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Direct Mail Tips
- Set your criteria for recipients.
Criteria can include company size, types of
products it manufactures or distributes, their
SIC code, number of years in business, and other
key criteria. Don't use a "shotgun approach".
Make sure your list mailing employs a "rifle"
approach.
- Getting an appropriate list.
Direct mail marketers often cite the 60-30-10
Rule. Translated that means 60% of your mail
success depends on the list, 30% on the offer
and only 10% on the creativity. It is critical
to obtain, or generate, a mail list with the
correct target companies or audience for your
products, services, and the most important first
step. Consider using a list broker to identify
the list that meets your needs most concisely.
- Make sure the list is current.
If it is 12-18 months old, and many are, up to
30% of the information may be inaccurate!
- Eliminate the duplicates.
Don't send the same letter to the same company
unless it is to different locations or different
names who are identified with titles that make
them likely decision makers for your product,
service, or offer.
- Always mail to a person, not a title.
Obtain accurate first and last name, with
correct spelling, and the titles of the intended
recipients. If you have questions about the data
obtained, verify through state, regional, or
local manufacturer's directories, association
lists, trade publication lists, or simply call
the company to get the correct information.
Misspelled names, company names, or addresses
can doom your mailing to the trash basket
without a second thought on the part of the
recipient.
- Clean up truncations.
Many list are sold with truncated company names
"Co", "Corp", "Mfgs", "Mfrs" and many others.
Others have truncated titles. Don't send out a
letter to "John Smith, "Treas." or John Smith,
Pres." This will likely send your envelope or
mail piece direct to the trash basket.
- Don't allow your list to be used until
these truncations are cleaned up and expanded.
If you get more motivated, make sure you clean
up all the address truncations, "Dr", "St",
"Ct", "Trl", "Blvd" etc. Clean them up to ensure
your envelope address looks as much like a
personalized letter as possible.
- Mine your customer list.
Your best potential for new sales lies with
companies you have already produced for or
serviced. Make sure past and current customers
know about all the services or products you
offer, not just the ones they have taken
advantage of in the past.
- Check existing customers for the right
contact.
Look at the titles of those you usually work
with at your existing customers. Determine the
titles of those you deal with most often. Then
target those titles when you seek list data for
your contacts with your new mailing campaign.
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