2 Do’s, 2 Don’ts for Direct Mail Gift Offer

Don’t overdo it, however, recommends Gary Hennerberg, owner of the direct marketing consultancy Hennerberg Group in Colleyville, Texas. “In some instances, I’m already seeing a saturation. I’d watch response carefully only because I wonder if this will become the ‘standard’ or if consumers will tire of it.”

Don’t #1: Don’t Go Crazy With Gift Cards
Do gift cards carry the same weight as actual freemiums? Well, they may actually weigh less, they take up very little room, and customers may prize them if they’re for a relevant store and for a decent amount of money, right? Not necessarily. “Gift cards have less perceived value than product premiums that often retail for far more than it cost the mailer,” explains Grigg, who says that if you decide to go the gift card route anyway, he’s found that free movie theater seats work best.

Don’t #2: Don’t Incentivize the Digital Response
Sure, you could use an additional freemium, special shipping or a deeper discount in order to drive digital replies, but that wouldn’t sit well with a percentage of your prospects. “There’s too much risk of alienating regular customers who aren’t digitally oriented,” warns Hennerberg.

Grigg agrees. “Our analysis shows that there are three types of customers. The customer who still buys primarily through catalogs and direct mail, including inbound calls. The second is the mixed customer who buys through multiple channels, including the Internet. Then a third group that buys exclusively through the online channel. Trying to impact these habits is an effort in futility from what we see at this point.”