How to Create a Knockout Mailshot Campaign in 5 Steps
The five steps to a successful mailshot campaign are: set clear goals, keep your data clean, make your offer irresistible, track your responses, and show your creative flair. Big or small, flat or folded, there is no written rulebook on how your mailshot should look, but these five simple steps will help you make the most of your campaign. A strong campaign doesn’t necessarily require a huge budget or large mailing numbers – it just needs careful measurement, careful planning and a lot of imagination.
| Step | Action | Why It Matters |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Set yourself goals | Goals define and measure your campaign’s effectiveness and ROI |
| 2 | Keep your data clean and current | Bad data wastes postage and damages response rates |
| 3 | Make your offer irresistible | Recipients need a reason to act immediately |
| 4 | Keep track of your campaign | Unique codes and contacts prove what your mailshot generated |
| 5 | Show your creative flair | Standing out on the doormat builds brand and emotional connection |
Step 1: Set Yourself Goals – How Will You Know if Your Campaign Worked?
Only achieving results against the goals you set beforehand will define your direct mail campaign’s effectiveness, so decide what you want to achieve from your mailshot before anything else. Most of the time the target is increasing sales, but campaigns are also used to gain sign-ups or offer a gift that builds an active marketing database for your company. These goals become the yardstick for the content of your mailshot. If you set a level of sales to achieve through your direct mail, you can use it to establish the return on investment of your campaign and compare it against alternative marketing spending.
Step 2: Keep Your Data Clean and Current – How Will You Protect Responses and Budget?
You will need a database to launch your mailshot, and the quality of this data is crucial – it can make or break your campaign. Use a data processing professional to regulate the quality of your data by removing duplicate addresses and gone-aways. UK companies waste £18m a year by mailing deceased people, so taking the time to optimise your data ensures you are not wasting postage or adversely affecting your response rates. If you need help collecting data or building an active mailing list of genuinely interested buyers, a specialist can assist with that too.
Step 3: Make Your Offer Irresistible – How Can You Make Your Audience Act Immediately?
Give your audience an offer they cannot get elsewhere – a mailshot is not about posting existing brochures or leaflets that have been circulating for a while. Give the customer a reason to act instantly after reading your offer; without that urgency, your campaign will likely go unnoticed. Keep it simple and direct, and adapt your tone and language to your target audience so they understand the offer and want to respond.
Step 4: Keep Track of Your Campaign – How Else Can You Measure Success?
If you don’t track your campaign, there is no way of measuring whether it has been effective and generated interest in your company, so build tracking into the campaign itself. Use unique email addresses, phone numbers or discount codes featured on the mailshot, so that when someone contacts you through one of them, the response can be traced back to your direct mail. Test every link you publish on your mailshot before sending the material out, and keep a close eye on the responses as they come in.
Step 5: Show Your Creative Flair – How Will Your Mailshot Stand Out From the Rest of the Post?
A campaign using direct mail gives you the perfect opportunity to think outside the box – everything must be considered, from the packaging it arrives in to the vibe and look of the overall campaign. It is a great chance to build your brand image with your audience and develop an emotional connection with your target consumer. If you struggle with design, experienced design agencies can offer assistance, and direct mail specialists can advise you to help guarantee the campaign’s success.
Mailshot Campaigns: Frequently Asked Questions
What are the 5 steps to a successful mailshot campaign?
Set clear goals, keep your mailing data clean and current, make your offer irresistible, track your campaign with unique codes and contact details, and use creative design to stand out on the doormat.
Why does data quality matter for a mailshot?
Poor data means duplicate addresses, gone-aways and deceased contacts – UK companies waste £18m a year mailing deceased people – which wastes postage and drags down your response rates.
How do I track responses from a mailshot?
Feature unique email addresses, phone numbers or discount codes on the mailshot so every response can be traced back to the campaign, and test all published links before sending.
Does a mailshot campaign need a big budget?
No. A strong campaign doesn’t require a huge budget or large numbers – it needs clear goals, clean data, a compelling offer, tracking and imagination.
Who can help me run a mailshot campaign?
For more information on our direct mail services or bulk postage rates from The Direct Mail Company, get in contact today at sales@thedirectmailcompany.co.uk or on 0333 038 3797, or follow us on Facebook.
