Creating Effective Direct Mail

According to a survey by Billets, between October 2009 and March 2010, 92% of direct mail was opened including 99% for personal banking and 96% from supermarkets. With email marketing reaching saturation point and becoming less effective, direct mail is having a renaissance. There are many elements to a successful direct mail campaign but the one I'm going to touch on is design.

Designing a direct mail piece that is attractive to the recipient, economic to print and then mail out can appear a daunting task. I believe creating intrigue is a key factor. Sending a letter in a bright green envelope would do the trick here - but to be more creative why not create a gift/package idea? Or something more elaborate that gives a 3D effect can be very effective and prevents the recipient from condemning the item to the bin.

There's never been a better time to use direct mail as the recipient believes that you have made a true investment in contacting them...in this economic climate that means a lot!