Letters and Postcards and Brochures…Oh My!

Finding the Right Direct Mail Piece for Your Business

You’ve created your targeted mailing list. You’ve set realistic goals. You’ve created a compelling offer and written your copy. So what’s left? Your creative.

Do you want to mail a letter, a brochure, a postcard, catalog, or a full-blown direct mail package? As you refine your use of direct mail, you will discover that different audiences and different offers require different formats. Here are a few of the common direct mail pieces:

Postcards
One of the most versatile options in direct marketing, a postcard is the perfect medium for delivering a quick campaign in a small space. Postcards are ideal for service reminders, invitations, announcements, or special events (like a sale). They’re economical and can be launched quickly. The best benefit of a postcard is, unlike a letter, there’s nothing to open – all you have to do is flip it over!

Self-Mailers
Larger and more elaborate than a postcard, a self-mailer can be a single piece of paper folded in half so the mailing panel is on the outside. Self-mailers are relatively inexpensive because, just like a postcard, you don’t incur envelope costs. Another bonus: They give you more room to feature your product or service. The downside? Some recipients view them as junk mail and immediately throw them away. However, self-mailers have proven to be effective vehicles for advertising seminars and promoting conferences.

Letters
Even in today’s era of online marketing, sales letters still work. Why? A letter allows you to tell your story persuasively. It gives you the forum to offer solutions that speak directly to your customer’s or prospect’s problems. It creates a sense of urgency that motivates your readers to respond immediately. And it’s versatile: Use a letter to introduce your business, provide news and updates, appeal for donations, and much more. Regardless of what you include in your sales letter, don’t forget to ask for the sale.

Fliers
Often accompanying a letter or handed out at a meeting, a flier provides additional information on your product or service. A word of caution: Don’t make the flier depend on the sales letter – it should be able to stand on its own in telling your company’s story. Chances are you’ll have other uses for a flier such as including it with an invoice or in a display rack.

Brochures and Catalogs
If you sell a wide variety of products or want more room to tell your story, a brochure or catalog may be the way to go. Multiple-page formats provide room for plenty of copy, photos, and graphics to showcase your offerings.

Direct Mail Package
Designed to tell a complete story, the direct mail package provides a lot of room and multiple ways to showcase your product or service. The typical direct mail package contains any or all of these elements: an envelope, letter, brochure, order form, and reply card. You can also throw in “extras” to emphasize benefits or advertise special offers. These can include stickers, fliers, buck slips to summarize your letter, or lift letters to reinforce your message.

Direct mail gives you all these choices. Use the right vehicle for your next marketing campaign.