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DIY vs. Done-For-You Direct Mail: What's Right for You?
- Admin
- Jul 31
- 3 min read
When it comes to doing direct mail campaigns, we've found that most professionals fall into one of two camps:
"I want to do it myself, on my own time."
or...
"I want someone else to handle it so I don't have time to think about it."
You're either in the DIY camp or the Done-for-You camp.
The DIY camp enjoys flexibility and some cost savings. It is filled with pros who might have some design know-how and the time to use tools to generate their own direct mail campaign. They have the ability to carry out their marketing vision and may need a facilitator to partner with.
The Done-for-You camp saves time by trusting someone to execute direct mail campaigns on their behalf. Their attention and focus can be given to other business functions while their marketing runs in the background.
Both options can work. It just depends on your time, budget, resources, and how you like to operate. Let’s break down what goes into each and help you figure out which one fits your business best.
The DIY Route: Total Control on Your Schedule
Now before we go any further, it is important to note we don't mean a completely DIY solution, where professionals are printing, addressing, and mailing campaigns themselves. No one has time for that!
There are plenty of print & mail partners to utilize that will take care of those portions of your campaigns. So, in this sense we mean that DIY direct mail is where you are generating your own designs and managing or acquiring your own mail lists.
Some people like the flexibility to build and launch a campaign exactly when they want. If that’s you, a self-serve platform might be the perfect tool.
Here's what you get with a DIY setup like Reaching Neighbors' self-serve portal:
Work on your time. No waiting on vendors or back-and-forth emails. Log in, create your piece, upload your list, and go.
Full control of the design. If you’ve got a look you want to stick to, you can customize everything.
Lower cost. Since you’re doing the heavy lifting, self-serve tends to be more budget-friendly.
The DIY route is the best fit for professionals and marketers who like hands-on control, need quick turnaround, or want to test campaigns frequently without a lot of overhead.
The Done-for-You Route: Set it and Forget it
Maybe you don’t have time to mess with design files or mailing lists. Maybe you need someone else to help you craft the ideal direct mail strategy. Maybe you don’t even know where to start. That’s where a full-service approach can save you time and a lot of frustration.
Here’s what Reaching Neighbors' done-for-you service brings to the table:
Strategic Guidance. You’ll get help picking the right audience, crafting your message, and designing a piece that stands out.
Campaign Automation. We handle the setup, printing, mailing, and scheduling. You just approve and move on.
Ongoing Consistency. Set up a campaign once and stay in front of your audience all year.
The Done-for-You route is the best fit for busy professionals who want marketing done right without having to run the process themselves.
Which One's Right for You?
If you’re short on time, don’t know where to start, or need a strategy, the done-for-you path will free you up to stay focused on sales and service.
If you’ve got a clear idea of what you want to send, enjoy hands-on design, and want full control of timing and layout, then self-serve might be the way to go.
And if you're not sure? Start with one and shift as your business needs change. A lot of clients begin with full-service, get inspired, and later mix in some self-serve campaigns to move faster on time-sensitive mailings.
Whether you do it yourself or let us do it for you, the goal is the same: staying top-of-mind with the people who matter most to your business. If you get that part right, the rest gets easier.
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