Direct mail marketing is not something you can master overnight. There is no way you can nail your direct mail campaign the first time, regardless of how much prep time you get. However, that does not mean that proper preparation can’t help you significantly boost your chance of success. But, what is the best way to prepare yourself to run a successful direct mail campaign?

Do you go online and read hundreds of articles on how to create a direct mail campaign? Or do you just wing it by using a trial and error method? Well, it can’t be the second option because that’d mean wasting a lot of your resources and money.

One of the best ways to create direct mail campaigns with a high success potential is to study successful direct mail examples in the past. By closely examining direct mail examples that have yielded positive results, you can identify practices you can adapt for your campaigns.

But, it is also important to understand the basics of direct mail marketing before you try using the direct mail examples provided here. You need to know what is what before you can jump in and start a direct mail campaign. So, let’s begin straight away.

10 Creative Direct Mail Marketing Examples

Direct mail marketing is all about standing out from the crowd and presenting something fresh to your target audience. In the past couple of years, several creative direct mail campaigns have brought fresh ideas to life. Here, we will discuss some of the most creative mailers employed in direct mail marketing.

The DNA Box From Jeep

Jeep is an automobile brand that needs no introduction. Even their global tagline ‘Go Anywhere, Do Anything’ is well known around automobile enthusiasts. However, Jeep wanted to further cement their brand values across their diverse target audience through creative direct marketing ideas.

To accomplish this, the brand p sent out a ‘test Kit’ to their target audience. The brand was really creative about the contents they included in the ‘test kit’. Jeep’s kit consisted of several items, including a clock, a compass, and small test tubes containing elements of nature.

The compass represented going “anywhere” with a Jeep, the clock for taking your Jeep out “anytime”. Similarly, the test tube filled with elements of nature was a subtle acknowledgement to their other tagline, “Freedom, Adventure, Authenticity, and Passion.”

 Free Kit Kats From Nestle

In a recent direct mail campaign, Nestle decided to make a bold move by giving their customer a free Kit Kat Bar. Nestle created a direct mail campaign to promote their new chocolate bar, Kit Kat Chunky. However, it is not just the idea of giving out free chocolate bars that are admirable about Nestle’s campaign.

Nestle also used a brilliant design for this campaign. The mailer said “Sorry, we couldn’t deliver” on top, implying they could not make a delivery earlier. However, what’s really interesting is that the mailer also states a made-up reason for not making the delivery.

The reason for not making the delivery is marked in the mailer as “It’s too CHUNKY for your letterbox.” Nestle uses the same font as the one on the wrapper of the new chocolate bar to avoid any confusion. The wordplay used here is subtle yet easily noticeable, making it one of the best direct mail campaigns.

The Brain Balloon From The Economist

Another one of the creative direct mail campaigns you should turn to for inspiration is the brain balloon from The Economist. In this creative direct mail inspiration, The Economist included a red balloon with black and white printing on either side of it.

On one side, they printed an illustration of a human brain, and on the other side, the classic logo of The Economist. The idea here is simple; the brain expands when you inflate The Economist balloon. Here, the brand subtly implies that the customer should read/subscribe to The Economist to grow their (brain) knowledge.

Using Invisible Ink For World Water Day

One of the most innovative direct mail marketing ideas in recent times was when a corporation in Belgium used invisible ink on their mailers. Yes, you heard it right, invisible ink! For world water day, a Belgium corporation sent out direct mail printed with invisible ink that only turns visible when held underwater.

The campaign was so successful that the recipients would read the mailer repeatedly just to see the invisible ink appear. Of course, you could say that the mailer wasted more water in the process than saving it, contradicting the mailer’s purpose. But, from a marketing perspective, it was an immense success.

The Candle Box From Earth Hour

Earth Hour is yet another brand that successfully comes up with creative direct mail campaigns. The brand’s most successful direct mail examples involved sending a foldable candle box to CEOs and industry leaders.

Earth Hour didn’t just send out any old plain candle box either. When unfolded, the front of the candle box formed the facade of a building. The box was entirely black and the yellow candle acted as a screen to clearly show the paper cuttings. The cuttings included people shapes placed inside the windows. 

If you remove the yellow candle from its candle box, it looks like the light just got turned off on the building. The campaign was remarkably successful, and the support for their cause went up like never seen before.

Self-Buildable 3D Hologram Prisms From Google

It is not surprising to see the name Google in this list of innovators. But, you may not have expected to see them making efforts in direct mail marketing. However, Google once again manages to put a futuristic spin even to their direct mail campaign. 

How did they manage to do this? By using a simple holographic prism that the recipient can build themselves. All they had to do was follow the instructions provided in the mailer and fold the plastic piece accordingly. Once folded the prism resembled the shape of a pyramid with its cone on the top cut off.

After building the prism, the recipients could find a video on youtube and place the prism on top of the video, and voila, a homemade hologram!

Mis-Fortune Cookies From Hell Pizza

Most of us love fortune cookies. Even the ones who don’t like fortune cookies find them at least mildly interesting. You could even say that fortune cookies have everything you’d look for in a marketing channel. You open them up like a mailer to reveal information that predicts your fortune or offer.

Hell Pizza was the first to incorporate the idea of fortune cookies into their direct marketing. However, instead of fortune cookies, Hell Pizza used “misfortune” cookies in their campaign. The misfortune cookies had witty and mildly dark messages inside, like old expiry dates that ran out years ago.

Tomato Splat From LavOnline

The Tomato Splat direct mail campaign from LavOnline is an ideal example of smartly targeting your audience. They started by identifying managers and young professionals who do not have an active laundry service employed.

