Tips for Your Call to Action on Direct Mail Campaigns

Direct mail campaigns can be terrific marketing tools. While e-mail marketing can be mistaken for spam or deleted without opening by busy recipients, direct mail offers an opportunity to stand out.

One of the best ways to get a response is to craft a strong Call to Action (CTA) with every message. Here are three tips on the best ways to maximize the impact of your CTA.

  1. Offer an incentive. You want people to respond to your CTA. In e-mail marketing, responders often get something (a newsletter, a free e-book) to incentivize the all-important clicks. You need to incentivize your customers as well. Offer them a discount or a two-for-one sale with specific ending date. Tell them the first consultation is free. Make sure you offer these incentives only in connection with the direct mail campaign, or they’ll lose the incentive value.
  2. Know your audience. What does your audience want? What drives them? There’s no substitute for knowing them. Do you sell pizza, and Big Game Night is on television? Make sure they get a discount direct mail from you! Do you sell or rent formal wear? Start your direct mail campaign several months before prom and weddings roll around in May and June. Offer free viewings and consultations. Do you sell tax services? Contact your audience before tax time rolls around, when they get their W-2s.
  3. Make it easy to respond. Their response should be simplicity itself. If it takes too much time or effort, they are unlikely to do it. Make sure they can phone, e-mail, text, or drop a response postcard in the mail. If by phone, have an 800 number and make sure it’s clearly visible.