Types of Direct Mail

• Direct mail letters are an inexpensive and effective way to communicate with your customers and prospective customers. You can add a flyer or brochure to share more information but that will increase the cost. It may be more effective to write a compelling letter and recommend people visit your website for more information, prices or to download a free white paper or report. See direct mail letters.
  

• Direct mail postcards are an inexpensive and effective way to communicate information to consumers and business customers about a new product or service, or to announce a sale or special promotion. See direct mail postcards. 

• Self mailers are flyers that are folded in half or three times so the flyer can be mailed without an envelope. They allow you to include more information than a direct mail postcard but like a letter, someone needs to choose to open the flyer to read all the information you want them to see. Self mailers are seen more like "junk mail" than a letter sent in an envelope or a catalog. But they're less expensive to send because you're not paying for envelopes. See self mailers. 

• Catalogs are expensive to create, print and mail but are an effective way to showcase products and attract people to your website to buy. Many companies now create mini catalogs to send to prospective customers with their best items and then once someone has purchased they invest in sending a larger version of the catalog. See catalogs.

• Brochures are generally sent in an envelope with a letter. See brochures.

• Direct mail coupon mailers that are sent to homeowners with coupons from many companies are called “marriage mail” in the direct mail industry. These are the envelopes that come to your home loaded with coupons from different businesses (usually 10-20 coupons from different businesses) and are usually addressed as occupant or resident. The companies that specialize in sending these mailers make it very easy and cost-effective to participate. But will a mailing with a coupon for your product or service attract customers who will become long-term customers and will be profitable and willing to pay full prices?  See direct mail coupon mailers.

• Personalized direct mail, or what commercial printers often call digital printing. It's done by using computer files and special digital press equipment that allows a commercial printer to personalize individual direct mail pieces with the person's name, text and/or graphics. Or different versions can be created for different customer segments (groups of customers) so the mailer will be more relevant. The personalized direct mail pieces are often printed with a personalized website address (called a pURL) that coordinates with the look and offer from the mailing. This type of direct mail requires more planning and each mailing piece is more expensive, but the response rates are much higher than typical direct mail. This type of direct mail is used by companies selling expensive and long sales cycle products and services like cars, vacation homes and vacations.  It's also used by universities and colleges to customize their mailings to students with different majors and interests, and by non-profit organizations to send to different donor groups. See Personalized Direct Mail. 

• Direct mail packages. This is what very sophisticated direct marketers create and send. They generally include several different things and may be an unusual shape and are part of an overall direct mail campaign. If you want to do this, you'll want to learn about people you can hire to help you with direct mail.

• You can invite people to an open house, special sale, party, product demonstration, informational presentation, or anything that requires getting people to a particular location. The key is to make people feel that they are special and not everyone is being invited. Once they get there, your sales people can go to work. See Invitations and cards.  

• Special Delivery.  FedEx and other quick delivery services are far more expensive than regular mail, but sending a letter and/or brochure or invitation via special delivery will ensure your package gets special attention and increases the likelihood it will be opened and read.

• Get inspired!  Direct Mail Ideas and Examples.
  

If you have less information to convey and/or a lower budget, consider

• Sending a letter

• Postcards are simple, two-sided pieces, with a promotional message on one side and the customer's address on the other

• Self-mailers are created from a single sheet that has been printed and folded. A self-mailer is folded in half or in thirds, with the advertising information in the inside and the outside surfaces used for the address of the recipient and some "teaser" message designed to persuade the customer to open the piece.

• Email 

• Coupon books or discount books or envelope mailers where your coupon is part of a larger book of coupons mailed out either in a booklet or in an envelope.  This is called "marriage mail" in the direct mail industry.