Direct mail is meant to capture the reader’s attention, quickly get to the point and share important information. As a marketer, you don’t want to take too long to get to the “meat” of your content, otherwise you will lose the readers’ interest. A good direct mail piece creates excitement, interest, questions and pictures in your readers’ minds.
Follow these steps to learn how to create the most effective direct mail content that’s sure to spark the interest of your readers:
Readability
Making the content clear and easy to follow is the No. 1 rule when creating direct mail. Make sure your focus point is obvious and up front. People generally tend to “glance over” sales and marketing pieces, so if your message is clear, concise, and upfront, you’re more likely to keep the reader’s attention.
Tips for enhanced readability:
- Use bullet points
- Keep paragraphs and sentences short
- Use intriguing headings and subheadings to help guide readers
- Repeat the main point in different ways to help the message sink in
Strategic Angle
Find a clever way to present the information to help your piece stand out from others. Simply stating that you could save money with new software isn’t enough. Give exact figures or successes letting the reader know just how much they could save. Find a “hook” that will grab their attention and keep them reading to learn more about it.
Tell a Story
Storytelling can be a sure-fire way to capture (and keep) the interest of people that are reading your direct mail piece. You want to lead them through the piece so they can easily and clearly follow your message, pick out the main points, and find a way to relate to the end result. Include content that sets your product or service apart from others and why — whether it’s all of the amazing benefits, its point of distinction, or how it will solve the readers’ problems. The goal is to instill a need or desire and to have readers apply it as the solution in their own situations.
After creating your direct mail content, ask yourself:
- Is it interesting?
- Is it easy to read?
- Is there a story or angle that your readers can relate to?
If so, you are on your way to presenting content that is sure to drive interest and help generate leads or sales!
Not sure if your direct mail content is up to par? Contact the experienced team at GREENCREST, and we can help create content that actually works.