Bob has been in Printing and Mailing since 1995. He is the President of GagePress.com and has worked with businesses to improve their ROI in the Direct Mail field.
I know what you're thinking, you have a great offer on a spectacular looking mail piece and you are sooooooo excited to send it out; you're like a kid on Christmas Eve and you can't wait to put that bad boy in the mail - but DON'T. Just sit back and take a deep breath. I have been there too, all excited about a direct mail piece that I think will set the world on fire - ready to reap the rewards of all the revenue that the mailer will generate. But before you send out that mailer consider a few things, because once it is entered at the Post Office it is too late to change your mind.
The first thing that you want to consider is that, while you have spent a lot of money on designing and printing your mailer, you have yet to spend 60% to 75% of the cost of doing Direct Mail - your postage. Hopefully you have proofed your card carefully and there are no printing issues, but double check because mistakes happen. Read over your piece to make sure it is as exactly as you approved. Also, have someone else look the card over, you have seen the card so many times you are no longer objective about the contents of the card. A fresh pair of eyes might see something that you have missed.
Now if you are mailing 1000 pieces or less, then go ahead and mail out the entire mailing. It is a small enough mailing that you should be able to handle the results of the mailing - just make sure to follow step one so that you don't get any nasty surprises such as the retailer who wanted to give 10% Off but instead mailed out cards for 100% Off - Oops!
The second thing you should do is to send out a test mailing. If you have the time send out a mailing that is 10% to 20% of your total mailing. If you do, you may find the results to be very enlightening. It will give you a fairly accurate indication of how your event will turn out. You may find out that the reaction is much higher than expected and you need to bring on extra staff or supplies. You may also find out that the response will be much lower than you thought and you can prepare accordingly for that eventuality as well. If the lower than expected turnout occurs on your test run, you might consider retooling you offer and doing a reprint OR seeing if the list that you bought was reaching the correct audience. It is a LOT cheaper to reprint mailers than it is to mail them out knowing the response will be low. Try to get some feedback as to why the offer didn't connect with your audience. Some events are dated and if time is not a luxury you enjoy you will just have to send out all the cards at once, just be prepared for how your event may turn out. It is better to be over staffed than under staffed.
Third, get feedback from people who take you up on your offer. Find out what enticed them to purchase from you and use that information on your next mailer. This is also a good time to judge the effectiveness of your mail list. Always build upon what you have learned from previous mailings.
If you have any questions or comments, please contact us at www.gagepress.com.
- Related Videos
- Related Articles
- Ask / Related Q&A
- Postcard Printing: Direct Mail Advertising
- Dental Marketing White Paper: Personalized Direct Mail
- Basics Prevail When It Comes to Direct Mail (Part 2)
- Steps to Help you Make Effective Direct Mail Postcards (part 2)
- Steps to Help you Make Effective Direct Mail Postcards (part 1)
- Flyer Direct Mailing and Why People are Still for it
- The Perfect Direct Mailing Solution
- Mail Consolidation: Save Your Business Time and Money by Streamlining Your Print and Mail Processes
Benefits of Direct Mail Advertising and Catalog Mailing Services to Miami FL Businesses
By: Business Local Listings | 11/11/2009Direct mail advertising is much better than more expensive mass media campaigns that are blindly sent out to a wide unclassified audience. With direct mail advertising, your advertising and marketing efforts and costs are specifically targeted to carefully identified market segments, down to individuals who meet your company’s required criteria for certain products and services. This makes for a more cost effective advertising and marketing campaign that could result in more sales in Miami FL.
Boost Self Esteem now!
By: Cliff Nguyen | 10/11/2009If you're working to correct or boost self esteem, hypnosis may work miracles self-image is a straightforward thing to lose, and a hard thing to gain. It comes from looking at yourself and how you relate to the world in the correct way. It is also a programmed angle which is shaped by the experiences you've had in your life, the affirmation or feedback you have received from outside sources, and the attitu...
