Key Takeaways
Direct Mail Can Outperform Online Ads: In crowded, competitive markets, direct mailers can have a higher ROI than online advertising. In this case, a $1,485 investment generated $52,000 in new business.
Careful Planning Is Critical: Create compelling copy, high-quality photos, and content focused on benefits.
Direct Mail Targeting: Targeting by property size and income ensures mailers reach the right households.
Simple for the Client: The direct mail process is simple, with minimal touchpoints needed from the business owner, making it easy to execute and repeat.
Introduction
Clint was looking to grow his Lancaster County ATV sales and repair shop. He knew his shop needed more than loyal regulars—he needed new faces walking in the door. After working with LMP to build a credible website, Clint asked us about advertising for his business online.
Research quickly revealed a brutal truth: for competitive industries like Clint’s Repair, online ads are fiercely competitive and very expensive. Everyone’s fighting for the same clicks. LMP realized online ads would continue to be expensive with no guarantee of standing out against competitors.
Clint needed a breakthrough strategy.
Why Direct Mail Worked Better Than Online Ads
LMP recommended that, instead of burning dollars on ads that would get lost in the noise, Clint implement a direct mail campaign. Our strategy: target farms with 10+ acres of land within 20 miles of Clint’s shop. These landowners would be most likely to own and maintain ATVs and need Clint’s services.
Why This Mailer Made the Phone Ring
This was no generic postcard. Every detail received careful attention:
- Format: Oversized (6”x11”), double-sided postcard printed on glossy stock.
- Copywriting: Carefully developed to highlight customer benefits, not just services.
- Photography: High-quality images taken in-house by Clint’s wife, an amateur photographer, gave the mailer authentic visual appeal.
- Design: The front showcased Clint’s primary product, while the back highlighted additional product options.
LMP mailed the postcard to 970 addresses carefully selected to fit Clint’s target audience.
The ROI by the Numbers
The results were astounding. With a total spend of $1,485, the mailer generated $52,000 in new business. That’s a 35x return! Even better, the whole process—from design to mailing—was seamless, requiring only a handful of touchpoints from Clint to set everything in motion.
And how did Cliff feel about the campaign? “We were tickled by the results! They handled the strategy, design, printing, and even final mailing. Jason and Ben have been a great help!” he enthused.
The Bottom Line
For Clint’s Repair, the right direct mail campaign far outperformed what digital ads could realistically deliver in his crowded market. The combination of a polished website and a carefully planned mailer returned an exceptional ROI, proving that sometimes traditional methods still deliver the strongest results.
Ready to see what direct mail can do for your business? Put your message directly into the hands of the right customers with a mailer designed for results. Partner with us for a complete marketing strategy that drives your small business forward.
