Direct mail has proven to be an extremely effective way to bring customers through your door. However, many retailers fear their mailings are being deemed “junk” by potential shoppers. There are steps you can take in the design of your mailer to ensure the highest open rate possible.
Effective Branding
When marketing to current and potential customers, branding is key. It is important that customers recognize you immediately to prevent the question,“Who sent this to me?.” Potential customers may recognize your image if your brand is conveyed consistently across multiple marketing mediums (eg billboards, newspaper ads, local tv spots).
Some easy ways to establish brand guidelines include;
- Consistent font usage (i.e. use the same font for headlines throughout a season or multi-channel marketing campaign).
- Consistent color combinations (choose Pantone Colors to easily communicate with designers).
- Consistent logo usage & placement.
These guidelines need not be stringent throughout the year. For instance, you can introduce a new color palette based on the current season, as long as the mood (i.e. brights vs. pastels) and store image remains unchanged.
Clean, powerful graphics
No matter how great the offer, if it is hidden in a sea of unnecessary text or busy graphics, your message will not be conveyed effectively. Choose professional looking graphics and keep the copy to a minimum. The chosen graphics should convey the style and personality of your target demographic. It is not necessary to show specific items you carry. The main goal should be to create an image that your customer will want to mirror.
Attention Grabbing Headline
Your headline should be the largest text on the outside of your mailing piece. It is meant to intrigue the reader and encourage them to take action. There should be no other text in similar size or weight on the piece, this will distract from your message. Consider your audience when crafting your headline. Identify your target age group, gender, income and lifestyle. What drives them? How do they see themselves? An effective headline addresses your unique demographic in a meaningful way.
Valuable Offer
Your direct mailer can posses all the aforementioned qualities, but if the offer is not valuable to your customers, your response will be weak. What is your goal for the promotion? This should drive your offer. Are you looking to move inventory of suits to make room for summer merchandise? Offer $75 off a new suit with a $200 minimum. Whatever you decide for the offer, it should be obvious and easy to read. Keep exclusions to a minimum, as this makes the offer seem disingenuous to customers.
Don’t forget to track your results! One of the greatest advantages to direct mail is the ability to easily measure response and ROI. MarketPro is an online application that you can use at the register or in the back office. It only takes a few minutes each day, but can save you thousands annually by identifying which promotions are not worth the investment.
