6 Smart Tips for sending Mail with an Insert

Marketing campaigns should achieve one of two aims – bringing in customers or increasing brand recognition. Mail inserts are an effective way to do both, since it puts your product and brand directly in the consumers hands and inside their home. The following tips can help you use mail insert marketing effectively.

1. Track your results
You only know if your campaign is working if you are tracking your results. According to Microdynamics Group, you have a choice of tracking methods, so you can use a strategy that works well for your specific business. Choices include the following:

• Assign a coupon code to each deal. The code should indicate the month and the advertising venue so you can easily see which campaigns are returning the most success.

• Track as mentions. This is usually done by offering a discount or special gift when the ad is mentioned.
• Provide a trackable link if your ad directs customers online. These links all redirect to the landing page of your choice, but you can track their use to see which campaigns are working best.

2. Focus on your audience
According to Wikipedia, mail advertising campaigns depend upon a few things for success. This includes targeting your audience with an offer that pertains to them at the time when they need it most. In other words, make sure your insert is reaching the right audience.

If you offer fencing services, for example, you don’t want to place your insert in a mailer that mainly targets renters or apartment dwellers. You also don’t want to waste advertising dollars in winter when fences aren’t being installed. Instead, you want a campaign that focuses on zip codes with lots of homeowners in the spring or fall when new fencing is on their mind.

3. Experiment with different options
There are many different options when it comes to mail inserts. There are magazine-style mailers, newspaper inserts, or coupon packs and books. Each option grabs the eye of potential customers differently.

For example, magazine-style mailers are often flipped through casually, so they work well if your business appeals to impulse buyers. This is why many restaurants and take-out food establishments do well with this option. Newspaper inserts and coupon packs appeal to those looking for deals on services they need or that they may think look useful. These coupons are more likely to be held on to, so they work well for service businesses.

4. Avoid reader barriers
Inserts in mailer advertisements can easily be lost during the sorting and delivery process if they aren’t sized correctly, yet many advertisers still offer multiple sizes. Avoid inserts that are smaller than the main copy being provided. It’s best to design your advertisement to the same dimensions as the main mailer.

You also want to avoid other barriers. While it may seem more eye-catching to place a seal on your mailer or to place it in an envelope, this only ads to your cost while making a reader less likely to open the advertisement. This means your marketing effort ends up wasted.

#5: Design to catch the eye
Insert advertisements need to be eye-catching but easy to read. Opt for a large headline and central positioning of your logo or company name. Avoid using too many images or too many colors, since this can make the add too busy for readers to quickly see the pertinent information. Generally, what you want to stand out is your name, what you offer, and any deals or discounts the insert provides.

If you want to list more information, such as a list of services or location, take advantage of the back side of the insert. If you only have one side to work with, place the eye catching information in the top half to two-thirds, and place the list information on the bottom section.

#6: Get more direct
You can use the information your garner from a general insert campaign for a more targeted campaign. When done properly, you should be able to use tracking codes and broader insert advertising to develop a core list of your main types of customers and where they are located. You can then use this information for a highly targeted direct mail campaign to other potential clients in this demographic.

One way to do this and ensure that you catch their eye is to use dimensional mail inserts. According to Entrepreneur magazine, these are generally items that make the potential client more likely to look at your mailer instead of tossing it, such as pens or magnets.

Carefully planning your mail marketing campaign ensures that you get the most for your advertising dollar. While you should experiment, doing so wisely ensures that no campaign is a failure.