1. All personalization is not good personalization

Simple name personalization doesn’t cause a big lift any more. In fact, some personalization can actually “creep out” the consumer. It’s important that messages and images relate to individual recipient demographics and psychographics. The fact that copy and images are relevant to the recipient doesn’t always have to be obvious to them.

2. Not connecting with customers when they are in the buying cycle

A good share of direct marketing doesn’t work because the recipient isn’t actually in the buy cycle when they receive the communication. Triggered mail to hand raisers and mail that coincides with or addresses known needs work best.

3. Sending the same message to all

Good direct mailers utilize audience segmentation techniques. They look at the unique needs and problems of each segment and develop relevant selling propositions, messaging and offers.

4. Not making your response mechanisms as relevant as the outbound medium

Sending out relevant direct mail won’t be nearly as effective if you send the respondent to the company web site and make them sift through your site map to find what they are looking for. Personal landing pages, enabled by personal URL’s, allow you to display relevant messaging and content that coincides with the direct mail program and keys off of recipient data characteristics. Also, if you don’t brief or train the call center staff or the sales reps, they can blow up your leads.

5. Focusing on just one channel

Direct mail, the internet and email done effectively in an integrated fashion can have a synergistic effect. It’s proven, direct mail and email steer people to the web. The web can help you capture response so you can continue the dialogue with them via direct mail or email.

Variable Data print technology enables relevant communication in direct mail pieces. Personal URL’s enable relevant conversations on the web. Used in conjunction, they can have a dramatic impact on your campaign results.

Definition: Relevant marketing – “The art of understanding your audience so well that you can speak to them in a tone and with information that precisely meets their needs every time.”

PrintComm can help you improve results from your marketing efforts so your campaign goals are achieved. Contact Brenda Poe at 800-935-1592 ext 115 or bpoe@printcomm.com.