7 Direct Mail Testing Ideas
Direct mail testing can help you improve the effectiveness of your direct mail campaigns by allowing you to compare different variables to see what works best for your target audience. A direct mail strategy isn’t a “one and done” kind of thing. With each direct mail piece that you send, you are testing different things: different lists, different headlines, and different styles. Doing A/B testing of direct mail is a necessity of marketing strategy to make sure you’re getting the most bang for your buck.
Here are some multivariate testing for direct mail ideas to consider. As you work through these they will inform your future campaigns, bringing down your cost per acquisition because the testing methods are showing you what is effective and what is not.
Sure Fire Direct Mail Testing Strategies
#1. Test Different Types of Mail Pieces:
For a direct mail testing strategy, try testing different formats, sizes, and shapes of mail pieces to see what catches your audience’s attention the most. For example, try comparing postcards versus letters or a tri-fold brochure versus a booklet.
#2. Try Varied Messaging:
Experiment with different copy and messaging to see what resonates best with your audience. This can include testing different headlines, calls-to-action, and benefits. Direct mail testing best practices indicate that it may take up to three different direct mailers before you can see traction with a direct mail marketing campaign. Testing multiple specific offers and messaging with each one will show you what your customers respond to the best.
#3. A/B Test Offers:
Test different offers to see what motivates your target audience to respond. For example, try offering a discount versus a free gift or a limited-time offer versus an ongoing promotion. Split tests are also good at this point, sending one offer to one group (say, two pieces for the price of one), and another offer to another group (say, one pizza for $5). Seeing which offer performs better will help you with continuous improvement in making each subsequent mailer better.
#4. Use Unique Mailing Lists:
Compare the response rates of different mailing lists to see which ones work best. You can try testing mailing lists based on demographics, purchasing behavior, and interests.
#5. Utilize Personalizations:
Try testing the level of personalization in your direct mail pieces. For example, try using a recipient’s name versus not using it or including personalized messaging based on their past purchase history.
#6. Rotate Timing:
Experiment with different timing for your direct mail campaigns. For example, try sending out mail pieces on different days of the week or at different times of the year to see what generates the best response rates.
#7. Vary Colors and Images:
Test the impact of different colors and images on your direct mail pieces. For example, try using bright, bold colors versus muted tones or images of people versus product images.
Remember to test only one variable at a time, so you can isolate the impact of each variable on your response rates. By testing different elements of your direct mail campaigns, you can fine-tune your messaging and design to increase your response rates and achieve better ROI.
