Newspaper advertising is a great way to reach a large, broad audience. Many advertisers can also benefit from marketing to a smaller, more targeted audience.

Direct mail is a great way to reach a specific audience. Direct mailings are sent to a customized list of households and/or businesses (either made up of past customers or new potential customers.) A purchased list allows you to narrow down recipients based on geographic location, marital status, income level, etc.

Getting to the mailbox is the easy part. Making a positive impression can be a bit trickier. Here are some tips on how you can prevent your mailer from ending up in the trash:

Who are your customers? No one knows better than you. In order to come up with the best possible list for your direct mail campaign, go through your past client logs and record some demographic information. Are 97% of your clients women? Are they all in Butler County? Use this type of information to create/purchase a targeted list to reach your best potential customers.

There are many ways to “personalize” your message. One popular method is to include a letter or note from the President, CEO or other executive. This letter can create an intimate communication with customers and help establish rapport. Other ideas can be as simple as including recipients’ names on the mail piece, handwriting addresses, or using postage stamps instead of bulk mailing postage.

Make your offer worth it. “Call now and receive a free stick of gum” probably isn’t going to cut it (unless you have a clever reason for offering the gum!) You REALLY want people to call, so give them something of value. Remember, your offer does not have to be monetary… time is money, so generally people’s ears perk up when you can save them their some of their priceless time.