5 Tips to Get the Most Out of Direct Mail Campaign at Low Cost

There is a good reason why businesses have been using direct mail for over 100 years – it works! Direct mail is highly targeted and has a much higher response rate than other forms of marketing. Nearly 8 in 10 consumers respond to direct mail by searching online or visiting the brand’s own website, a powerful demonstration of how direct mail can drive traffic and increase online sales.

Despite its proven power to deliver results, many businesses still worry about the costs involved. While it obviously costs more to send a piece of direct mail than it does to send an email, emails are far more likely to get ignored or deleted. Direct mail costs are more manageable than most companies think and return on investment is high. Here are 5 tips for how to keep costs down on your first direct mail campaign.

1. Reuse mail templates. It’s a waste of time and effort to start from scratch every time you need a mail design. Instead, create some templates that can be adjusted with new information as necessary. For example, you could make a template with all of your branding and contact information built in and simply change the dates and details of your promotions when it comes time to print. Your template design should be eye-catching and uncluttered – if you’re not much of an artist, consider hiring a professional designer to create the initial artwork.
2. Switch to franking. You’ll make significant savings over the cost of buying stamps if you invest in a franking machine. Franking your mail rather than using a postage stamp will save 16p on a 1st class letter and 19p on a 2nd class letter. That might not sound like much but it will soon add up when you multiply it by all your outgoing mail. Companies with a higher volume of direct mail can make even bigger savings by sorting deliveries into collections of 500 or 1000 mail items and using bulk mail discounts like Royal Mail’s Business Mail Advanced. You can also use a franking machine to add your brand logo or company website URL to each mail piece, significantly boosting its promotional power.
3. Print in bulk. Printing a small volume run for each mailing will cost you a lot more in the long run. Instead, plan and print multiple mailers at the same time, or just print one mailer that’s reusable. Many printers or mail houses will store free of charge, particularly if you’re requesting a reasonable volume on a regular basis. Storing off-site means you can save money through bulk printing without having the office overflowing with paper.
4. Improve your mailing lists. The more accurate and targeted your mailing lists are, the more likely you’ll be to convert your mail into sales. Start by using customer surveys to hone in on the type of people most likely to be interested in your brand. By refining your mailing list based on characteristics and demographics you’ll be sending mail to less people but with a higher conversion rate. Investing in mailing and address management software will also help reduce duplicate data and ensure that you minimise wasteful deliveries.
5. Send postcards. Envelopes are an added expense so consider using postcards for your direct mail campaign. Using a franked or pre-stamped postcard instead of a regular mail will help to reduce your mailing costs. Many online companies offer direct mail postcards for affordable rates. In addition, some will offer a ‘one-stop shop’, providing software to create your postcard, managing mail preparation and delivery, and even selling direct mailing lists. Check the cost differences for different sizes of direct mail postcard – as well as the difference between printing two-colour and four-colour – before you opt for one.

If you run a small business, you probably don’t have a big marketing budget. That’s why it’s vital to make the most of limited resources. Direct mail can be one of the most effective means of marketing your brand – bringing in an average return of £3.22 for every £1 spent, more even than digital advertising – so make the most of it by saving money where you can. Direct mail is trustworthy, lasts longer and leads to stronger brand loyalty – and with these money-saving tips, it’s cost-efficient too!