Types Of Direct Mail Pieces And Their Uses – Saving Money On Mailing Costs

The key to saving money on mailing costs lies in a basic understanding of types of Direct Mail and their best uses. Knowing this can help save you money and generate more leads for your business. Using the wrong type of mailer for the type of prospect you are trying to reach can be a waste of your valuable resources. When deciding on the type of direct mailers, consider the life style and habits of the person who is receiving it. Choosing the type of mailer matched to your prospects can pay huge dividends in returns. The following is a list of the basic direct mail pieces and the best ways to use them.

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Postcards

Postcards are economical to print and mail. Postcards are effective for most products or services. Postcards come in a variety of sizes. The reason postcards are effective in generating leads is mainly that your prospect does not need to open anything to see your message. The right offer put in an eye-catching design will generate leads. If you would like more information on postcard marketing click here.

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Pros:

a. Prospect does not have to open anything to see the message. You mail a post card and you make an impression.

b. Unlike other medias available to you, people do still get their mail. They will at least see your message.

c. Postcards are inexpensive to print and mail. This allows you to reach prospective buyers more often.

d. Post card results are easily tracked.

e. You can target exactly the prospect you want to reach.

Cons:

a. Limited space, your message has to be focused.

Self-mailers

Self-mailers are effective for most products or services. They are made in a variety of sizes. The term self-mailer means they stand alone in the mail and are not inserted into an envelope. Self-mailers are usually tri or bi-folded pieces. They are best used for products or services that need more space for photos and product information.

Pros:

a. Are effective in generating leads.

b. More space to display product information.

c. You can better position your company’s products and services.

d. Are well suited to build image and corp. identity.

e. If designed properly, prospect does not have to open anything to get the main benefit.

Cons:

a. Mailing costs are slightly higher than with post cards.

b. Because of increased space available, some feel the urge to load up the piece with too much information. Marketing materials with too much information tend not to be read and end up in the trash. The purpose is to give them enough information to generate interest so they will call you.

c. Some marketing people tend to confuse brochures and self-mailers. They are similar but different mediums with two different purposes. A self-mailer’s purpose is to generate interest and leads. A brochure’s purpose is to help move the prospect from interest to decision.

Lead Letters

Lead letters are mostly written communication to a prospect. They should conform to social etiquette for letters. They allow you room to include more information in the form of inserts. The letters should be personalized. Lead letters work well for reaching professional type clients who have people who screen mail traffic for them. You can design the envelope to look personal or official depending on the market you are trying to reach.

Pros:

a. Are highly personalized.

b. Give you more space to include more information.

c. Are effective in reaching professional clients.

d. Look less commercial.

e. Look important to prospects.

Cons:

a. Higher cost to produce.

b. Higher mailing costs.

c. Prospect has to open something to get message.

Mailing Service

Wilson Printing offers mailing service as well. We are linked up with the post office through our software so we can get the lowest postage for you. Our mailing service is there to save you time and money on your post card and other marketing mailings.

Wilson mails not only postcards, but tri-fold self mailers and lead generation letters. We can suggest the program that will get the best results for your particular product or service.

Getting your direct mail marketing materials into the hands of your customers and prospects means involving the postal system. But navigating postal regulations can be an overwhelming undertaking. Fortunately, a little knowledge can go a long way toward demystifying the wide array of mailing services that can be used for successful marketing campaigns.

Rest assured that you don’t have to tackle the mailing process on your own.

The following services are available to help make your mailing a breeze:

• Mailing List Rental. Rent a list of names and addresses.
• List Processing and CASS Certification. This service cleans up the duplicates and identifies any potentially undeliverable addresses in your mailing list.
• Addressing. For just pennies a piece, high-speed equipment can ink-jet the destination address, return address and mailing indicia all at once.
• Variable data. Customize your mail pieces with personalized greetings or sequential numbering, either during or instead of the addressing process.
• Inserting and tabbing. The latest technology makes it easier than ever to insert cards, letters or multiple pieces into envelopes, and tab or seal folded brochure mailers.

If you have questions about the mailing process, we would be happy to walk you through it. Just give us a call or stop in with your questions.

Mailing Lists

Wilson Printing offers mailing lists. The correct list can determine the success of your mailing. It is important that you take a good look at the product or service you are promoting to see who is buying it and who would be prospects for it. You will find that there will be things they have in common such as for residential mailings, age, sex, income, geographic area or other identifying characteristics. Our marketing consultants can help you weed through this and get the best list for your product or service.

Once you have your list, it is important that you go at your marketing with the correct point of view. The best results are obtained with consistent, regular and repetitious mailings to the list. You will get better results the 3rd or 4th time you mail to a list than you do the first couple of times. Why? There are a couple of reasons why this is 1) the prospect does not need the product or service at the exact time you mail them, but will in the future. 2) We live in an over advertised society, people block out most of the advertising they see and hear. Only a well designed post card or letter will get their attention and will only get their attention if they see it several times. Our marketing consultants and graphic designers can help you come up with a message that will motivate prospects to call. But you do have to make a commitment to be regular and consistent with your marketing.

To start a direct mail program call us at 727-536-4173.

Mark Hale

CEO