When It Might Be Best … To Go With Less
The phrase “when less is more” is all the buzz as it relates to navigating the current direct marketing landscape and especially as we look to connect with donors in the most effective and efficient way.
But sometimes, we are so focused on making big changes, and we forget that when it comes to communication — less really can be more. Small shifts in messaging and targeting may in fact have the biggest impact. So, next time you find yourself planning a campaign, consider if now is a good time to employ “less is more”:
Highly Designed OE vs. Plain White OE
How do your donors respond best when communicating with them visually? Often times, we have found that a simple, yet effective design wins out over something highly designed and over the top. If you try to get too design-heavy on a test package, you may be setting it up to fail if you already know your donor base responds better to a simpler design.
Compelling Teasers, Headlines, and Subject Lines (oh my!)
Don’t forget how important the ‘opening act’ is – if the message right out of the gate isn’t compelling, we’ve already lost attention and fewer people are getting to the actual call to action. Pay attention to what you’re putting in these critical parts of your creative.
Keep it Simple
It can be tempting to trim down content when everything feels important to say, but putting too much information in a direct mail letter, email, or ad may actually detract from what you’re trying to accomplish. Keep your message simple and direct with a clear and concise call to action.
Direct Mail: To premium … or not to premium? (Yes, we’ve made premium a verb)
When trying to increase response rates in direct mail, it can be very tempting to load up your package with premiums. And while there are some really amazing mission-centric premiums out there, we would caution to stick with less and keep an eye not just on upfront performance but also long-term value of your file.
When are you going too far with versions?
Complicated production takes time and money. When considering how to manage the number of data panels and/or versions of a campaign – less is more. Combine alike packages, and reduce the number of times the printer must change. In direct mail, the more you are able to streamline, the more efficient the mailing can be produced – helping to reduce both time and costs. Across channels, you may be spending a lot of time and resources to version messaging across audiences that may not be moving the needle. Resist the temptation to overdo it here unless the data tells you otherwise.
When looking at each of these examples, there is not a right or a wrong, but certainly a lot to consider. Make sure to pull yourself out of the every-day weeds, and take that skyline view of the big picture and let data be your guiding star!
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