Direct mail messages must be 'short and concise'

Marketing professionals who utilize direct mail should keep their messages short and to the point, it has been claimed.

Writing for Overnight Prints, Mark Haslan highlights the need for direct mailers to ensure that consumers are targeted with relevant offers and not complex multiple promotions.

"If customers receive irrelevant offers, they often won't respond, and many times, they even lose respect for the company," the marketing expert explains.

Furthermore, Mr Haslan states that one of the biggest challenges faced by companies is keeping subscribers active, something which can be achieved by offering them additional services or running specific promotional campaigns.

Personalization is another tactic that could be employed by organizations using direct mail, although many commentators recommend that businesses use address verification software to ensure that address data is correct.

During the first quarter of 2010, in excess of six billion direct mail pieces were sent out to US customers, recent research from marketing intelligence firm Mintel Comperemedia has found.

Posted by Paul Newman