Tips in choosing a great direct mail agency
How can you choose a direct mail agency that will give you results? What does a direct mail agency do for your business? Why should you be doing direct mail in the first place?
Do you wonder why you should be doing direct mail in this age of digital results? Everyone is spending their money on Facebook ads, Google and other online marketing methods. Which is exactly why you should consider going with the old school proven way of getting sales and leads. Direct mail can be customized to look just like a personal letter that gets opened every time. Or, you can choose to go with a dramatic form of direct mail to grab attention. One example is using a plastic money bag to send your materials in. It generates curiosity and gets the piece opened. Direct mail works.
The role of a direct mail agency
What does a direct mail agency do for you? It can vary dramatically between agencies, but here are a few things you should look for. Your agency can help you create the mailing piece, including copywriting and design. They can help you choose a mailing list to target your ideal audience unless you already have a mailing list. The agency can guide you in cutting direct mail marketing costs on the mailing.
Keep in mind, cutting costs is not always in your best interest and a great agency will tell you that. Many times, using a first-class stamp instead of bulk mail will increase your open and delivery rates dramatically. Also, if you are targeting someone who is used to filtering out direct mail advertising, you may need to go bold with a 3D mailing to peak interest. A 3D mailing includes a small item in the package to increase curiosity and get your envelope opened.
How do you choose a direct mail agency that produces results? You ask. Ask for information on past projects they have done for other clients. Ask about response rates and conversion rates. You should ask for references and then take the time to call the references.
Those few questions will help you determine if the agency has a record of success, or not.
One final thing to keep in mind, you should ask the agency about how they can help you with split testing your offers. Small tweaks in your headlines, your envelope or your offer could dramatically alter your results. Make sure your agency can help you test and track every mailing you make.
Hopefully, these few thoughts help you choose the right agency and gets you started making money with your direct mail offers.