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Direct Mail is Better When You Test

Written by Richard Morrow, Director @ Central Mailing Services

Clients should test their direct mail. It’s a simple statement but surprisingly hard to put into practice.

The direct mail market is constantly evolving, with new trends, technologies, opportunities, and challenges emerging all the time. I’ve heard the channel compared to some interesting things recently — from an old Citroën car to a sleepwalking dinosaur. In some respects, those comparisons are fair. Direct mail does sometimes seem like the poor relation compared to other marketing tools. However, that perception needs to change.

If you’re a charity facing the harsh realities of the current climate, with tight funds and increasing pressure, maximising your fundraising efforts is more important than ever. Simply repeating past campaigns and formats with the same budget will yield diminishing returns.

Testing your campaign with different formats, collateral, data, and designs can empower a marketer to refine and improve their mail pack. The saying goes that knowledge equals power — and that’s especially true with direct mail. Testing gives you the insights and data needed to drive better responses with each campaign.

At its most basic, testing could involve changing the copy or the offer in your letter. It might mean adding specific inserts for particular demographics. Some marketers experiment with different formats — postcards for one audience, flyers for another, and brochures for a third. With so many possibilities, it’s crucial to define a clear strategy and set specific goals to avoid getting lost in the data.

The goal is simple: through testing, you can optimise the performance of your direct mail pack. This should be an ongoing process of improvement and refinement — continuously adapting your approach and using data to maximise your return.

Direct mail is still at the forefront of marketing technology — you just have to let it shine.

Get the most out of your Direct Mail

We have a dedicated team of direct mail and data experts who are dedicated to helping unlock the true potential of direct mail for our clients. From personalisation and variable data printing and through to data-driven targeting, contact Central Mailing today to talk all things direct mailing ROI.

About Richard Morrow

Richard has been involved with print for over 20 years, building vast experience and knowledge across the postage industry. Over these years Richard has helped thousands of clients get the very best return on investment (ROI) from their investment in print, fulfilment and postage, not only for mailings in the UK, but worldwide. Richard holds a passion for all things print sustainability, and is a driving force behind Central Mailing Services pathway to net zero.