Attorney Advertising - Personal Injury TV ads

Direct Mail Do's

Direct Mail is one of the most cost-effective ways to market and brand your practice within your community. Whether you are a new practice trying to build your database, or an established practice that is hoping to grow, direct mail can be a great asset in your marketing campaign. Because direct mail is very targeted to the households in your community, your leads coming in the door will be good ones that will be more likely to schedule an appointment and become a lasting client. Even with a 1-2 percent return rate, which is the US average for direct mail, your price per lead is very minimal compared to other forms of advertising.

Here are my top 10 do's to ensure a successful campaign:

1.) Research your direct mail company and ask a lot of questions. Some examples of good questions are "Where does your list information come from", "How often is your database updated", "How many filters can I use for my list". Also, use a company that has worked in the legal arena before and is aware of the laws associated with legal advertising and marketing. A company that knows your business will also help you have the best creative going to your selected demographic.

2.) Offer, Offer, Offer! Your piece can and will only be successful if you have a great offer. You can't expect people to call in if you're not offering them a good incentive. Your quality and service are great selling points for referral marketing, but for direct mail you need something powerful that will make people call you immediately.


3.) The other vitally important portion of direct mail is the list. If you have an outdated list, or use the wrong search criteria for the demographic you are trying to reach, you better believe your campaign will fail. The list can be narrowed by hundreds of different search tools from household income and occupation to credit card users and children present in the home. Make sure your list encompasses all the attributes your ideal client would have.

4.) Have a snappy looking piece that will grab people's attention. The design needs to reach out to the demographic you are targeting. Make sure you are thinking outside of the box to outsmart your competition.

5.) Mail to the same person more than once with different creative each time. If you are going to mail to each household only once, don't waste your time or money. You need to mail to each household at least three times. This can be spread out over the course of three weeks, three months or six months, but absolutely hit them at least three times.

6.) Keep the direct mail piece's verbiage simple and to the point. If you bog the piece down with words, it will heighten the chances of getting thrown away.

7.) Use the most personalized piece your budget will allow. Mailing out a brochure enclosed in an envelope will increase the chances of getting opened and you receiving a phone call from your prospect. Pieces that are personalized with their name or better yet, a personalize URL that they can visit, are 50% more likely to get a response. Oversized postcards will also stand out a lot more than a standard postcard.

8.) Remember that your direct mail piece is not meant to sell your prospects. The purpose of direct mail is to get people to call your office with questions or to schedule a consultation. It is up to your office staff to sell the prospect either over the phone or during a consultation. Your follow-up packets of information will help this drastically. Your advertising and marketing efforts are only as good as your follow-up and tracking. Make sure prior to your mail piece hitting households to go over the campaign and the results you would like to see with your receptionist and whoever else might be talking to prospects as they call in.

9.) Do analyze your market to find which demographic would be the easiest to target. For instance, statistics show that Hispanic households receive very little targeted direct mail. If you have a bilingual practice, I urge you to market to this demographic. It could definitely pay off for you.

10.) Be patient with your mail campaigns. It might take until the second or third drop to get the kinds of results you are looking for. The more households you mail to, the more responses you will see and your price per piece will also be lower. Consistency is the key. You can't expect to have your phones flooded with response the day your cards go out in the mail. Have realistic expectations of your campaign.

If you haven't tried direct mail for your practice, give it a try! Use the tips above to guide you towards new patients. It's an easy way for you to get a head of your competition and stay in the faces of your community.

Abby Brookover
Network Affiliates
Direct Marketing Guru