An Every Door Direct Mail (EDDM) campaign has the potential to be one of the most powerful, effective physical advertisement opportunities at your disposal. Whether you’re looking to disseminate information, generate leads, tout a new product or just stay in your customers’ worlds, EDDM opens a breadth of possibilities to you.
But, like any marketing venture, an EDDM campaign needs to be approached properly if it’s going to be successful. Not taking the right approach to your mailing campaign could end with you spending time, effort and money on an ineffectual mailing. On the flip side, proper foresight and some planning could make your next EDDM campaign a huge hit!
Let’s take a look at some of the things to consider and what you need to know about the finer-workings of EDDM before you start crafting your campaign.
Define your campaign
Before you even think about sending out direct mail, make sure you’ve got a purpose in mind. What’s the objective? What message are you trying to send? Is your message suited for every recipient? Asking yourself these questions and more upfront will help you fine-tune the piece of marketing collateral that goes out.
Also important to define upfront is when the campaign will take place and what the duration of execution will be. Will it be a single-day dissemination or will you stagger your dispersal? What days of the week or what time of the year will it go out? Plan the time frame in accordance with your objectives for maximum effectiveness.
Set up measuring metrics
How will you know if your campaign is a success or not? It’s all about setting up data collection, to track and measure how well your EDDM campaign executes. Some considerations include:
- Use variable data printing to customize links, QR codes or coupon numbers. This will help track overall redemptions, conversions and calls to action that are effective.
- Define the geographic scope of your EDDM campaign(s) and use variable data to track which areas respond well vs. those that don’t.
- Offer several calls to action, to determine which is most effective in opening a dialog between you and your customers.
Data is going to be key in determining if your campaign is successful, and to what degree you’ve achieved success.
Create collateral
The last thing you want is for your EDDM campaign mailer to be looked at as junk mail—this can mark a failure from the outset. Instead, you want something that grab’s people’s attention and makes them want to learn more about the piece of mail they’re holding!
When you’re creating the right mail, make sure you’re paying close attention to how it’s composed and what aesthetic message it’s projecting. Are there bright colors? Is there a clear call to action? What’s the tone of the piece? Does it have your branding front and center? All of these things and more must be considered.
As a final note, make sure a professional is designing your piece! Nothing beats professional appeal and a seasoned graphic designer can be the best investment you make in your campaign.
Start marketing!
The great thing about EDDM is that after you plan and coordinate your campaign, execution is left up to the postal service. Instead of having to plan for the logistics of a full dissemination, you can hand off your coordinated campaign to the delivery service and start setting up for data collection, as well as the conversions that are bound to come pouring in!
If you’re new to EDDM campaigns or want to help refine yours, contact AlphaGraphics Lisle/Naperville today to learn more about the steps you can take to maximize the effectiveness of your next mailer.