Recently we’ve had some interesting discussions with some of our printing clients about direct mail and specifically targeted direct mail. It all looks promising for them.

However, there were a few things we had to clear up for our clients on both occasions.

In Direct mail printing services your biggest asset is targeting those most likely to respond. Here are some basics of list selection that you need to know.

Is your Print run targeting businesses or residents?

As obvious as it sounds this is important, most businesses sell to either consumers or businesses. There aren’t too many households that are going to need a good commercial printer – so obviously we would use this to keep our marketing away from households, while many businesses do need printing. However, a business isn’t going to be too interested in the latest optometry specials.

Print Distribution Lists can be sliced up by suburb.

A lot of businesses only operate in a certain area. I can’t imagine driving from Essendon to Mornington for a Friday night pizza so be sure that if you are only operating locally you pick the suburbs and post codes that it makes sense to travel to. It might also mean there are areas you currently serve that are being under marketed to.

There are lists for almost everything.

Regardless of who your ideal customer is you can be certain to be able to find a list of them. If you sell to owners of certain types of businesses you can get a list of them. If your ideal customers all subscribe to certain magazines you can get a list of them. There are list brokers who specialise in finding you lists of your ideal customers.

Variable Data Printing Allows You To Customise Your Mailing.

Variable Data Printing (VDP) is what you’d know as ‘mail merge’ in MS Word. It allows you to insert specific information for each recipient into your printed marketing materials. Printing their address directly onto the envelope would be a common VDP job. As is customising the name of who you send the letter to.

But you can do more than that if you want.

Bonus ‘Thing:’

I’d be willing to bet that you didn’t know we could do this for you. We can help you plan and implement your direct mail campaigns. With the right team in place they are much easier to make happen than you might imagine.

If you are after help working out if adding direct mail to your marketing plan is right for you I am happy to have a brief chat about any projects you have in mind and how we can work together to grow your business. Australia Post has lodgement deadlines that need to be met so we need to be really organised to get your mailings in the post when you need them there.

Join our Newsletter The Print Shop to stay on top of the best ways to maximise the results from your next print job.