Would you like to increase the number of people who visit your business or store by nearly 25%? Believe it or not, those kinds of numbers don’t come from blog posts, e-newsletters, or branded video content. Instead, they come from direct mail marketing. But what does it take to create the best direct mail campaigns? When you’re ready to master mail marketing, increase your opening rate, and watch your profits rise as a result, read on to find out.

 

Make it Personal

When you get sent one of the 848 pieces of junk mail you receive a year, we’re willing to bet that you toss it in the trash without bothering to open it- nine times out of ten. And we can’t say we blame you! After all, a letter addressed to “Resident” or “Homeowner” in that tell-tale mass mailing typeface doesn’t exactly make you feel valued as a customer. That is why one of the most effective direct mail marketing ideas is to focus creating well-designed, personalized envelopes that look completely different than standard junk mail. If possible, go for a handwritten font or hand-address your own envelopes. Address them (both on the outside of the envelope and in your greeting) to the first name of the recipient. Including a person’s name on the envelope can boost open rates by a whopping 135%. Even consider printing cancellation marks on your envelopes to make things look more personalized.

 

Keep in on-Brand

If you want to use direct mail marketing, then you need to ensure that everything from the type of letterhead you print your mail pieces on to the colors and photos you include is on-brand. The goal here is to build brand recognition while also creating consistency within your overall marketing strategy. For example, consider printing your logo at the top of your stationery or letterhead. Decide if a postcard is the right fit for your brand, or if a mailing a flyer is the better move. Even take a look at the font you’re using in the direct mailing campaign. Is it similar to the one you use on your website, in catalogs, and in other print and digital marketing campaigns? Finally, make sure that you’re sending your mailings out to your target market. Consider investing in lead lists and databases to connect with the people most likely to work with you.

 

Get Expert Help with Mail Marketing

Last, but not least, if you want to make your next mail marketing campaign as effective as possible, consider working with a professional direct mail marketing company. Sure, you could hand address those envelopes on your own, spend hours playing around with the right template, and attempt to snap an eye-catching image with your iPhone camera. But do you really want to spend your time and money during the work day that way — and run the risk of creating a less-than-perfect campaign? We didn’t think so. Work with a professional to save on the costs of printing, get access to unique and branded templates, and everything else you need to improve your direct mail strategy.

While people are increasingly looking at the internet for company services information, three out of four organizations still consider a brochure to be a valuable source of marketing. A well put together brochure can be the perfect way to give clients key information about your products and services. But brochure design is also easy to get wrong. We’ve put together this simple guide on how to design an eye-catching brochure that will compel your target clientele to reach out. Read on to learn more.

 

Essential Tips for Brochure Design

Why Do You Need a Brochure?

The first question that you need to ask is why you need a brochure. What is it that you are hoping to get across to your potential customers? Being very clear about what you need this brochure to achieve will help you come up with the ideal brochure design to apply.

Designers often quote Frank Lloyd Write by saying ‘Form follows function.’ What this means is that every decision you make should revolve around what you need the brochure to do. For example, designing a brochure for a new product launch requires different factors and decision making as compared to designing for a whole line catalog.

 

Think about the Reader

To create a really engaging brochure, you need to think about who the reader will be. Once you have demographic information about your client base, or once you have identified who your target client is, then you can formulate ideas on how to create a brochure that will appeal to them.

This isn’t just an aesthetic question. Yes, you want to make your brochure visually appealing to your target market; but, it is also important to ensure that the content will be useful to them, so create a copy with that audience in mind.

 

Keep it Simple

It’s easy to get carried away; designing a brochure that says everything. Remember that your brochure isn’t there to answer every question a customer might have. But your brochure should include company information and product and services information, as well as, testimonials, if available. The brochure should, at a minimum,  pique your client’s interest and encourage them to get in touch to find out more.

Simplicity should run through the whole design so pare down the information you offer. Keep the fonts and colors limited and in line with your corporate branding. Sometimes less is more.

 

Work on the Words

Copywriting is a skill. Although most people are literate enough to string a sentence together, it is different when you need to work on a limited word count with lots of information to put out. Striking a balance between these factors while influencing consumer behavior takes real skill to pull it all together.

How do you make a brochure really effective? Great copy. Write it. Revise it. Keep on going until you have it as close to perfect as you can get it. Hire a professional copywriter, if you need to.

 

Quality Photographs

Images are important in a brochure. Use quality photographs of your products, or have some taken of your business. If you can’t take your own, then you can use stock photos but try and choose those that don’t look like generic photos. You want to give your customers a sense of who you are, not a sense of vagueness.

 

Ask for Help

If handling your own brochure design sounds like more than you can cope with, we gladly offer brochure design services. Get in touch today, we’d be happy to discuss your needs with you.