Direct mail marketing

[Aaron Peterson]

I’m sending out about 2000 letters (just one piece of paper inside). Should I put return labels on them?

[Jeff Stephens]

@Aaron Peterson I wanted to take a moment to dissect your question differently.  You asked "Should I put return labels on them?" but what I hear is actually questions on two different issues:  

1) should I provide a return address?

2) if I provide a return address, should it be in the form of a label?

First and foremost, it's important to note that there is really no single right answer for your marketing decisions, because each of your decisions can only be made relative to YOUR unique objectives.  

Every little marketing decision (and there are dozens, even in direct mail) comes down to this: when someone receives your letter, what experience do you want them to have, and what conclusions do you want them to draw about you?

For me, I do personally provide a return address.  Part of it is a practical issue--as @McKinley Crowley mentioned, it will help you keep your list updated when letters bounce back. But the other reason is a calculated decision on my part about the impression I want recipients to have. I want them to feel I am a straightforward and transparent regular guy (not a business), and I feel omitting a return address would run counter to that objective. So I include it. Other related questions that come up are: Should it have my name, or just the address? Should it have my personal name, or business name? Again, these are all decisions only you can make because only you know your objectives. I personally put my first and last name and a private mailbox (like @Account Closed mentioned) as the address; I personally definitely do NOT use a business name on mine, because I don't want to come across as a business.

As for whether that return address is a label (vs. being written), again it's a matter of what impression you want to give and how you want it to be perceived.  For years I've had the return address hand-written onto my envelopes, but I have started experimenting with printed labels recently to see if/how the response differs.  I haven't been able to come to any conclusions on that experiment yet.

I hope that answer is helpful in looking at the bigger picture. Feel free to DM if you want to chat further.  Good luck!