The brain has more to do with direct mail than you think (no pun intended). In fact, neuroscience and marketing join forces to create neuromarketing.

Neuromarketing is the study of the brain’s response to messages in advertising and branding. This study goes a step further by adjusting these messages based on feedback to garner better response. Scientists use MRIs (magnetic resonance imaging) and EEGs (electroencephalography) to measure specific brain activity in response to advertising messages. What this science reveals is that approximately 95% of all thought occurs in our subconscious minds.

Most think direct mail messages should involve reasoning with possibly a little emotion sprinkled in. But this is the wrong approach. These messages target our upper brain, yet most of our immediate reactions come from our lower brain. What does this mean for you? Those precious few seconds you have to capture attention needs to be done on a lower brain level.

Effective, mindful marketing should focus on creating a positive and memorable impact. Here’s how you can apply neuromarketing to your direct mail efforts (without the insane cost of an MRI or EEG):

• You not we…Focus on your customers’ needs/wants— not your company’s. Replace “we” with “you” so your message speaks to them directly.
• Be clear. You’re competing with thousands of messages that your recipient’s brain hears daily—make your point clearly and concisely.
• Show more; tell less. Use visuals whenever possible to create a lasting mental image for your customer.
• Get emotional. Emotions trigger memories—don’t be afraid to use them to connect with your recipient.
• Open and close strong. Recipients pay more attention to the beginning and end of what they read. Start quickly and effectively; end the same way.

Explore more marketing possibilities with our complimentary “Making Mail Better” white paper and product samples. Have some mindful marketing ideas? Share in the comments below!