Is direct mail even relevant in 2024? Direct mail may be more relevant today than ever. In a world where we are constantly bombarded by digital marketing, a piece of physical mail will help you stand out from the competition. However, there are six pitfalls to avoid when using direct mail as a marketing strategy.

1- Where is the Sales Pitch?

When a potential client opens your letter, you have, at the most, six seconds before your mailing gets tossed into the recycling bin. Do not put your best sales pitch in the middle of the flyer. Start by grabbing the reader’s attention. Ask a thought-provoking question, wow the reader with a crazy statistic, or address what is most important to them. The point is to keep them reading.

2- Forgot the Test Mailers

Always send out a few test mailers first. Why? You want to test how long it takes the mailers to start hitting mailboxes. If you included an offer that expires by a preset date, you want the mailers to reach your target audience in time. Also, you can only predict or hope the response to your mailer. Sending test mailers will help you gauge responses and make changes if necessary.

3- An Ugly Design

If you want to grab someone’s attention, ensure the design is worth looking at. Get other people’s opinions. Also, make sure to proofread your copy. Nothing is worse than typos, misspelled words, and grammar errors. Keep your copy to a minimum. No one is going to read a long letter. Now is the time to be creative. If you sell perfume, make your letter look like a perfume bottle.

4- No Call to Action

The call to action needs to be concise. Spell out what you want your customers or clients to do after reading your mailer. Also, make it easy to find. Now is the time for bold, big letters to get attention. The offer should be worth the reader’s time, or your mailer will get tossed.

5- Make It Personal

People want their mail to be specifically for them. Make your customers feel they are important. It is hard to get too personal. For example, if you are selling dog food, you most likely do not have a picture of everyone’s pet to use on the mailer. However, maybe you have the pet’s name or the customer’s purchase history. Use the information to make the customer feel you are talking to them. Other information, including location, gender, age, and income, can help to personalize a mailer.

6- Use Other Marketing Strategies in the Mailer

The mailer does not and should not stand alone when trying to persuade action from the reader. Maybe the customer has not heard of the service or product you are trying to sell and wants to do homework. Include website information, social media platforms, and even a QR code with an extra offer or other helpful information. Not everyone will act quickly. Do not ignore the opportunity for a follow-up. Whether it is a quick email or text message, it will help to strengthen the chance of getting the customer to act.