copy.
And you have an effective copywriter right here. I have been trained with the best course in the field by the best company in the field, the American Writers and Artists Institute.
I will do my best to make your direct marketing campaign a success.
Please contact me today to discuss how I can help you grow your business with your direct marketing sales letter campaign.