Direct mail can be one highly effective way to build your practice. Here are ten tips for increasing your response rate for direct mail (also called direct response advertising):
1. Use dimensional mailings- Dimensional mailings are mailings that contain some type of premium object that, unlike a flat piece of paper, it gives your mail a three dimensional appearance. Dimensional mailings grab the attention of the recipient because the recipient is curious about what is inside the mailing.
2. Personalize the envelope- Hand write the address on the envelope, or at least, use a type font that makes the address appear to be hand written. Also, do not use a postage meter. Use regular stamps- in fact more than one- on the envelope. This also makes the mailing piece look more personal.
3. Hire a professional copywriter to write your mailing piece. If you are spending money to produce and mail a piece, doesn’t it make sense to make the content as persuasive as possible?
4. Consider making the piece look different by using colored paper or a non-traditional size envelope.
5. Give the prospect an easy way to respond. Consider, for example, inserting a postage free response card,
6. Give the prospect more than one way to respond. In direct mail marketing studies, it was found that the response rate would increase if you provide more than one method for responding. (for example, “mail back this card” or “call our office at 555-1212.”
7. Test your mailing. Millions of advertising dollars are wasted each year because advertisers never test ads. By testing alternative ads such as two different versions at a time, it has been shown that response rate can double, all without spending additional money. In addition, by continuing to test two different versions of an ad, picking the best of the two, and testing again, the response rate can continually improve.
8. Write in a conversational style as if you were talking one on one to the prospect. You are more likely to connect with a prospect and get your message across if you communicate as if you were talking directly with your prospect.
9. Use a guarantee. If you can reduce the risk a prospect takes from taking action, you will convince more prospects to take action. One example of a guarantee is “If you are not satisfied with the treatment we provide, you can get your money back with no questions asked.”
10. Make it easy for the prospect to make a purchase. Provide alternative purchasing methods such as check, credit card, or with different payment terms.
Direct mail- also called direct response advertising- is a proven method to promote your practice. Millions of dollars are spent each year by all types of businesses. Why not consider direct response as a way to build your practice? You will probably find that most competing practices are not using direct mail so your use of this method will differentiate you from competing practices.
