churchrelevance.com

The mailman has been a partner with countless churches. The benefits of postcards, newsletters, and flyers have made direct mail the marketing tool of choice for many churches. After all, it is reasonably affordable and allows for the church to target specific demographics and cultures.

However, mere existence of a postcard doesn’t make it effective. More than likely, it makes it junk mail. With the enormous amount of clutter vying for people’s attention each day, a direct mail piece requires a good deal of thought invested into its creation in order to be noticed, let alone effective.

Direct Magazine published an article last month that discussed what it takes to create effective direct mail. Consider these main points from the article:

• We like mail meant for us. Know your audience and make it relevant to them. This means you must understand their needs, interests, and wants.
• Direct mail is an element of customer service. Church begins when someone first receives your postcard. It may be that person’s first impression and encounter with your church. Make that touch point count.
• Too much of anything causes problems. If you mail too many pieces or do anything too much, it will lose its effectiveness. People will ignore it.
• Junk mail is
  -mail sent too frequently to the same audience.
  -mail that is uninteresting, poorly written, poorly designed, or poorly done
  -mail that does not grab the prospect’s attention
  -mail that arrives too late for a special event
  -mail that is confusing or too difficult to read
  -mail that offers no benefit
• Effective mail requires thought and planning. When creating a direct mail piece, ask yourself if it will get the recipient’s attention, clearly communicate, cause interest, and ultimately, create action. Of course, you must honestly answer this question.
• It’s a communication. Pastors spend many hours planning their sermons. Excellence in communication should not be reserved for the pulpit. Invest planning into your direct mail or any other type of communication.

If you are involved in your church’s direct mail efforts, read Direct Magazine’s article for more insights. Happy mailing!