Test everything when using a direct mail marketing strategy
Creating a return on their investment is one of the most important things for marketers when they are thinking up strategies to promote their products and services. In a recent article for Deliver magazine, Kurt Konow, a Chicago marketing strategist at Ricoh, discussed the importance of testing the returns that come from direct mail.
“It’s more important than ever to show the physical piece is still bringing in returns, that you’re getting people to respond and converting people with your message and offer - because it’s often the first thing to be eliminated,” Konow told the magazine.
If a marketing budget allows for it, businesses should monitor the successes and failures of all aspects of their mailings. According to the magazine, businesses should measure the response to their mailing list, their offer, the message in the mailing, the type of package and the kind of stamp. A few testing strategies businesses can use are A/B splits, which use a control mail sample compared with samples that change a single element, and multivariate testing, which simultaneously changes multiple design elements for a promotional piece.
Understanding the importance of testing their mailings, businesses need a direct mail piece that can "wow" their audience. By using web-to-print software, marketers can create personalized mailings that have a better chance of bringing in a higher ROI.