Multiple identical mailings or different every time?

Question

Working up some direct mail pieces and wanted to get some input from anyone who does direct mail on a regular basis. Would you recommend sending the same mailing piece every time or would you mix it up sending a new piece each time or repeat the first piece 2-3 times then the next piece 2-3 times?

I can obviously run trials to see what works better, but if you've done it before, I'd definitely like to hear your thoughts.

Michael Quarles · Answer

IMHO

Yellow letters -  Use two separate letters if sending a PC, three if only sending YLers and keep the copy short.
Postcards - same layout, the copy can vary however I would stay with one.
Typed - various and refer back to a previous letter.

Gary Parker · Answer

Jerry Puckett I am interested in your reasoning for not including your web site on the first 4 mailings?  I would think if a YL campaign then no web site based on the nature of the letter.  If more of a professional typed letter then i would think a web site form the beginning would be OK?

Jerry Puckett · Answer

Actually I don't.  The phone or return mail is the only option I give them for contact during the letter phase. That's why I offer email and web contact in the post card....in the sense of leaving no stone unturned.

Gary Parker · Answer

Jerry Puckett I am assuming you include your website on the first 4 mailings?

Jerry Puckett · Answer

I use a series of four letters. Each different from, but building on the last.  The fifth piece of mail is a post card, with email and website options. Then I scrub the list and start over.

My experience is that the different letters generate some momentum.

Gary Parker · Answer

I have been doing direct mail for a little over a year and a half, so my expertise is somewhat limited.   I think it depends on who you are mailing to and your area.  One list I mail to, a lot of people mail yellow letters and it works for them.  I tried that with very little success (could have been my home made YL :-).  I kept trying different things and came up with a letter and post card combination that works well.  I get very few calls, but I do get deals.  Sharon Vornholt has said more than once in posts on BP she sends a series of letters to probate that build upon each other.

I tried a couple of postcards from yellowletters.com until I found one that worked well with one of my lists.  With more and more people using direct mail testing and reevaluating is a must.

Al Bunch · Answer

Ryan - thanks for the reply.

That helps me at least set a clearer direction.  I've got a list of about 4800 absentee owners - I believe I'll divide the list into 4 groups and market different size/color/message postcards to each list and just see if I can spot what works best.

Have you tried different size postcards?  Right now I'm using 8 1/5 x 5 1/2 but I'm tempted to try the 4x6's - since I anticipate mailing each person at least once a month for a year, I'm thinking repetition might be on my side with the smaller card versus mailing only 2-3 times with a larger card.

Ryan Becerra · Answer

Hi Al,

We do about 2-3 thousand mailers a month. We send two pieces of mailers, Yellow Letters & Post Cards. There are different numbers and different names on them and honestly the responses depend on the People that receive them and there urgency.

Just to be safe though we have two lists , one gets a  yellow letter & one gets a postcard, and we switch them up every month. The cards and the Letter stay the same but they receive them Bi-monthly.

It keeps the phone ringing either way. But if I had to pick one that gets the most calls, It has to be the Yellow letter. Not by much but it does get about 10-15 more calls.

Hope this helps and Best wishes on your mail campaign.

Ryan