At the end of the day, going forward, time will tell… Ah, we’ve heard it all before, right? When you’re designing your direct letterbox marketing, one of the main things you need to consider is this: is it original? Whether it’s an image-heavy or text-heavy mail-out, originality and creativity are absolutely crucial to a successful campaign.
The fact of the matter (that’s another cliché) is that customers are so used to seeing the same tired old words that their eyes just gloss right over any message you’re looking to put out. Sure, the word ‘SALE’ in big, bold letters might catch the eye – but always-always-always ask yourself if there’s a better, more unique way of spreading the word. Nothing kills marketing swifter than boring content.
You know why many people are switched off by politics these days? A lot of people will invariably say ‘they’re all the same’ and ‘there’s not a fag paper’s difference between the lot’. And, while those are clichés in themselves, there’s an element of truth in them. Because there’s no originality, no creativity; those dull words spouted by politicians are often just a rehash of a rehash or a rehash of a cliché. And people switch off because of it.
Now think of a seriously creative use of marketing; consider a TV advert that really stuck in your head. There’s a reason you still remember it. No-one remembers an advert for perfume or aftershave, because perfume and aftershave commercials are all pretty similar. But if you’re of a certain age, you’ll definitely remember the Smash Robots or the PG Chimps. Not only will you remember the marketing, you’ll remember the brand – which is precisely the point.
Many people fall into the trap of believing they’re not creative – that’s not true, it’s simply that they doubt that inherent creativity. They second-guess those original, wild thoughts and ideas; they try to box them in or dilute them with business sense. And that’s precisely what those who consider themselves creative don’t do. They just, y’know, go for it. They have a motto in Silicon Valley: Fail fast, fail often. And they brought us Google, Facebook and Amazon, to name a few. Don’t be afraid to experiment with your ideas, see what works. What’s a roller-skating Panda got to do with KitKat? No idea, but we remember the commercial. Why is Taco Bell so chatty on their Twitter feed? Because literally no-one wants to read and share generic info pumped out with the hard-sell in mind.
When it comes to direct marketing, originality is sure to separate your company from your competitors. Creativity can cost so little and yet pay dividends. A leaflet which opens with a joke, an inventive image, or beautiful pattern which might attract attention and make people think, ‘Oh, that’s clever.’
Here at Direct Letterbox Marketing we love seeing ideas form and how great creativity can seriously pay-off. From demographic profiling and printing services to leaflet distribution, we’re here to help. For more information, please don’t hesitate to contact us on 0800 028 6353 or email enquiries@directletterboxmarketing.co.uk and our professional, experienced staff will be happy to help.