Affirmations
By: Sydney Wiggins | 10/11/2009The way in which the affirmations you implant during self hypnosis change the way in which you see the world Self hypnosis can be employed for a range of purposes- it can be basically a way to relax, or shed yourselves of the stresses of the day before going to sleep. It can be a strategy of setting yourself into a calmed state within which you can consider the issues and challenges which face you. It coul...
Getting the Most Out Of Your Below Market Value Residential Property Leads
By: David Billington | 10/11/2009All Direct Marketeers know that the biggest bang per buck is received when they mix their marketing channels. After a period of continuous testing I have discovered that the best value leads in the property sector are received when I mix on-line lead generation with outbound call verification and qualification followed by simple direct marketing...let me explain further...
Ringworm Remedies
By: Carmen Booth | 10/11/2009Having ringworm in your body is awfully annoying. Not only are they ugly circles found on your scalp, feet, face and nails but sometimes they are itchy forcing them to be infectious to other folks. To stop the wide spread of fungus there are ringworm remedies to make a choice from. They often are found among pets like cats and dogs. They are sometimes the most common skin infection found both in humans and pets. Ringworm is cause b...
Ringworm Remedies
By: Carmen Booth | 10/11/2009Having ringworm in your body is awfully provoking. Not only are they ugly circles found on your scalp, feet, face and nails but sometimes they are itchy causing them to be infectious to other folks. To stop the wide spread of fungus there are ringworm remedies to choose from. They often are found among pets like dogs and cats. They are often the most typical skin condition found both in humans and pets. Ringworm is cause by a bunch...
10 golden lesson from niteh
By: nitesh | 09/11/200910 Golden Lessons Every day I remind myself that my inner and outer life are based on the labors of other men, living and dead, and that I must exert myself in order to give in the same measure as I have received and am still receiving - Albert Einstein Albert Einstein was an amazing physicist. He figured out so many universal principles and equations that he was way ahead of his fellow scientists at any point of time. But he is also remembered for another thing; a quali
Want a close up smile?
By: Clinton Nixon | 06/11/2009If you think your teeth need fixing or beautification, we can help you find the best and trusted Oregon dentist here in Eugene, Oregon. Everyone dreams to gain that close up grin worn by models when they pose for the mags. And we want to make sure that going through all of the process of achieving that perfect smile, a leading figure on dentistry is behind it. Here in Eugene, Oregon, there is a hospital that can help you achieve the grin you've always wanted. Found in 12...
Divide Your Direct Mail Costs
By: Bob Waters | 15/07/2009 | Direct MailHere is a good way to reach your customers through Direct Mail but at the fraction of the cost of a solo mailing - have several business split the cost to advertise on the same mailing.
Support Your Local Mailhouse
By: Bob Waters | 14/07/2009 | Direct MailSave time and save money by using a Mailhouse for you mailings. If you weren't a believer before reading this article you will be one afterwards.
Bookmark It!
By: Bob Waters | 13/07/2009 | PrintingSave money by using the humble bookmark to keep your name in front of customers and potential customers.
Gang Up On Your Printing
By: Bob Waters | 13/07/2009 | PrintingHow to save money on your printing when you have multiple versions to print.
Pimp Out Your Postcard
By: Bob Waters | 12/07/2009 | Direct MailThere are a lot of ways to add bells and whistles to make your postcard mailing standout from the crowd.
Calendars - Make each day count
By: Bob Waters | 11/07/2009 | PrintingSimple tips to maximize your ROI with your Company Calendar.
Attract More Business with Magnet Postcards
By: Bob Waters | 11/07/2009 | Direct MailKeep your name in front of consumers for a weeks and months by making your Magnet Postcard indespensible to them.
Save a LOT of money by Drop-Shipping your mailing
By: Bob Waters | 11/07/2009 | Direct MailThe major expense of almost every mailing is postage, take advantage of USPS discounts and save up to 20% of your postage by drop-shipping your mail.