• Include your recipient's name in the greeting and the address line.
• Make sure your direct-mail pieces are relevant to your target audience. Campaigns, like those for flu shots or a store grand opening, will resonate with everyone in your community. Send targeted messages to customers with specific medication needs or conditions, new parents and residents who have recently moved to the neighborhood.

• Make your copy scannable, but also include the fine print for those who want it. Let your audience glean information quickly by using catchy headlines, sub-headlines and bulletted lists.
• Be sure to include information that detail-oriented readers will want to know to take action.

• Make your goal clear in your direct mail piece, and be sure to include all relevant information (including dates, times and contact info, if relevant) for your readers to act.
• Are you promoting a grand opening or other special event? A limited-time or product-line sale? A coupon with an expiration date? Or are you encouraging your community members to come in and get their annual flu shots?

• If your call to action is something other than coming into the store (perhaps you're trying to get customers to complete a survey or set up an online account to order prescriptions), give them several ways to go about it. Let them call, email, visit a website or fill out a paper form (include a pre-addressed return envelope with no postage required) and include a clearly stated expiration date, if needed.

One of the clearest ways to track the success of a direct mail campaign is through direct response. Consider setting up your campaign so you can track how many customers:

• Use a coupon or a promo code
• Send in a form
• Visit a special landing page on your website
• Call a phone number or send an email

Outside of direct response, you can look at incremental sales compared to the same period of time during the prior few years.

* Don't be discouraged if you don't see a big bump off the first mailer, either. Direct mail is best used as a campaign; give it some time and several mailings.

Also keep in mind that direct mail campaigns often work in conjunction with email or online marketing tactics. If you're taking a multi-channel approach, you'll want to factor everything into the measurement mix.

• The Marketing Hub can send customized direct mail communications using your own list or by purchasing a list. Popular postcards include those for new parents, diabetes patients, a store grand opening and "new movers" into your neighborhood.

• The Health Mart Community Mailer program, delivered by Health Media Concepts, makes it easy to reach out to local consumers with custom promotions featuring money-saving offers that help drive foot traffic.
• Your pharmacy's custom mailing list includes only consumers who have requested information. Doctor's office programs reach people when they're likely to need a pharmacy.
• To learn more or sign up for these programs, call 800.535.0787 or e-mail info@healthmediaconcepts.com.

8.  SINGLE-SHEET MAILER

Strengthen your local marketing program and attract new customers with the over-sized customized flyer mailed directly to selected households in your area — for as little as 10 cents per household.

The flyer features:

• Your pharmacist photo
• Expanded store information
• Monthly product ads

• Store-selected custom coupons

Customization options available on the back:

• Include sale items from the Health Mart® Circular
• Include an editorial from the Health Smart newsletter

Targeted postcards help you reach local consumers in key customer segments, such as health condition or age, for about one dollar per household. This easy-to-use promotional tool helps you attract new customers and reinforce the value you provide with savings on popular products.

Over-sized postcard (5½ in. x 11 in.) can be directly targeted to:

• People with diabetes
• Senior citizens
• Vitamin users
• Allergy sufferers
• Arthritis sufferers
• Many more!

Cards and coupons are customized with the consumer's name so you can track results.