Direct mail can take on many different forms, but which are the most effective and will provide the biggest return on investment? There’s a lot to choose from, so we’ve put together our top five types of direct mail we believe to be most effective for your next campaign.
The top 5 types most effective types of direct mail
Postcards
Postcards are a type of direct mail that can be effective in getting your key message and brand across to the customer. They are often the smallest, cheapest and easiest to produce type of direct mail and for this reason, many brands opt for this type of mailer for promotional offers, highlighting a new product or service or simply raising brand awareness. Research by the DMA shows that they also receive the highest open rate compared to other forms of direct mail.
Catalogues
Another effective type of direct mail is catalogues. Catalogues are most commonly used to showcase a company or brands entire product or service range and essentially all they have to offer. They may be presented visually or listed and gives the customer the ability to browse a whole product range easily and within one booklet.
Catalogues, therefore, prove to be effective due to showcasing key products and provide the ability to highlight key collections and bestselling items. Catalogues seemed to go out of fashion over the past two decades, due to many favouriting digital and online versions, but statistics show that this type of direct mail is having a resurge in popularity, especially with millennials. Between 2004-2018, response rates from catalogues have increased by 170%.
Letters
A really effective type of direct mail is letters. The most traditional type of communication there is, letters have a more personal and formal appearance than other types of direct mail. Usually text-heavy and not particularly visual, letters are focused on the content and messaging within the copy to create an engaging read that results in effective action from the customer, whether that be a conversion, sign-up or new lead.
Dimensional Mailers
Dimensional mailers have the potential to be one of the most creative types of direct mail. They are three or multi-dimensional and therefore provide a more interactive and engaging experience compared to other types of direct mail, making them an effective type of direct mail. Due to the many creative possibilities, dimensional mailers give a real opportunity to communicate your brand’s tone of voice and overall message. Because of this, they are likely to be a memorable mailer to your customer, resulting in increased engagement and a successful campaign.
Self-Mailers
Our fifth most effective type of direct mail is a self-mailer. A self-mailer is self-contained and most commonly consists of one piece of paper or card that is folded in on itself and then sealed together with a self-adhesive. No envelop is required and it allows for a visual cover, combined with the anticipation of opening the mailer results in a very effective type of direct mail.
There are therefore many types of direct mail that are effective in delivering successful results. Get in touch with one of the Snapmail team to discuss which type of direct mail will work for you and your campaign today. Call us on 0333 577 0444 or email us here.