Q1: Is there any special mailing format that consistently performs better than others?

A1: No not really. However, you can take advantage of the fact that direct mail allows for accurate testing with prompt results. So you can determine the format that works best for you and adjust it to provide maximum cost-effectiveness for your market.

Q2: How long should a normal marketing letter be?

A2: There's an old saying in the direct marketing business that claims, "The more you tell, the more you sell." But recent generations are the product of the fast-paced electronic age. So they tend to have less patience for long written messages and simply want you to "get to the point as soon as possible." They also tend to be more visually oriented and often prefer more graphics than text. The truth as always, lies in proper testing.

Q3: Should my mailing be personalized?

A3: In a word yes, personalization is a very good idea. It has been proven to increase response rates dramatically and the more personal you make your direct mail, the better response you're likely to get. Personalization can be as simple as using the recipient's own name in the salutation or as sophisticated as changing whole blocks of text according to each individual's past check-up patterns or special needs. However, higher levels of personalization do add to the cost of direct mail, so you will want to consider at which level your cost-per-visit will be most cost effective.