Does it make sense to send a second or third mailing to the exact same target audience?

Intuitively, repeat postings make sense. It's just logical to expect that if you mail to the exact same individual a second or third period, you increase your vulnerability to this prospect and you'll improve your chances to get a response.

But is this the most effective means to conduct your direct marketing campaign?

Maybe, but not necessarily.

Experience proves that second mailings typically create a fraction of the response from the original mailing. Along with a third party mailing generates an even smaller percent.

For example, if your first mailing produced a 2% response rate, your next mailing may produce a 1 percent followed by a third mailing response speed of 0.5%.

Certainly what happens is that you grab all of the hot leads with the initial mailing. The follow-up mailings merely pick up those you missed the very first time or people who weren't prepared at the moment.

So yes, a followup mailing will produce more replies, but at a diminishing response rate.

A different approach is to continually email to new names with every mailing and therefore (again hypothetically) generate a response rate of 2%, 2%, 2% and so forth. Response rates will vary, but less so if you're reaching new individuals of the same profile.

Obviously, this strategy takes a comparatively large target market. For example, if you had a target audience of 50,000 contacts (assuming the exact same profile in precisely the exact same origin ), you can create five mailings of 10,000 each - and probably keep a constant response rate throughout the board.

When repeat mailings make sense

Repeat postings might be fantastic strategy under the ideal conditions, however.

If you are using the mail to keep your name in front of a small, pre-qualified target audience, you can create a series of letters, postcards or other mailers which go on a scheduled basis as part of a brand-building effort.

In this situation, your mailings would be part of a multi-touch strategy that may also include phone, email and perhaps even a personal trip.

Normally, these repeat mailings could have a common theme but may consist of unique messages, creative or offers. Mailings would be advised about every 2 weeks.

But a word of caution: make sure everyone knows that your direct marketing effort is more of a brand-building exercise with less emphasis on the reaction speed.