Direct-mail marketing still delivers a high response rate, with an average response of 3.7 percent. That’s a higher average than digital marketing mediums, so if you’re ignoring old-fashioned mailers, you’re leaving a lucrative channel closed.

Home improvement marketing via direct mail can help you drive conversions and increase revenues. Here’s a quick list of steps to get you started:

1. Start with a list.
You’re unlikely to get high response rates on random mailings. Instead, begin with a list of verified leads or at least people who own homes and might be interested in home improvement services. You can get lists from:

• Your own customers or contacts. For example, consider creating a follow-up list of homeowners who asked for a quote but haven’t yet followed through with a purchase.
• Third-parties that build niche-specific lists. You might be able to purchase a list built around demographics that align with your consumer base.
• Local databases of property or homeowners.

2. Choose the right format.
Pick the right type of mailing for your message. A postcard is ideal for announcing a new storefront or offer, but a brochure may be more suited for displaying or explaining your products and services.

3. Create a professional design.
Printables slapped together in a word processing program don’t typically drive the ROI of more professional products. If you have a penchant for digital design, you can use software such as Publisher or Canva to create documents for printing. Working with a professional graphic designer can be a good investment for businesses that don’t have the necessary skills in-house.

4. Work with high-quality materials.
While consumers don’t expect the highest-quality printing materials when they receive a mailing, poor quality stands out in bad way. Printing photo images on matte card stock with a basic color printer, for example, doesn’t always create a product you can be proud of. Try different types of papers and inks before you commit to bulk productions so you can see exactly how your final message will look.

5. Outsource the printing.
If you’re printing more than a couple of items to mail, save time, money, and frustration by working with a professional printing service. It’s often cheaper to outsource printing and mailing than to handle them in house.

Direct-mail marketing is a great way for local home improvement companies to educate consumers about promotions or build name recognition with nearby homeowners.

However, like all marketing efforts, direct mail does require know-how and at least a little bit of elbow grease to be effective. Try a variety of approaches in small batches to determine the right process.