Bahahaha…..that seems a little deceptive, though technically it DID work. Join the email newsletter for a good time (and more fun guides)! They are kind of weird in shape (they are very long) and so they kind of “stick out” a lot more than regular mail. What kinds of offers attract more leads? Thanks! Just like internet content,there’s NO ONE RIGHT WAY to do it, but there are general practices that tend to convert better (simple designs, good content). Thanks again! The how it works section takes up half of this side and the majority of the copy. You only have a few crucial seconds before someone tosses you in the trash, so get to the point immediately. Then you won’t only be going to your bosses saying, “You should do this new thing….”, ….you’ll be going in saying, “You should do this new thing, it’ll be more profitable, and here’s the exact layout and copy to use!”. It said how it had been in business for 20+ years and had excellent customer service. The mailer listed the prices for the type of service (double and single driveway) so there was no need to waste time calling around for estimates. These aren’t meant to sell something directly, but to nourish the relationship. After all, handwritten cards / notes are very impactful – but only if they get sent. Well if you send to people who are eligible for your services, and each customer is very high margin, then you’re probably good to go. Would this be an effective method for someone in the field? Direct mail marketing doesn’t always need to be in a conventional envelope. SpotHero tries to solve this problem by helping people find discounted parking close to where they’re going. He said he’d been using the letter for years with great success. I run a business that sends HANDWRITTEN direct mail pieces. Guess who came back and purchased $400 worth of stuff? Glad you liked the article and all the examples, it took a crazy amount of time (and Photoshopping) to do! The best one we received was a simple letter from a local heating oil company. Hi Neville, I’m a dental assistant and our practice sends out krappy flyers all the time. But when it’s done well, it works. Your showcase was like being in a personal workshop with you Neville. The fact that I get this flyer so often indicates it’s working damn-well. I hope the people who send these die in a car accident. This is where my own moral compass says this tactic has gone too far. Also, personal training is more about a personal relationship or convenience. No personalized intro from the head dentist or staff (Example: Neil Patel D.D.S. I received a letter from the car dealership saying my car was in high demand and they wanted to make me an offer. So here’s some of the things you should take into account when sending out a piece of direct mail to thousands of people: –Share it with colleagues– Thank-you for this Neville! Here’s another one I saved: Pro’s: They tried to personalize it a lot (which soorrrt-of works but not totally). To really score a touchdown on your direct mailer, get the customer to hang it up on their fridge. Nev, thank you for all the work on this, very insightful! That’s awesome Anise! Below we’re going to get into a bunch of great direct mail marketing examples taken from my personal swipe file. Yes, the reason direct mail works for some industries is the price per customer they get paid, and the likelihood someone will be interested in the service. In the comments leave your feedback for one of the pieces of mail. One study found it takes 21% less cognitive effort to process, meaning your audience (or prospective customer) don't have to invest time or extra brainpower into your postcard, mailer or any other type of direct mail … Very simple and easy! Hey Mark, I think the best way to show this would be to do a before/after shot. P.S. I use them for handouts at the show and pre-show mailers. Thank you for your excellent piece on Direct Mail it was most illuminating (sorry I’m British and we are well known for our odd use of language ). The text on the back is wwaaaayyy too small. My Suggestions: This church should send the same piece of direct mail but make it a CALENDAR OF EVENTS that people can hang on their fridge. –Show it to clients–. Direct mail advertising too? One mentor taught me how to make them “POWER Notes” by using blue ink, writing slightly upward and to the right, affirming something positive that I admire about the person, and always having a P.S. Targeted specifically at San Francisco residents, the copy on this side speaks to local experiences in the Bay Area. When are Mail Drops a bad idea? It’s very helpful to see these examples and all of your comments about them. What, in your opinion would work better, to get a buyers attention when using direct mail pieces? I specifically like on the back there is an event list that can get stuck to the refrigerator! 20% off discount coupon. This is a FANTASTIC flyer that I have received over 10 times so far. When we bought our house, we were inundated with direct mail for every service homeowners buy. My hunch is their target persona recognizes some or all of these brands. To help you determine what not to do, here are some examples of dishonest real estate direct mail. I like the Tech Support flyer. One time we had an extremely crappy booth location at a Wall Street tech show (in a stairwell! Either link a sample, or send it to me at Neville@KopywritingKourse.com and I can show it. Each mailing drop probably costs them between $2k and $5k and brings in 2-5 patients which can be worth up to $3,000/each. Thanks! direct mail pieces can be improved with a few small tweaks. My day job is a nonprofit and we send mailers to our members and potential business sponsors. Also shows that over-complicating direct mail can actually be detrimental to the whole campaign…but that doesn’t mean longform DM doesn’t work, either. Heal does a great job of using human, happy imagery, especially in the picture that makes you open up and say ahhhh. You request a doctor visit through a mobile app on demand or whenever is most convenient for you. Anyway, I’m going to make ’em all read this. This’ll increase the “I get it” factor for potential customers and draws in more leads. Non-profits are usually the WORST when it comes to sending bad direct mail (notice the “church” example above). Your face as the stamp on the postcard at the end of the article, reminded me that you can have custom postage stamps made with your picture, your family, or most anything else. Con’s: Not much, pieces of direct mail are often super-tested and work extremely well (and are very trackable). In fact, direct mail was only 1 percentage point behind social media, the second highest ROI medium. If someone was interested in a new Nissan during the time this flyer went out, it’s highly likely they would take notice. Awwwwwwwww what a cute chocolate lab! call to action. The common threads throughout the direct mail examples are evocative imagery, great copy, attractive offers, and a way to measure return on investment. By the way, are you beginning to notice the people-centric imagery theme in these direct mail examples? I’m designing my own postcards right now for my personal training business but they are not v professional looking like the ones in your examples. We’ve got a section on direct mail here in the SwipeFile if you ever need: And like an irresistible menu description, lay out the specifics that entice people to order. Not bad for a scrappy startup. ….or in the comments let me know of a piece of direct mail that got your to call/buy immediately.