What is direct mail printing?

Direct mail printing is the production of printed marketing materials sent directly to a named customer, prospect or contact through the post. It differs from most other print marketing in one way: the piece is sent to a specific person rather than picked up, handed out or seen on display.

A campaign can be a single item, such as a letter, or several formats sent together as a pack, such as a letter with an enclosed brochure and a reply card. What goes into it depends on the message and the audience, which the rest of this page covers in more detail.

Direct mail or a door drop?

The two sometimes get used interchangeably, but they’re different things, and the difference affects both cost and how you can target your audience.

• Direct mail is addressed to a named recipient. You need their name and address, which usually means you already have a customer list or have bought one. It costs more per item, because addressed post is charged at a higher postage rate than unaddressed. In return, you can personalise each piece and target specific people rather than a whole area.
• A door drop is unaddressed. It goes to every household or business in a chosen area, with no list needed. It costs less per item, but you’re reaching a location rather than a person, so it suits local awareness campaigns better than targeted follow-up.

If you already know who you want to reach, direct mail is the better fit. If you want coverage of an area regardless of who lives there, a door drop usually costs less for the same reach.

What can go in a direct mail campaign?

A direct mail campaign can include one single printed item or several sent together as a pack. The right formats depend on your message and your budget.

Letters

A letter works well when the message needs explaining rather than just showing, or when the tone needs to feel personal and direct. Letters are usually the format that carries personalisation, such as the recipient’s name or details specific to their account.

Brochures and catalogues

Where a letter explains, a brochure shows. Include one when the campaign is introducing a product range or service in more depth than a letter comfortably allows.

Postcards

A postcard needs no envelope and no opening, so the message is seen the moment it lands. This suits a single clear offer, an event date, or a short announcement.

Flyers and folded leaflets

A flyer carries one message on a flat sheet. A folded leaflet divides more detail across panels. Either can be sent alone or included alongside a letter.

Invitations

For event marketing, invitations set a different tone to a standard mailer, which matters for launches, VIP sessions or client events.

Envelopes and supporting stationery

Printed envelopes carrying your logo make the pack feel considered before it’s even opened. For formal mailings, matching letterheads and compliment slips keep the whole pack consistent.

Personalisation and data

Firstpointprint can personalise printed items, for example adding a recipient’s name to a letter to adding your companies logo on the front of every envelope. So Speak to us about what’s possible for your campaign.

Any data you share with us is handled in line with GDPR, and used only for the purposes of your order.

Choosing the right stock for your direct mail pack

What stock to use depends on the marketing material. We can help you make the best choices.

• Envelopes: 90gsm peel and seal is standard. It seals without moistening, which matters for larger runs.
• Letters: 120gsm uncoated. Heavy enough to feel like correspondence rather than a flyer, and takes a signature or handwriting well.
• Brochures, flyers and other marketing pieces: 150gsm silk or 140gsm uncoated. Silk gives a smooth surface for images, uncoated a more natural matt finish.

Turnaround and delivery

Turnaround for a direct mail campaign runs from as quick as four working days, depending on format, personalisation and quantity.

We manage the campaign from artwork through to delivery. For larger campaigns we occasionally work with a trusted partner to handle the mailing, and we will always let you know when that applies to your order.

Why choose Firstpointprint for direct mail printing?

A direct mail pack is rarely one item, and there’s a real advantage in having all of it produced in one place. A letter, its envelope and any enclosed leaflet or brochure come from one print run and one set of proofs, so everything in the envelope matches.

Firstpointprint has been family run since 1996. From envelopes to letters, brochures and flyers, your mail pack is produced under one roof, comes from one print run and one set of proofs. Which eliminates any discrepancies.

Split the same pack across different suppliers and small differences start to show. A letter on slightly different white to the leaflet beside it, or a brochure whose colour sits a shade off the envelope it arrives in. None of it is obvious in isolation, but it’s noticeable the moment the recipient opens the pack and sees the items together.