Direct Mail Marketing Basics Part 5 of 5: Designing Your Message

In the final part of our 5-part series, we’ll discuss design elements. Essentially, this post highlights how you can create an aesthetically-pleasing  direct mail piece. This doesn’t need to be difficult if you pay attention to basic design considerations.
Design Principles: As a general rule, the layout of your direct mail piece should be clean and simple. Don’t go overboard with too many graphics or fonts. Instead, pick only one element—for example, a catchy headline or an attractive visual—to be the focus of the page. When selecting a font, choose one that’s easy to read and use it consistently throughout your direct mail marketing piece. Don’t forget to use bullets when appropriate—these help your prospect to quickly locate and read key information. Additionally, your call-to-action (CTA) needs to be easily noticeable. And finally, make sure your contact information is clearly displayed—it’s surprising how many people forget this.
Using Photography
Photographs are an excellent way to make your mailing more visually appealing. Use your digital camera to capture snapshots to put in your piece or visit stock photography websites for images. You can buy photos or you can often find attractive royalty-free pictures online.
Printing
When you’re ready to print your direct mail piece, you have a few different options. You can choose to print it with your own equipment, use an online service, or visit a local print shop. Having the piece professionally printed will result in a high-quality mailer but it will cost a little more so keep your budget in mind. Finally, there are a few other considerations to keep in mind before designing and printing your piece:
Standard-format direct mail pieces are cheaper to print and mail than irregularly formatted pieces (i.e. those that are atypically sized).
The more colors you use, the more expensive your printing costs will run. Consider using just a few colors combined with black and white.
It’s recommended that you have someone proofread your mailing before printing; mistakes can be costly.
Last minute jobs will increase your printing costs. Make sure you give the printer at least 2 weeks to process the work.
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Titan List is a full service Advertising and Design agency specializing in Direct Mail, Mortgage Marketing, Search Engine Optimization and Website / Graphic Design. Titan List has been around since 1998, and has a team of highly qualified individuals with experience in the marketing trends that fit your business. Unlike other agencies that source their work out, Titan List & Mailing handles the entire campaign in-house. Looking for a special list of data for your business? We can customize any data list for your company.