Email/Direct mail Package Size

Recently I picked up a discussion thread from e-consultancy concerning the appropriate size of emails. The forum discussion brought home to me the fact that many concepts used in direct mail marketing are in fact relevant to those for email marketing.

Some of these noteworthy areas are:

1. Weight and size limitation in direct mail packaging design is equally important. Unlike emails however, physical mails are charged by weight. Hence more care is given to managing the size. Other than the postage, it is important to also understand the configuration of mail boxes. Large format items which may make a strong impression may unfortunately not fit mail boxes and become undeliverable. It is also not infrequent, especially in less developed countries, to hear of postmen throwing away heavy items to lighten their bags.

It is always important to understand and be able to aligned these "basic configuration" issues and constraints...like those of bandwidths, speed of downloads, nuisance factors or jamming up mail boxes, etc.

2. Aside from these basic configuration issues, it is important to determine "what it takes" to create a communication that will deliver the desired effect. Do we need a lengthy letter?, a booklet or even booklets, gifts, and multiple components?

Direct marketing communications that is intended to achieve a sale would necessary be more lengthy compared to say an invitation to a cocktail party. It will have to simulate a sales presentation.

See how sales people present....they will reiterate important points many times, summarized, highlight, confirm....and attempt to close a sales many times during the presentation. A direct mail piece would have to do this too.

While there is a need to be conversational, repetitive on many points, it does not have to be verbose and long winded and painful for reading. Each point should be brought across with the least possible amount of words and with the shortest possible words.

Content..the king

In conclusion, I would like to emphasize that content is always the King. Often the volume of content to achieve a particular objective may disqualify certain medium. Resizing and reconfiguring the content to fit the medium would often produce disastrous results. In such a situation we have to review the content in entirety...perhaps change its objectives, as some forum participants suggested, from a sales piece to that of teaser or lead generator.

A fuller account of this discussion may be found at ONE1-DM

24 Principles of Direct Mail Marketing

This article from iversonsoftware provides a scuccint summary of the improtant points to note when executing a direct mail campaign

1. There are four important elements in a "Direct Mail Package" and close attention must be paid to each: (Before anything, of course, comes the essential "idea" since the conceptual strategy is still key.)
   1. the graphics (carrier) which must be opened by reader - i.e., "what does it look like?"
   2. the offer: the way the proposition is phrased - i.e. "what's the deal?"
   3. the copy: the compelling description that gets the reader to buy or act - i.e. "how is it said?"
   4. the list: the targeted audience most likely willing to buy or act - i.e. "who is it sent to?"
2. Perhaps the most important element is the list since an excellent offer, with a striking carrier and compelling copy – if mailed to the wrong list - can be a disaster. Others believe copy is most important, but don't let ranking bother you since each element is important. Take all reasonable steps to get, use and keep the most accurate and up-to-date lists possible to increase your margin of success. Set up a system to add names and keep'em current.
3. Heed "Daly's Law" - "Everything takes longer and costs more!" So, it's wise to start a project in ample time to make all elements come together in an easy manner. Use a "reverse timetable" to plot what needs to be done and when. For instance, you probably need to order lists first. Then, don't forget the envelopes, printed stock, other enclosures, etc. Allow time for delivery and return action plus follow-up mailings.

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110 Ways To Improve Your Direct Mail Response

Found this essay that provided a great checklist for writing direct mail letters and communication

1. Mail to your customers more often. If you are now mailing four times a year increase the frequency of your mailings to size or eight times. If you increase your mailings by 25% you should increase your sales by at least the same percentage.
2. Use a P.S. on every direct mail letter. The P.S. is second in importance only to the headline.
3. Don't forget to thank your customers for their orders by enclosing a message with the orders...and enclose another merchandise offer with the "thank you" message.

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6 Simple Rules for Creating Direct Mail That Gets your Phone to Ring

by LeafTech

It almost doesn't matter what business you are in, direct mail properly executed works. Sometimes it may not be very economical if you sell a low priced item, but a well crafted letter can get a prospect to take action.

Direct mail specialists always say that direct mail is simply salesmanship in print, yet many direct response letters written by untrained people fail to sell and to follow these 6 basic rules:

1. You must have a headline that attracts attention. The headline is the most important part of a direct response letter and changing it can result in 200% -300% improvements in response, even when nothing else is changed.

2. If you don't create instant interest and value, people won’t read even the shortest letter. Creating interest and value can get the longest letters read more than once.

3. Social proof is one of the most powerful tools available to the direct response marketer. Use lots of testimonials showing that you can deliver what you claim. People want to know that you can deliver what you claim. Other proof mechanisms include specific details, numbers etc. The more specific you are the more your claims will be believed.

4. Write to people in a personal manner. Write to them in the same way you speak to people. Worry more about clearly communicating your message than the quality of your English prose. Use slang, use contractions and remember in copywriting it's OK to begin a sentence with "And".

5. Demonstrate that what you are offering is a bargain. Unless your prospect feels that what you are offering has value and that she is getting more in results than you are asking in costs, she won’t take action. Make your offer as free of risk as possible.

6. Show people how easy it is to order, by explaining exactly what to do and making ordering easy. The more complex you make it the fewer orders you will receive!

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About the Author:

Michael Hepworth is the StreetSmart Marketer and a Toronto marketing consultant, you can receive his free marketing tips newsletter at http://www.streetsmartmarketer.com/.