WHAT MAKES A GOOD DIRECT MAIL PIECE?

Readability Is Key

As a first step it is essential that the readability of your direct mail piece is considered from the very beginning of the design and copywriting process. In essence, this means that all the text on your direct mail piece should be easy to see and easy to read.

Core basic considerations for readability include:

• Text size
• Text typeface
• Text spacing
• Text colour
• Text length
• Mail size (postcard, outside envelopes etc.)
• Text to whitespace ratio

In addition to the visual appearance of your text, you should also consider how effectively your text is communicating your core messaging. Making use of short and snappy statements that clearly communicate your messages well as any USPs is paramount. Bullet pointing is also an effective way to communicate your messaging quickly and precisely.

The end result of having good readability is that anyone should be able to pick up your direct mail piece and immediately understand its core messaging.
 

Visual Appeal

Creating a visually appealing direct mail piece is imperative to an effective direct mail campaign. If your direct mail piece is poorly designed and fails to catch the eye at a glance, then the reader will be unlikely to engage. When designing your direct mail piece, you should consider basic visual design principles and ensure that your piece meets the following checks:

• Are images of high quality?
• Do your colours complement each other?
• Does your piece make effective use of whitespace?
• Is the design of your piece balanced?
• Does the design of your piece follow a natural rhythm and hierarchy?
• Does the core messaging of your piece stand out?

 

Be Unique

One of the principal challenges in direct mail campaigns is standing out from the competition. If your direct mail piece is delivered alongside other mailers, how do you make your piece standout and encourage the reader to engage?

Unfortunately, this can be much easier said than done. While there are certainly methods to make your mail piece visually stand out (high contrast colours, dominant USPs etc.) these may not be the best approach as they can unintentionally communicate poor quality or otherwise turn off readers.

The best approach to standing out is to conduct regular reviews of competitors and other businesses within the direct mail space. Look at what other businesses are doing and contrast against their visual cues or their messaging.

Send A Message

The final area to consider in creating a great direct mail piece is how all the other elements feed into the core messaging of your piece.

To improve engagement with your mailer it is important that your core message is communicated clearly and efficiently. As highlighted in readability, make use of short snappy statements that clearly communicate your USP and give an easy-to-follow Call to Action for readers.

A supremely designed direct mail piece is all for naught if the reader doesn’t know what to do next!