When you think of direct mail, you probably jump directly to what can politely be called “junk mail”: mass-mail flyers, marketing disguised as a bill, postcards for businesses you’ve never heard of and have no interest in. You know, the mail that goes directly from the mailbox to the recycling bin without ever making it inside the house.

But direct mail and junk mail aren’t the same thing.

When done right, direct mail and promotional items go hand in hand and can boost the ROI of a campaign by upwards of 30% or more according to multiple studies done over the years from multiple sources. And yes, mail in general is getting more complicated and more expensive, but that just means pairing mail and promo in thoughtful ways is an even more valuable tool in a marketer’s box.

But making the leap from junk mail to direct mail requires a bit of thought. Here are five tips to ensure any direct mail campaign you offer, run or suggest to clients will be a success.

1. Get Granular With Personalization.

Personalization isn’t just slapping a name on something and calling it a day. Back when the technology was new, getting a piece of mail with your name on it felt innovative. Today, it’s just not enough. Consumers are bombarded with messages plastered with their names on them, so if you want a direct mail campaign to stand out and make it through the front door, you need to catch their attention.

It doesn’t have to be a fully variable campaign either, with every piece completely custom. Instead, think of it more as targeted versioning. Split lists into broad, but defined, categories. For example, in a campaign for a coffee shop looking to increase foot traffic during the morning commute, split the audience up into 20-somethings just starting in the workforce, 30-somethings who are established in their careers, 40- to 50-somethings who have made it to the top of the career ladder and 60-and-ups starting to think about retirement. That’s just four pieces of creative to put together, each with imagery tailored to that market and messaging designed to meet them where they are. And yes, adding their names then adds that personal touch that brings the whole thing together and makes it feel like a piece created just for them, instead of a mass-mailing everyone in the zip code received.

2. Pair Direct Mail With Promo.

The combo really drives ROI for a campaign. Work with your customer to come up with small items that tie in, but are easy to incorporate into the mail stream. Perhaps it’s a loyalty card of some sort that gives a free beverage after five visits, or a token that can be redeemed for one free pastry item. Or even a call to action on the direct mail piece itself that anyone who brings the postcard in can redeem it for a free branded mug, for example.

Even a small item or the chance to get one will make many consumers stop and pay attention. It will go in a purse or on the fridge or in the car or on the counter, and the next time they head to work in our coffee shop commute campaign, they’re going to grab it as they walk out the door. And because they are bringing in a promo item or the direct mail piece itself, the brand – in this case the coffee shop – can see for itself exactly how well the campaign is working and tie increased traffic directly to that specific mail piece. They can also see which generational messages are working well and which might need to be tweaked.

3. Plan Campaigns With Multiple Direct Mail Pieces.

Speaking of tweaking, direct mail works best when it’s not done as a one-off, but as a way to bring a brand back in front of consumers multiple times. Most consumers need three or four touchpoints before they take action, and while that can be an omnichannel campaign that pairs digital, direct mail and promo, having multiple direct mail pieces can also go a long way.

That said, don’t inundate consumers with tons of mail either. That’s a fast way to get relegated to junk status. Instead, based on the demographics, type of business and length of a campaign, once a month at the most, and even once a quarter, can be incredibly effective to help reinforce brand awareness and introduce new incentives, sales or other reasons to keep them coming back.

4. Don’t Ignore the Envelope.

Another way to stand out and make direct mail a success is to factor in the envelope itself. When mailing a postcard, that’s less of an issue, but for a mailing that has multiple pieces or a promo item that needs an envelope to keep it all together, consider making the envelope itself part of the marketing.

White envelopes are easy to ignore. Envelopes with strategically printed elements, unique finishes and even elements like scents or textures can all help a piece stand out and get opened. The key is to find the balance between not enough and too much, and there’s no one single answer. Every brand, every demographic, every campaign will be a bit different.

5. Don’t Be Afraid To Test, Test, Test.

What works for one audience might not work for another, even for the same brand and overall campaign. After each campaign, debrief and look at the numbers to determine what resonated and where improvements can be made. Every new mailer is a chance to learn and refine the messaging so the next one will be even more effective. What colors get the most response? Which images really seemed to capture attention? Was that texture inviting or off-putting to that audience? Which promo items were they rushing to redeem and which ones fell a bit flat? All of these things can help ensure direct mail campaigns bring in more ROI over time and keep the brand at the top of their customers’ minds.