Direct Mail: How To Make It Work

Direct mail has long been considered one of the most effective tools in B to B marketing. In the world of mechanical contractor associations it has become our primary link to the future of marketing.

Direct mail offers the opportunity to get your message to specific audiences through well-targeted direct mail lists. Nehlsen Communications does direct mail campaigns for dozens of MCA's, union locals, and individual contractors. We purchase lists from a variety of trade publications targeted to audiences we want to reach. For example, the health care industry has offered huge opportunities to our contractors in recent years. Health care publications from state-wide hospital associations sell their subscription lists for direct mail purposes. Mailing houses, like InfoUSA break down lists into categories and sub-categories that allow your direct mail to find the specific decision-maker in hospital maintenance.

Now that we have the ability to get our direct mail into the hands of the right people, what do we say to get the attention of end-users and persuade them to use MCA contractors? Messages should be short, easy to understand and offer value to the reader. In most of our recent direct mail campaigns we have used a hard-hitting headline that draws the reader in, and copy that directs them to a Website for more information. The Website can then entertain, educate, inform and persuade the viewer.

We can't expect readers to spend more than 30 seconds looking at a direct mail piece, but we can entertain them enough on a Website to keep them engaged for longer periods. That's the beauty of a well-conceived multiple-channel marketing program. It all works together to attract, engage and inform the reader.

MCANJ, MCA of Chicago, Northern California MCA and NEMCA have all done great direct mail campaigns that illustrate the use of headlines that engage the reader, and Websites that inform and educate.

Examples of their campaigns can be seen on the mcaproof.com Website.

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