Direct mail is a marketing tool that has been used by businesses around the world for many years. However, as digital marketing alternatives have grown alongside the ever-growing interconnected world, direct mail has received more and more doubt. Questions around its efficacy have begun to arise yet the reality is quite different. In this blog post, we will explore some tips for creating visually appealing direct mail pieces to stand out from competitors and yield as much engagement and return as possible.
The Art of Direct Mail
Visually appealing Direct Mail and Engagement
Designing Direct Mail: What to consider
5 Tips for creating visually appealing direct mail
Delivering successful direct mail campaigns with DMS
The Art of Direct Mail
Whilst many think that direct mail is a dying trade in the 21st century when up against digital alternatives such as social media and email marketing, the reality of it is quite different. Far from being obsolete, direct mail has evolved into a highly valued, premium communication channel. The tangible nature of a physical mail piece means it cuts through the saturated digital noise, landing directly into a clutter-free environment: the home. Many statistics reveal that direct mail is in fact a highly effective marketing tool, with latest figures showing that 76.5% of all mail is read or looked at.
Additionally, direct mail has been found to drive 92% of recipients to engage with online associated platforms and additionally drives nearly a 6% purchase rate across all mail types, a metric that saw a massive 43% year-on-year growth in Q1 last year. Crucially, direct mail serves as a powerful bridge to digital channels; 38% of website visits prompted by mail convert into an online purchase, demonstrating unparalleled efficiency in the full-funnel marketing journey. This effectiveness is one of the key reasons why a compelling 84% of marketers agree direct mail provides the highest ROI of any channel they use.
These staggering statistics demonstrate exactly how important direct mail remains in the marketing industry. With it assured that direct mail should still play a pivotal role in mailing campaigns, what is important is that direct mail is created to stand out from competitors, ensuring that the mail sent out is engaging and relates directly to your targeted audience. This focus on engagement is crucial, as the average item of Direct Mail holds attention for 145 seconds over a 28-day period, a significant 'dwell time' that simply can't be matched by fleeting digital impressions. To maximise this attention and drive a strong response rate, marketers must commit to exceptional design, high-quality digital printing, and strategic format choices to achieve the kind of cut-through outlined in our guide to creative mailer formats.
If you want to see which channel wins in a modern context, read our analysis: Direct Mail vs. Email.
Visually Appealing Direct Mail & Engagement
One of the crucial ways to engage customers with direct mail and drive sales is through creating visually appealing material. From colour choices to typography, each element of direct mail design should be carefully considered. Various studies on the psychology of direct mail reveal the impact of these factors on engagement. These studies show that visually stimulating content can be processed faster and more efficiently by the brain, in the end making this content more impactful and memorable. It’s the sensory, tactile experience—the weight of the paper, the texture of the finish, and the vibrancy of the print—that truly differentiates physical mail.
Designing Direct Mail: What to Consider
When designing direct mail there are a number of components that should be thought through to make content as engaging as possible. These include:
Audience
The first key consideration when designing direct mail is knowing your audience. When sending out mail, understanding your target audience should be at the forefront of your decision making taking into account their demographics, their interests and social trends. Effective targeting is paramount, as demonstrated by the fact that warm DM campaigns (sent to existing customers) achieve significantly higher response rates than cold prospecting. Mastering how to segment your mailing lists is therefore the bedrock of any high-performing campaign.
Typography
Choosing the right typography is another design element that we suggest you carefully consider. Experiment with a range of font styles and sizes but remember it should always be easy to read and align with your brand’s personality. Beyond the font itself, think about readability and how paper stock and finishes affect the printed result. A heavy, matte stock combined with clear, legible text projects an air of quality and professionalism. For insight into making these decisions, review our advice on choosing the right paper stock and finishes.
Colours
When it comes to designing visually appealing direct mail, the colour palette is everything. Selecting a colour palette that not only compliments your brand identity but also reflects the tone and content of the mail campaign is the best way to evoke emotion in your audience and draw targeted attention to areas of importance.
Imagery & Graphics
Incorporating high-resolution imagery and graphics is another key element when it comes to designing direct mail. These images should be carefully selected to align with the desired message and audience and printed to a high quality. Captivating visuals have been shown to play an influential role in evoking emotion and conveying information, in fact, it has been found that content with engaging imagery receives 94% more views than content that is text only.
5 Tips for Creating Visually Appealing Direct Mail
1. Personalisation
Personalisation is a go-to way to make direct mail content engaging to your audience. When content is personalised to the recipient, for example by including their name or unique offerings, it can increase engagement and response rates, given the content is more relevant to the recipient. Leveraging advanced techniques like VDP (Variable Data Printing) allows you to tailor everything from images to offers, ensuring maximum relevance. This level of customisation often starts with precision inkjet addressing and data-driven design.
2. Utilise creative design elements
Visually appealing direct mail needs to stand out from the crowd. With an abundance of plain direct mail coming through the door, using creative design elements in your direct mail design is an assured way of making sure recipients pick your piece of direct mail out from the rest. Some of the ways you could do this are unique-shaped mail pieces, embossing text, 3D designs, unique materials or a die-cut design.
3. Integrate QR codes
Our third tip for creating visually appealing direct mail campaigns is making use of QR codes. QR codes are not only an easy way to engage recipients with the content but are also great to incorporate into call-to-actions, help with data processing, and provide a way to connect your offline and online activity. A simple scan transforms a physical impression into a trackable digital action, linking your mailer to a custom landing page, video, or instant purchase. For guidance on ensuring a seamless digital bridge, consult our guide on integrating QR codes into direct mail campaigns.
4. Custom packaging
Amidst numerous white envelopes, using custom envelopes and packaging is an effective way of piquing curiosity. Unconventional packaging such as bright colours, bespoke shapes, or even creative poly wrapping increases the likelihood of your mailing campaign being opened and engaged with. The envelope is the first gatekeeper, and making it an extension of the creative campaign is a must.
5. A captivating copy
Crafting a compelling copy is a simple but effective tool for creating visually appealing content. This not only means careful consideration of your target audience and adjusting the copy accordingly but also ensuring that there is neither too much nor too little copy in the mailer.
Delivering Successful Direct Mail Campaigns with DMS
If you are looking to bring your ideas of visually appealing content to life, partner with us at Direct Mail Systems. We are a leading direct mailing company that offers a rapid, flexible and reliable service for all print and direct mail requests.
When looking to create a captivating piece of direct mail, DMS can assist. We offer state-of-the-art equipment and expertise in all things print and fulfilment, producing designs that will exceed your expectations. Our service promises to help you execute a successful direct mail campaign with a streamlined process.
From data capture to printing and direct mail production, we will ensure your mail is delivered accurately and on time. To find out more, and receive a free quote today.