Creative Direct Mail Ideas – Driving Leads with Direct Mail

Mar 3, 2021

In today’s consumer market, oftentimes the first method of marketing that comes to mind tends to be all about digital avenues. From building the perfect website to maintaining a social media presence, it would be silly if a business didn’t invest in digital channels. It’s easy to get tunnel vision, however. When we consider that a vast majority of consumers have smartphones in their pockets, or sit down at a computer for some part of their day, digital delivery of marketing content and messaging just makes sense. Regardless of the ease of delivery of your digital assets, the data proves that not only is direct mail still hugely relevant, in some cases it even outperforms its digital counterparts.

In 2020, 73% of American consumers said they prefer direct mail contact from brands, as it allows them the opportunity to read it at their leisure. In addition, the United States Postal Service reports that consumers that received direct mail pieces spent on average, 28% more money than those who did not receive a mailer. The reason? Direct mail pieces tend to stick around a household on average, 17 days. That’s 17 days of potential visibility as a brochure or flier sits on a consumer’s table before being discarded. 

While the competition for attention in the direct mail arena is far less than the inundation of digital ads someone may receive daily, it’s still important to ensure your mail pieces stand out from the crowd. We’ve put together a few fun, creative direct mail ideas to help inspire your business’s direct marketing campaign, and help elevate your returns!

Creative Direct Mail Ideas – More Visibility, More Attention, Higher Return

When you think about marketing and advertising direct mail, what typically comes to mind? Maybe a postcard from a local realtor or a full color, multi-panel fold-out with coupons from a nearby grocery store pops into your head. These types of direct mail pieces still catch our eye, but because of how often they’re utilized, they don’t always get the attention they deserve. We’ve put together a few creative direct mail ideas, and some tips to help make your direct mail stand out and get noticed.

Creative direct mail ideas aren’t limited to graphics and copy changes. Using non-traditional sizes, offering swag, and getting creative with your packaging will help your mail piece stand out from the rest.

• • Oversized mail pieces – They sometimes seem to simply jump out at you as you’re sorting through your mail –  and that’s the point! Oversized envelopes have the highest response rate out of all direct mail formats. Mailers that don’t fall into typical or common dimensions tend to grab the attention of your audience. The cost may be slightly higher, but with a higher return rate, it’ll be worth it. 
  • Swag –  Swag mailers aren’t always practical for every business, and this strategy is often more applicable to membership services, event planning and high-end sales or recruitment efforts. A great example of this type of mailer could pertain to a nonprofit organization planning a charity event. If you’ve got a fundraiser in the works, sending out branded or generic swag items to past donors, sponsors, contributors, and even potential new donors and community members is a great way to stir up interest. The ProList team can not only help you source affordable, quality products to include in your swag package, but in addition can run with designing and producing branded packaging, and print unique material. We’ll also help you decide if branded swag is best for your effort, and work with you on setting an effective budget.
  • Customization and Personalization – Depending on your method of targeting, several features to consider for your mail campaign are personalization and customization options. If you’re utilizing EDDM®, personalization is out. Every Door Direct Mail® utilizes generic, bulk mailers. If you’re using your business’s own collected consumer data, integrating personalization into your project is easy. Automated birthday cards, reminder letters, and even coupons that address the customer personally and directly are just a few ways to capture your audience’s attention and drive leads and potential clients or donors into your funnel.
  • Make it Interactive – Direct mail package variations like piggyback stickers, YES/NO devices and even the addition of coupon codes, QR Codes, pURLS, or a call to action that drives someone to a digital touchpoint are fun ways for consumers to engage. Not only do they give your mailer a bit of extra visibility, but the longer they hold your mailer, the more likely they are to remember your brand.
  • Keep it Simple – Use bright colors, simple text and a big call to action – but don’t overwhelm your audience with too much information. Our team can help you create visually appealing direct mail that will catch your audience’s eye, and build the impression and recognition you want.

Of course, these are only a small handful of the ideas and strategies the ProList team utilizes when helping clients plan campaigns. Is your business ready to reach customers right at home? The professional and experienced staff at ProList is here to walk you through the direct mail process from start to finish. From design to printing, all the way to purchasing promotional items, packaging and shipping, we’ve got you covered. Got questions? Give us a call at 1-888-PROLIST to learn what we can do for you!