When opened, the direct mail used in the campaign would take the form of a white t-shirt. 

Sounds interesting already, doesn’t it? But it doesn’t end there. 

Because the real star of the campaign is a tomato included in the package. The company goes on to ask the recipients to splash the tomato on the white t-shirt. Again, the interactive nature of the direct mail worked well for the company and saw a marginal difference in the results.

Google Maps Printed On The Envelope

Printing the Google Maps location of your business on the direct mail envelope is one of the compelling direct mail examples. The Google Maps printed on the envelope automatically gives your mailer a unique look and helps it stand out from the rest.

Wouldn’t you be intrigued too if you received an envelope with a map printed on it? Then, the recipient would at least notice the mailer and open it. The map on the envelope can also be used to relay other information, such as a discount offer. You may even use fictional or fantasy locations if your business does not have a physical store/office.

Origami And Pop-Up Books

Origami is the art of folding paper into exciting shapes. You can use origami in your direct mail and make it more fun to interact with your mailer. This approach is especially effective if your product or service targets households with little children.

Another direct mail design that uses the same principles as origami is pop-up books. The pop-up books are perfect for telling your brand’s story and for grabbing the reader’s attention. Ikea has already successfully implemented pop-up books as part of its direct marketing efforts.

Additional Creative Direct Marketing Ideas You Can Try

We have already discussed some of the best direct mail marketing campaigns in recent times. But, there are more ways for you to ensure better results for your creative mailers. Some of these creative direct mail marketing ideas are as follows: 

• List out the benefits instead of the features of your product/service.
• Utilise bigger images for grabbing user attention.
• Use product samples, checklists, and quizzes to boost interaction with the recipients.
• Instead of using plain headlines, try using questions as they are more interactive.
• Offer limited and free products/services.
• Handwriting fonts yield better results than regular fonts.
• Use AR and VR technologies to boost interactions.
• Offer free shipping, discounts, and attractive loyalty programs.

Regardless of how creative you get with your direct mail campaign, it would be best if you still keep on following specific guidelines. We have listed the major guidelines below that can help you reach your direct marketing goals.

Always Go For High-Quality Targeted Lists

If you pay attention, you will notice that some aspects are common in all successful direct mail campaigns. The most prominent among them is the use of targeted lists.  

Using high-quality targeted lists lets you cut down on mailing costs by getting rid of unqualified recipients. For example, a local grocery store owner can choose the targeted list for their business from their locality. 

Similarly, you can target your audience further based on the product attributes, customer taste, and more. You can even get help from a list broker to create a list based on numerous customer demographics such as:

• Age
• Gender
• Income level
• Distance from the store.

Never Underestimate The Importance Of An Organised Message

Now that you’ve gone through the best direct mail marketing campaigns, you might have noticed that they all have a well-organised message. So, what does it mean to have an organised message in your direct mail? The simple answer is that the direct mail message should immediately convey the benefits when the audience opens the mailer.

A common mistake made by marketers is that they cram up too much information in the mailer. It usually happens when the marketer is new to direct mail campaigns. As a result, the critical parts of their message get lost in the shuffle. Hence, it would be best if you made your message concise.

For example, you can send customers a short letter along with a brochure. Some quick pointers you can follow to ensure organised messages are as follows:

• Ensure that your phone number and website details are easy to find.
• You must provide the contact details on one side for every piece you include in the mailer.
• Avoid trying to make the sale on smaller-sized mailers such as postcards.
• Use a teaser that motivates the recipient to contact your business for more information.

An Attention-grabbing Envelope Can Boost Your Open Rate

Perhaps the most crucial point of the entire direct mail campaign is when the customer receives the mailer. Why? Because once the recipient has the mailer in their hands, they will decide whether or not to open it. 

Therefore, you must make your envelope look attractive and generate curiosity in the recipient’s mind. For example, try asking a question on the envelope that provokes the reader and pushes them to open it. You could also try highlighting or hinting at the key benefits in the mailer.

For example, “Save 50% on your purchase”. Offering a reward inside is one of the best ways to pique the reader’s interest and make them want to open the envelope.

Testing Your Direct Mail is a Must!

At the beginning of the article, we said that regardless of prep time, you still need experience mastering direct mail. You can refer to all the direct mail marketing ideas out there, but by the end of the day, you’d still need to test it.

Only after testing your mailer can you know for sure that all your preparations and strategies affected the campaign. However, you don’t have to test your mailer directly on a live campaign. Instead, you could try testing the mailer on a small percentage of your actual target audience.

For example, you can send direct mail to 3% of people in your target list with a unique offer. Then, you could send the same mailer to another 3% of people in your target list but this time, with a different offer. 

You can analyse the response rate for both mailers and determine which offer resonates better with your target audience. Similarly, you can test various aspects of your direct mail, including the design, colour combinations, messaging, and much more.

Direct mail examples are the best place for marketers to gain inspiration regardless of whether they are newbies or industry experts. Every business needs to try to use/implement innovative and creative direct marketing ideas to boost its response rate. 

However, good ideas alone can not make a successful direct mail campaign. You need an advanced tool like PostGrid that can execute your creative direct marketing ideas without any errors. PostGrid’s automated system minimises any chance of error so your campaigns can run smoothly.

With all manual processes out of the way, PostGrid lets your direct mail campaigns gain a life of their own. Also, the address verification API from PostGrid allows you to make sure your addresses are deliverable. So, by the end of the day, you can flawlessly execute your innovative direct mail marketing ideas with ease using PostGrid.