B2B direct mail is a printed letter or postcard sent to a named person at a business address. It works best as one step in a sales sequence: a relevant, specific letter that gives a buyer a reason to reply, book a call or visit a page.
Overview
Business buyers receive far less physical post than email, and a letter addressed to the right person, with their company name and a point that is clearly about their situation, tends to be opened and passed around. That makes addressed mail useful for account-based selling, renewals, and introductions where a cold email would be filtered out.
The aim is rarely an immediate order. In most B2B sales a letter opens a conversation that your team then follows up by phone or email. Plan the letter and the follow-up together, and give the reader one simple next action.
When to use it
How to start, step by step
- Pick the accounts and the person. Start with a short list of companies that fit your ideal customer, then the role who feels the problem you solve. A named recipient beats "The Manager" every time.
- Check you can lawfully contact them. Use business contact details you hold for a legitimate reason, or a reputable data source, and keep a record of where each address came from.
- Write one specific reason to reply. Lead with the problem, a concrete outcome and one call to action: a short URL, a direct phone line or a calendar link printed as a QR code.
- Choose a format that fits the message. A4 letters suit detailed or formal messages; postcards suit short invitations and reminders.
- Line up the follow-up. Schedule calls or emails a few working days after the mail is posted, and note who received what so sales can reference the letter.
Which format to choose
| Use | Format | Why | From, per item |
|---|---|---|---|
| Personal introduction or proposal | Letter — A4 | Room for a full argument and a signature; reads as correspondence. | £1.90 |
| Event or webinar invitation | Postcard — A5 landscape | Short message, visual, no envelope to open. | £2.20 |
| Premium follow-up | Postcard — A5 enveloped | Arrives in an envelope, so it feels more considered. | £2.20 |
Prices come from the live AutoLetters price list. They include printing and UK postage, are the same at any quantity, and have no VAT added because AutoLetters is not VAT registered.
Worked example
Illustrative scenario, not a customer case study. A software supplier writes to 250 named operations directors at target accounts, offering a short review call. Each letter is personalised with the recipient's name and company, and sales follow up a week later.
250 × Letter — A4 at £1.90 each = £475.00, printed and posted.
Response depends on your list, offer and timing, so we do not quote response rates. Measure your own with a unique code or web address.
Mistakes to avoid
- Sending to a generic job title instead of a named person.
- Writing a brochure instead of a letter: one idea per mailing is easier to act on.
- No follow-up plan, so replies and warm accounts are missed.
- No way to measure response, such as a unique URL or code.
Preparing artwork that prints correctly
Every format has a trim size, a bleed area and a safe zone. Extend background colours and images into the bleed so no white edge appears after cutting, and keep text, logos and QR codes inside the safe zone. Use images at 300 DPI at printed size, and leave the address area clear, because the printer adds the recipient's address there. Each product page lists the exact supplier measurements, and Lenny checks uploaded artwork against them before you approve it.
Building a list you can use
You can send to a list you already hold or to an audience of UK addresses built around a postcode. If you use your own list, include only people you have a lawful basis to contact by post, remove anyone who has asked not to hear from you, and keep a record of where the data came from. The Information Commissioner's Office publishes guidance on direct marketing under UK GDPR. Check that every address is complete and current: incomplete addresses cost money and do not arrive.
Measuring the result
Decide how you will count responses before you send. A unique discount code, a short web address, a dedicated phone number or a simple “how did you hear about us?” question all work. Divide the campaign cost by the number of responses to get a cost per response, then compare it with your other marketing. Where you can, hold back a small group from the mailing, so you can see how many of them would have responded anyway.
How AutoLetters handles it
Lenny, the AutoLetters AI campaign specialist, helps you choose a format, drafts the wording and artwork to the printer's exact measurements, and helps build the audience: either UK addresses around a postcode or a list you already hold. You review a print-accurate preview, then approve the exact print file. Nothing is printed or posted until you approve it.
AutoLetters sends addressed mail to UK addresses only and does not offer unaddressed door drops. Postal delivery timings are not guaranteed.
Questions
Can I send to business addresses only?
Yes. You can upload a list of named business recipients you are allowed to contact. Every item must have a complete UK address.
Should B2B mail be a letter or a postcard?
Use a letter when the message needs explanation or formality, and a postcard for short invitations or reminders.
Plan your campaign with Lenny
Describe what you want to promote and who should receive it. Planning is free and needs no account.
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