If your sales are in the doldrums, chances are it’s because your marketing is, too. Tactics that were initially successful are now just giving your target customers the familiarity that breeds contempt (or at best, boredom).

It’s time to shake things up! Generate a surge in customer attention — and sales —with something different. And deliver your new message through the medium with an unbeatable history of fast results: direct mail. Here are 5 proven successful ideas to get your creative juices flowing.

1. Price-driven promotions. Nothing gets people in the door like sales, clearances, discounts, BOGOs, coupons, rebates and similar money saving deals. Just seeing the words on your mail piece will stimulate renewed interest from existing customers and attract new customers.

2. Add-on products or services. When customers buy something from you, follow up with a mail piece offering related items they might be interested in. A common example of this is an extended warranty or service contract on electronics purchases.

3. Publicity events. Ideal for opening a new business or location, launching a new product, or simply reminding people that you’re there, a party is a fantastic way to get yourself known to the entire neighborhood. Advertise your event comprehensively and cost-effectively with EDDM, which will deliver your invitation to every postal address in your area.

4. A different look. If you always mail postcards, surprise recipients with a sales letter or self-mailer. Or if you know that postcards are the best format for your message and budget, try our Printers Choice postcards which add a jolt of color without the expense of 4-color printing.

5. Widen your prospecting pool. You may have fished the same mailing list so often that it’s gone dry. If so, biting the bullet and buying a new list may be your best way out of a sales slump. Or you could extend the scope of your EDDM mailing into a new zip code. Another source of new addresses is your website: invite site visitors to request your materials (brochure, catalog, price list, white paper, etc.) and when they do, capture their information.

Refreshing your direct marketing doesn’t have to cost you a huge amount of money or time. Most of the tweaks we’ve mentioned require only a small change in what you’re already spending or doing … but they can deliver a big payoff in sales.