Have you ever looked in your mailbox, found a piece of promotional or “direct” mail, and simply tossed it away without giving it another thought? Of course you have – most of us have probably done this in the recent past. There’s so much information coming at us all the time, especially through smart phones and social media, that we can hardly stand to process another uninvited message from a business we don’t have any intention of using anyway. For all the effort it took to put that piece of mail in your mailbox, it goes into the recycling bin without another glance.
But there is a reason why so many businesses continue to design, plan, and send out direct mail to countless addresses: It still works. Businesses are still reaching business goals through direct mail, even if they haven’t found way to be consistent. When you consider how flooded most online information channels have become, sending a piece of physical mail is actually a sensible way to cut through the clutter – and many organizations know this.
Let’s cut to the chase and talk about the single most important factor in running a successful direct mail campaign. It’s not the design or wording of the message, and it’s not the efficiency with which the materials are printed and produced. These are obviously important factors, and you want a specialist who is going to deliver on these fronts. But everything else pales in comparison to the quality of the mailing list for your direct mail campaign.
Think about it: You could have the greatest design in the history of direct mail. Your messaging could be perfectly on point, and your materials could be printed and prepared to the highest possible level of professionalism. But if those materials aren’t being mailed out to the right people, you simply won’t have results. Most of the people who end up with your message in their hands will toss it in the bin and never look back. If this occurs in sufficient numbers, all that planning and designing will have been in vane.
There is something good that can come out of a failed direct mail campaign such as this, however. Namely, you’ll learn that important lesson that mailing lists do matter. Not only to they matter, they are arguably the single most important factor in the success of any direct mail project.
That’s why it’s so important to find a reputable direct mail specialist who is truly invested in helping you reach your business goals. Direct mail professionals know the importance of mailing lists very well, and they know that the success of your project depends on reaching the right audience and the right demographic. When you talk to them about who is going to receive your message, they should give you solid answers and insights about making the greatest possible impact. When you ask about the quality of the mailing list you will receive, they should have solid answers that build confidence in the partnership. Most of all, when you read reviews of past clients, you should see a high degree of satisfaction and results. Mailing lists are truly important. Be sure to let your direct mail specialist know it!
