Direct mail can be one of the most powerful marketing tools available to offline business. Direct mail can easily outperform other advertising by 300% to 2000%.

You can not afford not to try direct mail, but you must do it right or the monetary costs are significant. Here is the scary part; direct mail is easy to get wrong.

The Five Deadly Mistakes that can go wrong with direct mail campaigns

1) a poorly written sales letter

2) a poor customer list (usually outdated)

3) the wrong demographic

4) wrong message to market

5) no testing before a large scale campaign has begun

If any of these 5 mistakes occur it can destroy any hope you have of being successful with direct mail. The result for most business owners is that they stop using direct mail believing it did not attract any new leads. This type of thinking is flawed and a major marketing error.

How can a business owner protect from making the 5 fatal errors; there are only two effective systems:

1) Hire a seasoned pro (which is commonly referred to in the industry as a copywriter) to create your direct sales copy.

2) Test your mailings rigorously before spending a lot on a huge mailing..

When you find a direct mail package that works, stick with it and use it with a vengeance or until it stops working for you.

Here are some Quick Tips and Action Points for starting a direct mail campaign.

1) Test whether or not to use teaser copy on the outside of your direct mail letters.

You must get your prospects to open or read direct mail.

2) "Can't Resist" headlines are key to capturing prospect interest and getting them to read more.

3) Never forget a "P.S". Some say that after the headline; it's the most read part of your sales letter.

4) Make it look like a letter, therefore, a typed letter-and personalize it. Always address your reader by name when possible.

5) Always follow up the mailing with a phone call within 10 of those who do not respond.

Number #5 accounts for the increase in the success rate of direct mail going from 300-400%.