Top tips for a successful direct mail campaign
Step 1 - Target the right people
Step 2 - Give the right information
Step 3 - Maximise response
Step 4 - Make it better next time
Step 1 - Target the right people
Identify which of your clients 5 for Life is most suitable for. You should think about age, life stage, investment preferences etc. The more accurate your targeting is, the more effective your campaign will be. It will also make it much easier to write a message that’s relevant to everyone.
Possible target groups
- Those aged 45+, with money to invest, who are starting to think about supplementing their retirement income
- Those who are 55+, approaching retirement and looking to cash in other investments for additional income to help fund their retirement
Make your message relevant
Think about what benefits of 5 for Life are most important to your target group and make sure you focus on these benefits. Also think about the questions your target group is likely to ask and answer these questions before they ask them.
Create several target groups
Targeting doesn’t mean contacting fewer people. It just means contacting the right people with the right message, to help you get a higher number of responses. You could identify more than one target group and produce a dedicated direct mail campaign for each of them.
Get new clients
Targeting your existing clients is always the best place to start, but you can also buy mailing lists from a range of data suppliers to attract new clients. These lists can be tailored, based on the kind of people you’re interested in mailing.
Step 2 - Give the right information
Your direct mail pack should contain everything your target group will need to understand what 5 for Life is and why it’s suitable for them. You could simply send a letter or an interest generator to show them the main benefits of 5 for Life. Just ask your AEGON Scottish Equitable consultant if you want a copy of our interest generator.
Keep it simple
Generally, people don’t want to be overwhelmed with detailed information. They just want to know the key benefits and why something’s right for them.
Provide an easy way to get more detail
You should clearly give an easy way to get in touch with you, so you can explain the benefits of the product in more detail and discuss how it might suit your clients’ individual circumstances.
Step 3 - Maximise response
Test: Check your targeting and pack are correct by mailing a small number of your target group first. Then actively seek feedback from the recipients and use anything you learn to improve before mailing the full group.
Make it easy to respond: Make sure it’s easy to get in touch with you – include a clear call to action and a prominent phone number or prepaid envelope.
Follow up: Follow up your pack with another mailer or phone call to strengthen the message and get the best response possible.
Time it right: Avoid holiday months like June to August. Time the packs to arrive at the weekend as that’s when most people have time to read their mail in more detail.
Stagger: Make sure you’re not overwhelmed by responses by splitting the mailing over a few days, so you can deal with every enquiry quickly and effectively.
Step 4 - Make it better next time
After your campaign is over, look at what worked well and what could have been improved. This will help you to refine your campaign and get a better response next time. Some examples of what you should review are:
- response levels
- characteristics of respondents
- cost of campaign versus commission generated
- the effect of the follow-up campaign on response
- common questions or problems raised by respondents
Let us know what we can do to help
Get in touch with your AEGON Scottish Equitable consultant or click on the 'what to do next' box, if you need anything more from us to help make your campaign as effective as possible
