Direct mail can be a cost-effective way to reach past, current, and potential customers. Industry studies show that every $1 spent yields an average of $12 in revenue, making direct mail an attractive method of increasing sales.

Here are five steps to successfully leverage the benefits of direct mail.

1) What’s your mission?
First, determine what you want to accomplish. Do you want someone to visit a website or call a particular number? And do you have a compelling enough reason for them to contact you?

2) Whom should you mail to and how often?
Who is the target audience for this piece, and with what frequency will you mail to them? Studies show that response rates increase when you target a specific audience with specific objectives. Studies also show that the more direct mail a recipient receives from you, the higher the response rate.

3) Cover the basics.
You need to determine your budget and research your options. Start with the U.S. Postal Service, which offers excellent resources, including budgeting tools, templates, and many programs to help launch your direct marketing program.

4) Craft your message.
Your message should be concise in presenting what you provide. Personalize your message to show you understand the recipient’s needs and interests. If you have an offer, make sure that it’s compelling — and if you’re using an envelope — put the offer on the envelope. You might consider employing graphics to communicate your point. Finally, close with a call to action that clarifies why the reader should act urgently.

5) Test and track.
You should continuously test your campaign to identify ways to improve your success rate. Test variables, such as your offer, headlines, format, and colors. Make sure you can track the performance of each piece through the use of embedding codes on coupons and different toll-free numbers.

On average, direct mail produces a 4.4% response rate. Follow these crucial steps, and you’ll likely beat the average.