Msn Travel - When to Test Direct Mail Pieces

Materials and methods to small groups of consumers before conducting a large-scale campaign, but some of the guesswork can be taken out of the process by simply testing various messages, direct mail marketing may not be an exact science due to the constant evolution of consumer behaviors and preferences. Testing direct mail pieces is the best way to track your return on investment (ROI).

Direct mailers should test when: When should you test?

you want to fine tune a successful mailing for even greater results;

your cost-per-order fails to meet expectations;

you have new creative and need concrete justification before rolling it out into a full-fledged campaign;

you are interested in expanding your market with a wider list;

like price or offer; something in the marketing mix changes,

You are introducing a new product.

Test the mailing list

They are as follows: Choosing the right one - with its corresponding benefits and features - has the potential to make or break your campaign. And controlled lists, paid subscription lists, response lists, the main categories of lists are compiled lists. Which are available from a wide variety of sources, 000 lists out there, there are more than 50. Use your house list to build outside lists. What are the characteristics of that list? Look at your own in house mailing list. What is the best type of list? The best offer in the world - if not targeted to the right audience - will fail. It can make up over 40% of your total responses according to the Direct Marketing Association. The mailing list is a crucial step in the element of your direct mail campaign.

These lists work best for broad offers and are available at our website (www.zairmail.com) Including basic demographics, and give broad coverage of the market, updated regularly, they are generated for marketing purposes. And other resources, credit files, compiled lists are databases collected from a variety of directories.

Response lists may not be updated as frequently as other types of lists, in addition. May not include the purchaser's name and title, and depending on the purchase procedure, response lists are often less complete, however. In addition to the purchase price and the frequency of purchase, and how and when it was purchased, they may include information about what product was purchased. Response lists are generated from a company's sales records.

They may not provide complete demographics; however, they tend to have fewer change of address issues than other lists and provide a relatively targeted audience. Therefore demonstrating their interest in a given industry or field, having subscribed to a specific publication and, paid subscriptions lists have the advantage of compiling recipients who are proven buyers.

But may cover only a portion of your entire target market, they offer rich demographics and are highly selectable. Very niche-oriented, as a rule, controlled circulation lists are, the result of free magazine subscriptions offered to qualified subscribers who agree to provide detailed demographic information about their companies and purchasing authorities.

Many compiled lists are updated 2 or 3 times a month. Direct mailers can significant improve their response rates by using a more recently updated list. So it should be selected carefully, the mailing list is the most important factor in determining the effectiveness of any direct mail campaign, as stated before.

Vary your offer

Some general tips to improve your offer are: Keep in mind that the offer must match with the list. Mailers should make sure that they understand what the recipients want. The second most influential factor in determining the success of a direct mail campaign is the offer - what you will give people for responding and how you present it.

Be as specific as possible.

Offer something unique and valuable to your market.

Incorporating make the offer as risk-free as possible,

A "limited time trial" or "money back guarantee" if necessary.

Four to six weeks to respond works well, generally. But don't leave it open-ended; avoid pressuring prospects with too short of a response time, be clear about when recipients must respond by.

While benefits attach the feature to a customer need, remember that features are inherent to the product, when in doubt about the distinction. You must tell recipients why they need to respond; it is not sufficient to discuss features alone. Know the difference between the features of your product or service and the benefits.

And the method of response, "save 50 percent" versus "purchase for half price"). The way you state your offer (e.g, quantity of volume discounts, include price points, "
Some offer elements worth testing. "Act now and save thousands of dollars on online direct mailing costs, for example. Tie your offer to your main benefit.

Experiment with your mail package

" The key is to "make your pitch before the door is slammed in your face. A consumer's interaction with the typical direct mail piece is like their interaction with a door-to-door salesman. Or you could miss out on a valuable selling opportunity, begin with the outside, when considering your mail package.

Testing outside logos versus blind envelopes can help you determine what's best for your audience. So start selling immediately, the average person spends three to five seconds deciding whether to open your direct mail piece.

Even the use of stamps with different designs could produce a noticeable lift in response. ) In addition test the use of stamps versus indicia. Etc, self-mailer, letter, postcard. Try to vary the package type (e.g, when testing different mail packages.

The following suggestions apply the body of direct mail letters and solicitations: The inside of the mail package should be test also.

So seize this important opportunity to make an impression, recipients will likely scan the letter before deciding whether to read it. Use a strong lead.

State your offer at the beginning and the end of your letter.

Reinforce what you're asking the recipient to do and why they should do it.

A maximum of two pages should be used and avoid busy graphics. Keep the letter short and simple.

Appeal to the recipient's problems and daily challenges and offer a way to ease their stress. Highlight the solutions you can offer.

Back up your claims with proof in the form of guarantees and testimonials. Use solid facts.

). Etc, 1-800 number, response card, coupon. Close with a call to action and include a vehicle to do so (e.g. Make it easy to respond.

To determine what combination of factors will pull the best, . Etc, aggressive versus non-aggressive tone, bullets, personalization, experiment with different elements of your letter including use of signatures. And techniques, graphic elements, test different letter styles.

Timing and frequency seasonality,

Is it best to send e-mail before or after the direct mail piece to alert recipients of its arrival? How far out from the event do you market, if you're marketing to trade show attendees? Is it best to market your product or service before or after the holidays? When they have little money to spend, will the mailing hit at the end of a quarter? When are your customers doing budgets?

And are worth testing to determine the best approach for your product or service as they could have a significant effect on the response rate, the effects of such factors generally vary by market.

General rules for testing

There are several basic rules of testing to ensure success:

Have a good reason for the test.

Test one variable at a time.

Test against a control.

Make sure the test batch and the control mail at the same time.

Test sufficient quantities to get an accurate response.

Track your results.

Continue to test, above all.

So you have to keep testing to find out what works, your markets and customers are always changing.