Direct Mail

Direct Mail Flyers For Target Market

In the United States, annual spending for direct mail advertising is approximately $60 billion and this figure is increasing every year by seven to eight percent. The United States Postal Service reports that companies distributed about 100 billion direct mail pieces in 2005. There are various reasons why more and more businesses have opted to launch direct mail campaigns to market their products and services. However, the most accurate explanation about this marketing phenomenon is the fact that this strategy works. And because it does, the average customer gets twice as much direct mail flyers or brochures than he normally gets.

The growth of the direct mail marketing industry also brought about the emergence of different direct mail formats. This development came about due to the increasing need for companies to outdo their competitors in terms of customer response. Among direct mail formats, postcards are the most common and are the most affordable in terms of printing and mailing. The disadvantage of this particular format is its limited space.

In addition, many companies opt to distribute direct mail flyers because this is an effective way for them to get their marketing communication across quickly. Unlike postcards, direct mail flyers allow companies to explore their creativity in coming up with attractive designs and color schemes. Texts that are used should be compelling enough to mail recipients and at the same time, wording should be brief and concise for the message to fit the advertising space. Direct mail flyers can be printed in different paper types and may be printed through 4 color, spot color, black and white, and color on the front and back designs. These direct mail flyers can be mailed out to introduce a special product feature or handed out during events and business gatherings. These may also be sent out as self-mailers or inserted into direct mail packages. Self-mailers is a direct mail format wherein mailing pieces are not placed inside envelopes and sheets where the marketing communication is printed will only be folded. Other less common direct mail formats are dimension mailers like small boxes and intelligent documents or mail pieces that are programmed with database information and printable digitally. The direct mail format that will be used for a particular campaign should be carefully considered as it will have an implication on the total advertising cost. Other costs that would have to be taken into account are costs for postage, design of the mail, printing of the marketing materials, purchase of mailing list, mail house processing and order fulfillment.

It is important for marketers to consider if the target market is receptive to a particular format. For example, direct mail flyers or postcards may work for current customers but not for people who have not tried a product or service yet. Since these people need more convincing, sales letters, brochures or catalogs may be sent to them. It is very important for all these direct mail materials, regardless of the format, to have devices that will enable customers to make a response. Also, this response device helps marketers measure the effectiveness of a direct mail campaign.

Direct Mail