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What is direct marketing?

Direct marketing is distinguished from other types of marketing in that the message is sent directly to the consumer and that it is focused on driving purchases that can be attributed to a specific "call-to-action."

One of the most common forms of direct marketing is direct mail: paper mail is sent to all customers on a list or in a postal area.

Typical components of a direct mail piece

There are typically five components to a direct mail piece: the outer envelope, the letter, the brochure, the reply form and the reply envelope.

The outer envelope

The objective of the outer envelope is to:

• grab attention
• get opened
• set the tone and
• start the “selling” process

However, don’t make promises you can’t keep; people who are disappointed are not inclined to give.

The letter

It is very important to keep it "reader friendly." Be sure to use:

• subheads
• bullets
• indents
• serif type (12 point)
• underlines
• wide margins and
• always use a P.S. to restate your point

The letter needs to draw the reader in. Use it to make an emotional connection and keep them reading. There is no ideal length – the letter should be as long as it needs to be.

The brochure

A brochure can add credibility and gives you additional space to tell your story. Keep the requirements of the letter in mind when you decide to use a brochure as (part of) your direct mail piece. It’s nice to have a beautifully designed piece, but functionality is paramount: if people can’t read it, it will join the pile in the trashcan. A few rules of thumb:

• images are attention-grabbers: use exciting, colorful images
• your eyes are drawn to the right, upper corner of the page
• even though great images are essential, COPY IS KING: write concise and compelling copy

The reply form

Your envelope got attention, set the tone and got opened; your letter and brochure convinced the prospect to give or buy or order or come, but even if all these materials disappear in the thrash your reply form should still be able to get the job done.

• keep it simple
• restate your case
• test ticket packages
• test event pricing/combos
• attempt to get the subscriber to upgrade

The reply envelope

This is another chance for you to restate your case and/or create a sense of urgency ("Rush!," "New member – process immediately!"). It is common practice to pay for postage for prospects but not for current subscribers/donors, but even when you supply the postage, always ask for a stamp ("your gift can help even more…").