So you want to drive sales!
Who doesn’t, there are many strategies that can be used to increase sales. It really does not matter what the product or service is, what matters is finding the potential customers and converting them into actual customers. Of course it is much easier said than done, but with planning it can be done. So where to start, well a good place to start is with an old fashioned mail shot. You could use email, but the results can be very variable – you can use email as a sniper scope to better target a small lumpy/3d mailing.
Should I even be considering lumpy mail?
Well for a “cold-ish” postal mailshot to pilots/aircraft owners, expect ~1–3% response if your list and offer are solid. House/member lists or highly-qualified micro-lists can do materially better (5–10%+), especially if you use “lumpy/3-D” packages and follow-up by email/phone.
Here’s what recent, aviation related evidence shows:
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After revamping its renewal program, AOPA kept prioritizing direct-mail because members were more likely to renew via mail than email—useful signal that this audience still responds to physical mail. Associations Now
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AOPA’s eBrief has ~104k opt-in subscribers (for email follow-ups/QRs), and AOPA events show strong purchase intent (70%+ planned or made purchases), underscoring buying propensity in this niche
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EAA reports >200k Sport Aviation readers and ~110k weekly eHotline subscribers—useful for testing rentals/sponsorships or coordinated co-mail. EAA+1
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A 50-name, high-value aviation list using a “coffee-in-a-box” 3-D package saw ~10% response (with projected ~5% sales conversion) during a 30-day, mail-led, email-supported cadence. That’s a good proxy for tightly targeted pilot/owner micro-lists. Aviation Marketing by ABCI
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Well-run direct-mail campaigns commonly report ~0.5–2% response on broader lists; shaped/3-D formats and strong targeting can drive multiples of that. Mail Sharkcactusmailing.comStructural Graphics
What this means for your pilot/owner mailshot.
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If it’s a rented pilot/owner list with decent fit: budget around 1–3% response.
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If it’s your house list or a curated micro-list (aircraft type, recency of activity, known buyers): 5–10%+ is realistic with a compelling offer and multi-touch. ABCI’s 10% example shows what’s possible when the list and package are tight. Aviation Marketing by ABCI
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Use mail to lead, then stack touches: AOPA’s experience suggests mail moves this audience; pair it with coordinated email/SMS/phone and unique URLs/QRs for tracking. Associations Now
Quick test plan (proven in aviation).
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Segment tightly: e.g., owners of [aircraft model], IFR-rated pilots, or members near maintenance/medical/insurance renewal windows. (Higher intent = higher lift.)
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Format matters: test a control postcard/letter vs. a “lumpy” kit for a small n (e.g., 200–500 names). Expect the 3-D to cost more but often pull 2–3× response. Structural Graphics
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Irresistible offer: flight-bag bundle, headset trade-in, annual inspection discount, or “owner-only” webinar with an A&P/CFII.
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Two follow-ups in 14 days: email referencing the mailer + a short courtesy call to owners with highest intent signals (opens/clicks/QR hits). (AOPA shows multi-channel wins with this audience.) Associations Now
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Measure properly: unique URL/QR per segment, reply code on BRC, and a tracked phone line. Compare response and cost-per-order across cells.