Get to the Point: Why Less is Sometimes More When it Comes to Your Direct Mail Pieces
Direct mail campaigns have long been an indispensable part of any solid marketing strategy because they incorporate the sense of touch, which is something digital marketing cannot do. For all their proven success driving sales generation, strongly targeted mailing pieces can be difficult to create. When it comes to direct mail, the old adage that “less is more” rings true as too much copy can be a bad thing. The verbiage you choose should be concise and effective. Overdoing it with photos and graphics can have a negative effect, too.
One of the biggest hurdles marketing professionals face on this front is a tendency to delve too deeply into the subject matter for which they have a passion. Proving you are an expert on your product is important, but better reserved for face-to-face discussions on the sales floor or in your office. When it comes to crafting a direct mailing campaign, it is usually a good idea to adhere to the acronym “KISS” (keep it short and sweet).
You have probably heard of the KISS concept before, but how exactly does it apply to branded mailings? Put yourself in the customer’s place for a minute. You’re sifting through your mail after a stressful Wednesday when you come across something that looks more like the Epic of Gilgamesh than a catalog – how likely are you to actually read it?
In other words, a direct mail campaign virtually guarantees your message will get into the consumer’s hand, but not that they will actually read it. Keeping your pieces concise and to-the-point exponentially increases your chances of getting the customer engaged in your product.
Characteristics of Effective Direct Mail Copy
Keeping your copy short isn’t enough. Your copy needs to engage the reader and encourage the consumer to take action.
The expert marketer achieves this by limiting their mailings to three key areas: what their product does, why it is better than the competition, and a call to action. With an efficiency of language in mind, you should strive to limit each of these points to a few punchy sentences or impactful bullet points. All copy with sentences should be short. Bullets points are very helpful for keeping your reader’s attention and a clean aesthetic.
A good call to action is appropriate to your product. If you’re selling a big-ticket item, your call to action to should be an invitation to your store to engage with the consumer face-to-face. So, if you’re trying to sell a car, your copy needs to clearly direct the reader to pay a visit to your dealership. If you’re selling something that doesn’t have much sticker shock, your call to action could include a coupon code to be used online or in-person. The steps you want your potential customers to take should be clear and easy to follow.
Beyond having great copy on your direct mail, it’s important to keep it clean and crisp. Too many photos and graphics or busy fonts and color schemes can overwhelm the recipient. Consulting with graphic designers is wise as they know the ins and outs of developing compelling and visually-pleasing imagery.
If you want to develop effective direct mail campaigns, our experts at Pel Hughes can help. We provide polished and professional-looking print materials to businesses of all sizes. For quotes, give our team a call today at (504) 486-8646 or fill out a simple contact form on our website.
