What is Direct Mail?

Direct Mail is a topic which, as a whole, may seem confusing and puzzling. There are questions we are frequently asked that aim to breakdown what Direct Mail is and how to correctly utilise everything it can offer. We have been active for over fifteen years and have developed into a comprehensive mailing and printing facility, meaning our understanding and experience of Direct Mail is second to none.

What is Direct Mail and why is it used?
The answer is really within the name itself. Direct Mail is a part of direct marketing, where products and/or services are marketed through printed advertising materials which are ‘directly mailed’ to a business or recipient’s address. The hopes of Direct Mail are to attain customers’ business and build a professional and ongoing relationship. It usually includes an offer or discount to entice recipients to respond or act upon what they have been sent. Most mailing houses have a minimum order amount due to printing equipment set-up and overall time, which usually works with the request of the client, as bulk quantities are more cost effective. Bulk mailing costs less than regular mail, and the results can easily be tracked. You can target a specific market/geographic location and use synthetic personalisation to treat mass audiences as individuals, which works to boost business. Direct Mail also allows one on one communication with the recipient, and there are countless format and presentation options available.

What to consider?
An essential component of a successful direct mail campaign is who you are going to mail to. The services can be very effective when the right people read your message. It is important to consider your ideal customers, and what their specific gender, age, income level, education, employment is and whether they have kids, a house, a car etc. These demographic factors help to plan the best way to use direct mail, and the more specific you can be, the better the results are.

What formats of Direct Mail are there?
There are different Direct Mail services available, each for a different range of purposes that need to be carefully considered as some will work better than others depending upon the intended goals. Flu immunisation mailings is a service that sends letters to patients on behalf of Surgeries and Medical Practices. It can also be used for questionnaires, bookings and appointment sheets. Bills and invoices can be distributed in a managed, cost effective and timely manner through direct mailing services. A more modern service often used in conjunction with direct mailing is postcards, which have advantages over other means of advertising, as they are easy to track, cost effective and don’t need to be opened. Depending on the results expected, and specifics of each campaign, there are a range of Direct Mail services available to suit your needs.

What is Mail Sorting?
Mail sorting refers to the sortation methods used to comply with the requirements of UK postal services. Essentially it is a process of ensuring that your mail matches the sortation requirements of the specific postal carrier, which involves data management and the maintenance of your mailing to ensure it remains compliant with the relevant factors. If data achieves a minimum of 90% accuracy, it is referred to as ‘direct data’ and in some circumstances is a qualifying criterion for postage discounts.

What is the process of Direct Mailing?
The process of Direct Mailing isn’t as complicated as it may seem. The designing of the campaign comes before the physical printing stage, which is followed by the direct mail fulfilment process- data cleansing, preparation, folding, bundling and packaging. There is sometimes a poly-wrapping phrase, depending on the order, which is used to send multiple inserts without the expense of envelopes. Mail and Print offers a specialist poly-wrapping service that uses either recyclable, printed or bio-degradable polythene, as well as other finishes. The following stage includes postage and distribution, and tracking of the campaigns. Not many Mailing Houses offer poly-wrapping services and also have the equipment in place to act as a main resource for all print, mail and postage requirements.

Why to work with us?
We use the latest technology to provide excellent and trusted direct mail services to all of our clients and partners. We can enclose up to six items into DL, CS or C4 envelopes, as well as custom sizes by machine at high speeds. We also have in-house designers on hand to create the perfect artwork for you, from letters and leaflets, to brochures and larger prints. We work closely with the Royal Mail and the Down Stream Access Providers (DSA) to get the best speed of delivery versus the best price and are able to offer high postage discounts because of the high volume of mail that is joined from different clients. We have built relationships with postal services and carriers and adopted new methods to pass discounts onto you. Our flexible and responsive approach means that we are fully equipped to handle any unforeseen changes to campaigns and present solutions to any issues that arise.

How to get in touch?
We regularly produce and mail tens of thousands of items, and our quality control processes and responsive customer service means that we can be relied upon to safely and accurately carry out services and campaigns on your behalf. If you are looking for more information or want to find out about the direct mail printing options we can offer, call us now on 0845 362 0983. From high impact printed envelopes to poly-wrapping, we can provide and supply the services you need. We would be delighted to meet up with you and discuss your marketing requirements, so call us now!