There are a number of different “vehicles” you can choose from when you implement your direct mail campaign. One of the most important keys to the success of your campaign is focusing on your target audience and determining which vehicle they are most likely to respond to. Make sure you are working with a good mailing list. The best mail pieces in the world will produce no results if their mailed to a bad list reaching the wrong audience. Don’t trust the “bargain” lists that can be found on the internet, we can pass along plenty of first-hand nightmare stories from our customers who purchased such lists and watched their campaign go nowhere.

Your mail piece says a lot about your company, and the recipient can very quickly form an opinion which will ultimately decide whether they want to do business with your company or organization. Studies show that the average person takes only 4 seconds to decide whether they are going to read a mail piece or trash it. That’s close to a sub-conscious decision. So your mail piece must have something that catches their eye before that 4 seconds is up. Graphics are great because “a picture is worth 1,000 words.” Strong bullet points stand out, and hopefully one will pique enough interest to read on. Keep the mail piece simple and not too “busy.” Here are three popular direct mail vehicles:

1. Cards: Simple and inexpensive, you can get a lot of eye-catching information without asking anyone to open an envelope or unfold a brochure.
2. Folded Self Mailer: This is a popular format for newsletters; you can get more information on a folded piece than on a card.
3. Personalized Letter Into An Envelope A more expensive option because there are more components involved, but when it’s prepared properly the recipient gets the feeling that they are the only one receiving the mailer. Ask your Select Mailing representative to show you some of the tricks to increase your response.