Direct mail marketing is typically just one aspect of a larger sales and marketing strategy, so success
or failure can't be measured by looking only at the bottom line. And direct mail marketing
success is relative depending on your goals. Industries such as publishing that rely on direct
mail to solicit subscriptions, consider a two to four percent response rate more than decent.
Direct retailers, who mail more frequently, look for a higher response.
For small companies, a successful direct mail campaign should eventually generate enough
revenue to cover the costs of the mailing. Those costs would include the list if you rented one,
postage, paper, printing and the labor associated with the mailing. In other words, a successful
mailing breaks even.
For any business, well-targeted and crafted direct mail marketing can not only satisfy a sales
goal, but build a brand. With that, comes recognition, trust and acceptance – key ingredients
which put you and your customers on the same page.
