The easiest way to create a brand image through direct mail is to create a series of letters which are:

a)      All written by the same person 

b)      Always on a recognisable theme 

c)      Different from anything being done by anyone else in your field 

d)      Attractive to the readership (in that there is no point in doing any of this if no one reads any of what you write) 

e)      Related to the image you want to present. 

Some images are easier to present than others.  Presenting the image of a group of fun, interesting people who do a good job but who have a sense of humour is a lot easier than presenting the image of a long established family firm who are serious and who know everything there is to know about the industry, but would never crack a joke within a million years. 

When you have your image, and you know the theme you are going to develop, then you should work on half a dozen letters.  It may take you quite a while, and there is no certainty that you are going to use them all, but what you will learn here is whether you really can sustain your chosen theme over a period of time. 

Imagine that you are marketing a modest sized professional football club – a club that is identified with the local community – a club that oscillates between the lower reaches of the Football League and a club that could never aspire to reaching the higher divisions. 

Part of your job could be to try and involve businesses in your club, getting the financial support of successful firms in your area, and getting them to be identified with your club – and vice versa. 

One way of developing the brand of your club as something that the firms might like to support could be to have a colourful newsletter which shows pictures of other companies getting exciting benefits from their link with the club – like entertaining clients at a meal with the directors, having a box, or whatever.   The problem with this is that it is the typical way of developing this type of theme – and by and large most people don’t take too much notice.  The moment you start including pictures of the membership secretary you know you are in trouble. 

On the other hand you could develop a series of letters which focus on the daily routine of the club that could start to build a positive image and counteract any negative publicity that the club might have attracted.   One week the letter could focus on the community work that players do in schools etc, once training sessions are over.  Another letter might look at the camaraderie of those in businesses who do support the club, and how supporting businesses like to give trade to each other. 

Such an approach generates real interest – it makes everyone feel good.  It doesn’t matter if the reader misses one newsletter and reads the next – for each letter stands on its own.