When to Test Direct Mail Pieces

Testing direct mail pieces is the best way to track your return on investment (ROI). Direct mail marketing may not be an exact science due to the constant evolution of consumer behaviors and preferences, but some of the guesswork can be taken out of the process by simply testing various messages, materials and methods to small groups of consumers before conducting a large-scale campaign.

When should you test? Direct mailers should test when:

You want to fine tune a successful mailing for even greater results;
Your cost-per-order fails to meet expectations;
You have new creative and need concrete justification before rolling it out into a full-fledged campaign;
You are interested in expanding your market with a wider list;
Something in the marketing mix changes, like price or offer;
You are introducing a new product.
Test the mailing list

The mailing list is a crucial step in the element of your direct mail campaign. It can make up over 40% of your total responses according to the Direct Marketing Association. The best offer in the world