1. Get Prepared: Start Thinking About Direct MailHave you done a direct mail campaign in the past? How often did you market to your farming area? What were the results? Try asking around about other’s experiences. Keep an eye out for direct mail that you get in the mail that appeals to you. What about it made you stop to look at it? How often do you get mail from the same business?
2. Know Your Target Audience
Knowing who is getting your mail will help develop your strategy to appeal to the population in that community. Some things to think about are age, income level and places of interest in the surrounding community. Who are your competitors in the area? Try to take a detailed look at the mail that is being received.
3. Choose A Farming Area
Outline an area that you would like to send your campaign to. We recommend choosing an area that is reasonable to send to on a regular basis. Sending out a one-time direct mailing to 10,000 homes is not as effective as sending out a regular scheduled campaign to 1000 homes every three weeks. Consistency is key.
4. Get Creative!
If you have ideas for your campaign, that’s great! If not, seek help from the professionals. Define your campaign objectives and develop a list of ideas that you can use to plan your campaign. We recommend finding a balance between self-promotion and valuable information. For example, if one real estate mailing is showcasing your recent sales and listed properties, your next mailing could showcase community events. Keeping the look of your mailings consistent is important because it allows your audience to instantly recognize your brand from even a split-second glance (this is why branding is so valuable).
5. Get Your Timing On-Point For Printing & Design
Figure out how long design and printing will take so your mailing can be distributed on-schedule. Make sure to confirm timelines with your printer. If you schedule design (having a pre-existing template is crucial) and printing ahead of time, it will go much more smoothly. Document the length of time so you can make adjustments as needed.
6. Choose A Delivery Method
Canada Post is one option for delivery, but private distributors may be able to give you a different delivery timeline. Remember that Canada Post is the only distributor able to reach apartment buildings and condos. Your printer may be able to set up the delivery on your behalf to make things so much easier for you (that’s one service that we offer here at Iconica!).
7. Review The Outcomes
Identify what you learn about your campaign and your farming area as you progress. Make a note to yourself about any future opportunities that come up. There is always room for improvement and it’s possible to expand your area, get more specific and farm a smaller area, or change the content of your mailing to more effectively reach your target audience.
contact us today to get started with your direct mail campaign!
