Direct mail is not as en vogue as it was several years ago, but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t still pack a punch for small business marketers. And honestly? We definitely have a soft spot for a nice printed piece in all its tactile glory. Direct mail is memorable, experiential, and creative. What’s not to love?

Creating direct mail is a great way for small businesses to reach potential customers—especially in a local market. But if you have never done a direct mail campaign, there are a few things to consider. So we've put together a helpful guide to get you going with confidence.

How much does direct mail cost?

Let’s be honest, direct mail costs can add up quickly, but with a little planning and a targeted mailing or leads list, the return on your investment can be pretty exciting. Costs to think about include:

• Weight and number of units: The number of pieces and weight of the piece are a factor. Consider a smaller mailer (like a postcard) for your first mailer and focus on the leads that you know are solid‍
• Design: If you’re not a graphic designer, you might consider hiring someone to help with a design that brings your vision to life. Prices on freelance designers can vary—or you can customize a template yourself in Canva‍
• Printing: From our experience, printing costs range from three cents to $2+ per piece. This will all depend on paper quality, size, whether the printed piece is one side or double sided, and whether it is a single sheet or something with multiple pages (like a catalog)‍
• Postage: Mailing costs vary based on current postage rates and how many pieced you’re mailing. You can expect something between 25 cents and $2+ per piece of mail these days.

Pro-tip: The USPS has two great resources to help you explore details and plan your budget. Check them out here and here.

Tips for a successful direct mail campaign

Get clear on your goals - Are you trying to generate sales, create awareness, or increase website traffic. Your goal influences your messaging—it can also influence the design in some cases.

Who is your audience - What are the needs of your potential clients? What is your offer? Where do they live? If you are purchasing a mailing list of "cold" (read: new contacts who have never interacted with your business before), you'll want to spend time making your best/educated guesses about who they are. If you have your own mailing or lead list—even better! This can make your direct mail campaign really effective since they already know about your product or service and/or have shown interest in the past.

What are you sending? - Are you mailing a postcard, a small gift box, a brochure, a catalog? Your message and goals (and cost) will likely help you figure out the type of direct mail you plan to send.‍

Design it - If you hire a graphic designer, share your brand guidelines from your Enji account so they have everything they need to keep the design on-brand!

A strong CTA is a must  - Your potential customer should clearly understand why they received your mail, and this is usually tied to making the offer and CTA (call to action) extremely clear. What you want them to do should be obvious. Here are a few examples:

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• Visit www.yourwebsite.com to learn more!
• Call us to schedule a free consultation XXX-XXX-XXX!
• Use the discount code XXX for 20% off next time you shop!

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Mail  it - You can go to the post office and apply the appropriate postage yourself or with a few helpful volunteers. But, if the volume is in the hundreds or even thousands, you may want to consider a direct mail processor or print shop for applying the postage and mailing. It will save you a huge amount of time—and your time is worth a lot!

Okay, so what are you waiting for!? Time to hit the post office!