Targeted marketing Stage 5:
Sending out the mailshot

A lot of direct mail is 'junk mail'. It is not properly targeted. Using a targeted marketing approach, your direct mail will be effective.

If you've got doubts about direct mail (i.e. you think of it as 'junk' mail), don't take our word for it. Look at who's using it. In the UK, over GBP 1,000 million every year is spent on this medium, most of it by large corporations. They wouldn't keep spending this sort of money if it were wasted. Maybe your view is coloured by the fact that you throw most of your 'junk' mail away. Quite right.. because most of it is not targeted; you are not interested in it. But you are doing better. Because you have taken the trouble to research and qualify prospects, your direct mail will be more effective!

The sales letter: National and international research has shown that if you can afford to send out either a sales letter or sales literature (but not both), then send out the letter. People like reading letters!

The purpose of the letter is two-fold:

• To get the recipient to read the sales literature (if enclosed)
• To get the recipient to act in the way that we want them to act

So, given that the sales letter is the most important part of the mailshot, how can you compose the "perfect" sales letter? This is something that we'll be covering on this site very soon. But remember, that you have to grab people's attention quickly - and you have to make the letter easy to read. (Sorry, if you were expecting tips on the "perfect" letter here - but I'm running out of space - and your downloading time). You'll have to come back for more.

Further help on this topic...

You'll find further help on this topic, or closely related issues, in the side columns on this page..

Just a few quick pointers about the mailout:

1. The 'drop' day: - the day on which your letter arrives. The best day for business mail is Wednesday, second best Tuesday and Thursday, worst days are Monday and Friday. So always aim to mail out on a Monday (if your local mail service is good enough!)
2. First or second class mail (UK only?): Always use first class. And, if possible, use stamps rather than a franking machine.
3. Addressing: Experiment with handwritten envelopes. Some folks report a much better response rate from these (if the handwriting is legible!)
4. Envelope 'stuffing': Place the material in the envelope so that the letter (with its striking headline!) faces the back of the envelope. That way, it's the first thing that the reader sees. If you are folding to a smaller envelope, fold so that the headline again comes out first.

• Personal - use mailmerge to address each letter personally to the recipient (getting the name and initials correct).
• Directed to the appropriate industry / geographical sector - using phraseology that the recipient can relate to - and which will demonstrate your understanding of their own personal needs.

So - the letter has gone out. Now you need to nail it down with the telephone follow-up..

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