Direct Mail is a powerful tool when used properly because it gives you direct access to your target customers and clients. But Direct Mail has to be handled with care and precision.

Here are some essential do’s and don’ts for making your direct mail produce results.

• The Golden Rule of Direct Mail is to test and measure everything. This is the only way to determine with precision whether your campaigns are successful and should be rolled out on a larger scale.
  
  
• You should start testing a new Direct Mail campaign with a small number. Depending on the size of your business this may be a few hundred or a couple of thousand.
  
  
• By far the best place to start increasing your Direct Mail is with your existing customers and clients. How often do you mail them now and what would happen if you increased the frequency of mailing?
  
  
• Always include a letter with a brochure - statistically, it will improve the response.
  
  
• The first thing people will read in your letter is the headline (or the first line of the letter if there is no headline) and the PS. So make sure these convey your message in a concise way.
  
  
• Make sure that your mailings focus on the benefits that your customers/clients are going to receive.
  
  
• If you get a good response from a mailing – and repeat that mailing two or three weeks later – you are likely to get another significant response  – around 50% of the first mailing.
  
  
• Consider the break-even concept. This involves using Direct Mail to target new customers and clients – even if the mailings only break even. Providing a percentage of them do repeat business with you - it can be a very effective way to rapidly grow your customer base.

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