Design direct mail
Here's a general outline for designing a direct mail piece:
Objective: Before designing your direct mail piece, define your objective. What do you want to achieve with your mailing? Are you looking to:
- Generate leads?
- Drive sales?
- Increase brand awareness?
- Encourage donations?
Target Audience: Identify your target audience. Who are you sending the mail piece to? Are they:
- Existing customers?
- Prospective customers?
- Donors?
- Members?
Design Elements: A successful direct mail piece should include the following design elements:
- Headline: A clear, attention-grabbing headline that communicates the value proposition.
- Visuals: High-quality images or graphics that support the message and grab attention.
- Body Copy: Concise, easy-to-read text that communicates the benefits and value of your offer.
- Call-to-Action (CTA): A clear, prominent CTA that tells the recipient what action to take next.
- Offer: A compelling offer that incentivizes the recipient to take action.
- Personalization: Personalized elements, such as the recipient's name, to increase relevance and engagement.
- White Space: Adequate white space to make the design easy to read and visually appealing.
Design Tips:
- Keep it simple: Avoid clutter and keep the design clean and simple.
- Use a clear font: Choose a font that is easy to read, such as Arial, Helvetica, or Calibri.
- Use color effectively: Use color to draw attention, convey emotion, and create visual interest.
- Make it scannable: Use headings, subheadings, and bullet points to make the content easy to scan.
- Use a consistent layout: Use a consistent layout throughout the design to create a cohesive look.
Direct Mail Piece Options:
- Postcard: A single-sided mail piece that is ideal for promoting a limited-time offer or event.
- Letter: A multi-page mail piece that is ideal for sharing a story, providing educational content, or promoting a product or service.
- Brochure: A multi-page mail piece that is ideal for showcasing a product or service, providing educational content, or promoting a brand.
- Self-Mailer: A mail piece that is designed to be self-contained, with all the necessary information and a CTA on a single piece.
Design Software: You can use a variety of design software to create your direct mail piece, including:
- Adobe InDesign
- Adobe Illustrator
- Microsoft Word
- Canva
- Mailchimp
Best Practices:
- Test and refine: Test different design elements and refine your design based on the results.
- Use a clear and concise message: Use a clear and concise message that communicates the value proposition.
- Make it visually appealing: Use high-quality images and graphics to make the design visually appealing.
- Use a clear CTA: Use a clear and prominent CTA that tells the recipient what action to take next.
- Track and measure: Track and measure the effectiveness of your direct mail piece to refine your design and improve results.