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Direct marketers understand how “controlled mistakes” can significantly and positively affect their bottom lines. In fact, to be more successful, maybe we should think about the awful, horrific mistakes we could make with our next direct mail effort. If we plan for the unexpected and test a radical idea or two, it could lead to more creative, meaningful and response-laden results.

In direct mail, the most successful practitioners test, test and test some more. These professionals know full well that they will write, design and mail numerous failures in their search for a control package… and then send out many more “mistakes” to beat it. In fact, the most successful DMers know that failing to test is the only unforgivable mistake.

It's a fact that many times unintentional mistakes — let's call them fortuitous mistakes — lead to great success.

Several years ago I was working with a fraternal insurance company engaged in a split-cell test to help its field agents sell more insurance to current policyholders. By their nature, insurance companies are extremely conservative. Compliance officers also make the selling process difficult at best. After reviewing the makeup of current policyholders, we decided to segment the audience by age and family demographics and create unique packages for each of two predominant cells that emerged. We would then test them against an established control package.

The corporate color of the firm was burgundy. However, due to a series of mishaps (not entirely ours), the company's brochure included in one of the packages was printed in hot pink. The client ranted. But then the results were tallied — and the client raved. The wild, totally unplanned color actually improved response rates by a significant margin.

We all know that packages almost always pull a better response than self-mailers. It's just a direct marketing fact. Yet, when a health insurance client wanted to cut production costs on a package we created, I thought outside traditional direct response boundaries and decided to test a self-mailer. No “normal” DR pro would likely make such a suggestion, but because so many factors were stacked against doing the self-mailer (complicated product; has to be sold, not bought; more information rather than less to make the sale) we decided to test the self-mailer. At worst we could determine how much less effective it was than the package, and at best if it would win. The self-mailer won the test, so we tested it a second time and it won again. We rolled out the triumphant self-mailer as the new control.

This “mistake-gone-right” gets even better. The printer switched the paper stock that was used in the tests — to a cheaper, matte-finish paper vs. the glossy stock we specified — and to our surprise, the response increased considerably. Not only did the self-mailer exceed its weekly lead-generating goal, but its cost per mailing was four times less compared with the original glossy five-piece package.

In another instance — before ink-jet technology, when laser printing was the only option for fast personalization — production issues played a part in what could have been a direct mail disaster. For a financial institution we laser-printed names and return addresses on the mailing's outer envelope and accompanying letter. Due to severe humidity, moisture caused the ink to partially flake off many of the letters and return addresses. This problem turned out to be a stroke of luck. Responses to the mailer soared because recipients were convinced the packages were personally written to them, one by one.

Mistakes, mishaps and accidents occur in the marketing world every day. Here are 10 direct mail mistakes marketers routinely make:

1. No plan

   Creating an effective direct marketing promotion is anything but easy. Just as chefs plan each meal before they prepare it, marketers must do the same. With every promo:

   • Set marketing objectives to measure against later.
   • Identify the key messages.
   • Ensure the mailing list is current and targeted.
   • Select the offer.
   • Perform market research.
   • Make budget decisions.
2. Mailing to an unqualified list

   A direct mail piece is only as good as its list. The most effective piece can't perform to expectations if it's not received by the right person — in most cases, the decision-maker. Take the time to gather, check and test your database.

3. No letter

   Statistics show that a direct mail package accompanied by a letter will nearly always outperform post cards, brochures and samples sent without a letter. One-on-one communication is enhanced by personalization.

4. A weak lead

   Within seconds, you must impress upon your prospects that you have something they need. Don't wait to send your message home. Grab your audience by beginning your copy with the strongest sales point. Pitch the product with a solution, provocative question or irresistible offer. Position the pitch where your piece will get the most readership; the first paragraph of a sales letter, a brochure cover, photo caption, headline or postscript.

5. No offer

   Position the offer as something that will increase your recipients' desire to respond. Send a coupon, debut a “gotta-have” new product/service, announce a sale, give a sincere thank-you or offer a freebie.

6. “What's in it for me?”

   Identify the benefits that are significant to your decision-making audience, then communicate the answer to this common question. Discuss your prospects' problems and how your product resolves them. Tell recipients about the benefits of your product, service or message that they'll want or need to know.

7. No call to action

   Be absolutely clear as to what you want your prospects to do. Make it easy for them to respond. Keeping it simple may involve an 800 number, credit application, reply card, self-addressed envelope, online information address or fax order form.

8. One-dimensional presentation

   With postal requirements in mind, a three-dimensional direct mail piece can be a powerful marketing tool. Dimension can involve one or more of our five senses, incorporating a gift, fragrance, sound or sample. In a crowded mailbox, it is the unusual package, holding a mysterious “something,” that stands out.

9. Unprepared to respond

   After receiving a personalized direct mail piece, your prospects expect prompt action to their response. Be careful to acknowledge when and how requests will be fulfilled, how to prioritize the responses, and most importantly, how your customer service/sales team will move the inquiry from lead to sale.

   Other important behind-the-scenes factors that can affect a program's performance involve establishing buying procedures; delivery and inventory issues; managing functions to coordinate communications among the sales force; and having your customer service and fulfillment departments analyzing responses to report results.

10. No testing

    It still amazes me, after nearly 14 years in direct marketing, how few companies understand testing and actually do enough of it. We can test the list(s), offer, package creative, package components and format. The ability to test and measure results is what differentiates direct marketing from other communications.

Testing, when done correctly, will help a company decrease the number of pieces mailed and simultaneously increase its return on investment. It allows marketers to determine, in a real world setting, what works and why.

One final, fortuitous blunder: Results of a recent integrated campaign, including e-mail, helped Summerfest, the world's largest music festival held annually in Milwaukee, generate business-to-business ticket sales. We hired a specialty e-mail service to compile a list of business e-mail addresses for a five-county area surrounding Milwaukee — about 2,500 addresses. The vendor accidentally deployed our e-mail to its entire Wisconsin business list — some 6,600 addresses.

This mistake worked double duty in our favor. First, we reached about three times the businesses without spending an additional penny. Second, we found that many businesses outside of Milwaukee were surprisingly receptive to our Summerfest ticket offer. This information will help Summerfest expand and further segment its target audience next year.

Grant A. Johnson is CEO of Johnson Direct, Brookfield, WI.