How to Increase Direct Mail Response Rates in 2021

Direct Mail Gets the Job Done

A thoughtful, well-planned direct mail campaign can benefit any type of business, any nonprofit group, or any organization that wants to raise awareness or advertise an event. Direct mail can announce the opening of a new store, introduce new products to known customers, or spread a message to people willing to receive it. What makes direct mail so effective is its ability to target specific customers and certain demographics.

This blog will discuss why direct mail offers a better response rate and tips for how to improve your response rate for your next direct mail campaign.

What Is a Good Response Rate for Direct Mail?

It may come as a surprise to some people, but direct mail enjoys some of the best rates of return of any advertising medium. Here are some statistics to give you some background about targeted direct mail response rates:

41% of mail recipients say they look forward to getting the mail every day.
42% of mail recipients read or scan all the mail they get, including advertisements.
73% of American consumers prefer direct mail because they control when and where they read the message.

The average response for a direct mail campaign is .5% to 2%. This means out of every 100 recipients, 2 to 4 people respond, and half of them take action. The more you spread your brand and your message, these rates increase. Here are some ways to do that.

Choose Your Targets Wisely

You should already know who your ideal reader is. The next step is to find prospects who are likely to follow up on your message or offer. This means lists that have been cleansed of active customers, chronic non-responders, and irrelevant recipients, so you spend more of your advertising dollar finding new customers. What you don’t want to do is blast your message out to a cold list of random targets—that’s called junk mail. Instead, it’s much more effective to send a response to an individual or a household that has a pre-stated interest.

Use a Great Design

This goes beyond flashy colors to the size of the mailer and the cardstock you use. Great designs are what draws the eye to your mail piece, and when you send something with a unique look and feel, people remember it.

Personalize!

Postcard printing technology has developed to where each individual piece of mail can feature customized content depending on the recipient. From pictures to text, even to preferred color palettes, personalization is how a direct mail piece makes a connection with the recipient. You can even use a personalized postcard to thank your customer after an important sale.

Start Small

One of the great things about direct mail is that you can start a campaign with just a handful of clients. This allows you to test customer responses to a certain product or service.

Make It Easy With a Clear Call to Action

Personalization means you can include a QR Code or barcode that is targeted at the recipient and directs them to a personalized landing page that addresses their specific needs. This allows you to use space on your mailers for eye-catching design instead of a wall of text.

Remember, a Campaign Doesn’t Have to Stop at One Mailing

The success of one mailing can be used to boost response rates of a second related mailing. Sequential mailing acts as a reminder of previous interest, and it increases your odds of reaching the right customer at the right time.

Choose Presort as Your Direct Mail Partner

The Presort Inc. team is here to help you design, print, and implement a direct mail campaign that makes sense for your organization and your advertising budget.

The Presort Plus tool allows you to track response rates and maximize the impact of your direct mail campaigns.
Our printing services are customized to your designs and your specific direct mail strategy.

Presort Inc. provides first-class mail services at a discounted cost to businesses large and small. It’s more important in today’s competitive environment than ever to get your direct mail pieces delivered to your targeted mailing list quickly, consistently, and efficiently.