Any time a business has the opportunity to show a prospective customer the ways in which it offers value, it should. If you don’t tell customers and prospects why they need your product and service—in other words, if you don’t boldly shout about why your business matters—you’re leaving incredible opportunity on the table. Direct mail is a cost-efficient way to achieve the goal, but it requires a savvy, creative approach to messaging. In the article, “11 Direct Mail Marketing Secrets,” successful small business owners sounded off on the ways you can leverage the power of direct mail. Several of the tips are tactical (mail something lumpy to pique curiosity; include product samples) but there are two strategies we wanted to spotlight. One is to “Open with a Proposition,” which means telling the reader exactly why your business brings value to his or her life or company.

Let’s use Tri-Win as an example. We recently embarked on our direct marketing campaign. Throughout all of the messaging, we explained what we did for the customers. Not just the obvious, “we offer direct mail and printing services,” but rather things that speak to our innate value, such as:

  • we analyze your mailing lists to determine if you could leverage postage savings you may not realize exist (help to save client money they didn’t realize could exist)
  • we tell you if you’re already receiving the best postage rates possible (help the client feel confident in their current vendor)
  • we look at delivery methods to see if we can save you money (another value-add to help clients save money)

We tell our customers upfront that there’s more to us than direct mail marketing. Direct mail marketing is the business result, but how we help companies get there is our value proposition.

Another strategic piece of advice from the article is number nine: “Provide Value.” This means making the direct mail campaign count. Direct mail marketing is successful when the message is clear, concise, and creative. Find a way to demonstrate that your company is worth the customer’s time. Getting a customer’s attention is half the battle, so provide interesting images, compelling messaging, and innovative design. And don’t be shy–shout about your company’s value. When you do, you’re positioned to achieve great results.