Direct mail is one of the oldest methods of marketing and it remains one of the most effective.

One reason direct mail works so well for a small business is because the business can control who gets the marketing message, when they get it and how they get it.

Controlling the Marketing

A newspaper or magazine advertisement has pre-determined sizes that are geared to align with the overall design of the publication. Where the ad is placed in the publication depends on the ad’s size and where the space is available. Sometimes the business has the opportunity to pick a preferred placement, such as the back cover or on page three of the sports page, but preferred placement is an added expense. Television and radio also provide little choice of when commercials run unless extra is paid to guarantee a run during a certain show during a certain time of day.

Direct mail has none of these restrictions. The mailed piece can be as simple as a postcard or as complex as a four-color full-service catalog. Direct mail can be sent only to the people who have shown past interest in the business or to those who are targeted as potential customers.

A piece of direct mail can include a lot more information than other forms of marketing. Mailings can advertise specials or promote seasonal offerings and include coupons and other incentives not made available to the general public.

The Costs

When determined by a per person cost, direct mail can be more costly than other forms of marketing. However, direct mail specifically targets the audience that will use the product. Studies have shown that the response rate to well executed direct mail marketing is higher than it is for other forms of marketing. In other words, the people who receive information via direct mail are responding and purchasing products on a consistent basis.

The extent of marketing through direct mail depends on the business’ budget. Four-color printing is more expensive that two-color printing. The type of paper and the number of pages need to be factored into the price, as well as the cost of mailing.

Money can be saved by doing as much work in-house as possible, from the design and copy of the mailed piece to stuffing envelopes and attaching labels. Money saved on these steps can be used toward a more expensive and more attractive product.

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