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Direct mail marketing can at times include some guesswork on your part. Where should it go and who should it go to? What should it say? What day should it be mailed out? With direct mail, the answers to these questions may not be the same for everyone but there are ways you can take some of the guesswork out.

Here are 3 ways that you can test to determine the success of your direct mail campaign:

1. MAILING LIST

Choosing the right mailing list is an important step in your direct mail campaign. You can have a great design and a great offer but without mailing to the right audience, your direct mail could fall short.  There are a variety of different types of lists to choose from such as Consumer, Saturation, Business and Specialty Lists.  Once you decide what type of list will work best for your company, mail to that list several times. With all of the advertisement being thrown at a consumer on a daily basis, it can sometimes take more than once to get your message across. For some people, the first time they receive your direct mail may not be the time they need it. That’s why it is always good to follow up.

2. OFFER

The offer on your direct mail is going to be one of the the main reasons your prospects respond. Without the right offer, your potential clients may not take action. It’s important to not only come up with a strong offer but test your offer. You could do this by sending out several different campaigns or by taking one campaign and sending one offer to half of the list and another offer to the other half of the list. You can also change the way you word your offer. For example, on one mailing you could say “save 50%” and on another mailing say “save $250.” By testing, you can determine what offer or wording gets the best response.

3. TIMING & FREQUENCY

 Another thing to consider when sending out direct mail is the timing. Is there a holiday coming up? Is there a certain time of the year where budgets allow more spending?  Maybe there is a day of the week that your customer will be more likely to respond. A great way to test for the best timing of your mail is by splitting up your mailing list. You could send half of your mail at the beginning of the month and the other half at the end.  It’s also helpful to consider how often you reach out to your target markets. That may include email, newsletters, social media outreach, etc. You may not want to send out a direct mail campaign the same week you are contacting them for something else.

Sending out one postcard campaign and hoping for amazing results may not be realistic.  It’s better to be consistent and keep your name out there. Keep testing to determine what works best for you. If you want some suggestions our marketing specialists are ready to help and we can work with any budget. Call us today 800-394-9393.