Tuesday, December 29th, 2009 at
9:45 am
Direct mail continues to be one of the most effective forms of marketing available. I know it sounds crazy but it’s true. Just look in your mailbox and you’ll see proof. I’m sure you get at least a dozen pieces of direct mail every single day and reason is that it works, at least in some situations.
There’s no question direct mails is better suited to some businesses than others. In particular, any business where timing is a factor in the purchase decision is a good candidate for direct mail advertising because you need to stay in front of those prospects so they’ll think of you when the timing is finally right.
This alludes to the most important point. Direct mail is only useful if you do it on a regular basis. And by saying that, I’m not talking about sending your marketing piece to different people each time. No. I’m saying you have to send your marketing piece to the exact same audience, over and over and over again. The key to a successful direct mail campaign is repetition.
Companies who do direct mail spend millions of dollars each year analyzing their campaigns and how to maximize the returns they get. In fact, this area of marketing is probably studied more than any other area. And the consensus is that an average person doesn’t even realize you exist before they’ve seen your marketing piece at least seven times.
This is an amazing reality and many would argue it’s a function of being over-marketed in our daily lives. Let me say it again. The average person doesn’t even realize you exist before they’ve seen your marketing piece at least seven times. Seven times! And there are some who estimate that number is actually much higher than that.
As a result of this reality, there’s absolutely no point in doing a direct mail campaign unless you can afford to run the mailer at least seven times before expecting any results. Seriously. If you can’t afford to send your marketing piece to the same audience at least seven times, don’t even bother because you won’t get a proper gauge of whether the campaign will work or not.
You also want to consider a two-step approach. That means the initial marketing piece invites recipients to get more information by taking some predetermined step. They might be invited to call an 800-number and hear some pre-recorded information. They might be invited to request a free information booklet or they might be invited to visit a website with additional details.
Two-step marketing is a great way to pull prospects into your sales funnel. By giving them an opportunity to get more information for free, you invite them to take action. You also have a way of getting their contact information so you can follow-up afterwards. And lastly, you give yourself a second opportunity to earn their trust by providing valuable information. All three dramatically increase the odds of making a sale.
In order to implement a program like this effectively, you’ll need to decide on a value item before you get started. What additional information will you be providing? Whatever it is, it should be something your ideal customer would really appreciate. Think about what information your target market really wants. Think about what would make their lives easier. Then put it together before you even design the direct mail piece. Doing it this way will add focus to your marketing piece and save you time along the way.
Direct mail is still an effective way of touching new customers but it won’t deliver any results unless you send your mailer to the same audience consistently. You’ll get better results if you use a two-step approach, giving recipients a way of getting more information painlessly and the best way to prepare for the campaign is to create the information piece first. Give it a try and let me know how it works out.
Monday, December 28th, 2009 at
9:45 pm
Let’s get something straight right now—direct mail marketing works. Please tell me you’re not one of those myopic marketing guys that thinks just because everyone is on the Internet the old avenues of advertising are futile! The truth is many companies have found success by using flyers, brochures (actual brochures, not virtual e-cards!) and even direct mail marketing.
The key to making sales is to make your business a part of your lifestyle. You go where the people are. If people are picking flyers off of their door knob then you may be able to pique their interest with a well produced flyer advertising your company name, new promotion and website address. If people are checking their mail everyday then a direct mail marketing campaign will definitely catch their attention.
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Monday, December 28th, 2009 at
9:58 am
The problem with many direct mail programs is that they are very expensive and, therefore, eat up an individual’s profits before he or she can have the chance to make a legitimate income. These programs include both direct mail software and mailing house solutions, as both of these types of distribution are far too expensive, especially if someone is just starting out in real estate investing. The good news, however, is that these options are no longer needed in the business world because Click2Mail now offers an inexpensive solution. The method that Click2Mail uses in order to give their customers these savings is definitely unique, but it works like a charm because it is something that no one else has been able to offer.
Click2Mail prides itself in its ability to offer direct mail options over the internet for a fraction of the cost of other companies. The reason that it is able to do this is that the company operates under the license of the United States Postal Service, which definitely gives it a distinct advantage. Click2Mail is able to save its customers money on absolutely anything that they send out, making it perfect for the direct mail industry. In addition, this service allows changes to be made to mailing lists in an instant, since it can be updated online. Click2Mail provides solutions to every aspect of this industry, so it might be time to switch over and take advantage of this option from the United States Postal Service.
All you have to do in order to get involved with Click2Mail is upload a mailing list and then sign up for an online account. Click2Mail will then take care of every other aspect of your direct mail campaign for you, as they can provide competitive rates on both printing and mailing. Other companies know that you are desperate to get your message out and, therefore, will charge you far more for the printing and mailing than Click2Mail, but this is not a problem that you have to worry about any longer. The best part is that it does not matter how many or how few letters you are sending out, you will still be able to find a great deal when you go through this company. The benefits that are available through Click2Mail are endless, as you will never find an easier or more cost friendly way to get your message out there than through this service.
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Monday, December 28th, 2009 at
9:43 am
Direct mail marketing is one of the most popular marketing methods used especially when you have catalog printing for your collaterals. You can get your collaterals directly to your target clients by posting your cheap catalog printing materials to their addresses. There are four elements that you need to understand when you direct mail your catalog printing. First, you have to consider the mailing list of names and addresses of your target clients. This can be integrated to a database created by you or by another source. This particular element is especially important because without your mailing list, you will not have anyone to mail your cheap catalog printing to. Then there is the marketing collateral itself; in this case, your catalog printing. This also includes all the accessories such as your envelope printing or packaging that comes with your collaterals. You also have the process by which you label your direct mail collateral and to do other activities that you require before you send your catalogs to your recipients. Lastly, you need to know the postal charges that you will incur when you post your direct mail catalogs to your recipients. Direct mail is often used to achieve the objective of generating direct response from your recipients. This means that you hope that your target clients will be able to place an order from your catalog printing after they have read it. Direct mail marketing persuades your recipients to act right away to your offer with the end result being the purchase of one or more of your products in your catalogs. Hence, the need for you to include your full contact information, as well as a reply address so you will make it easy for your readers to get back to you. And depending on your message, the response you expect from your direct mail catalogs will either be positive or utterly negative. This means that either your target clients buy from your catalog list or not, the foundation of which is the value and usefulness of your products to your readers. The more relevant your products are to your target clients, the more likely that you will be able to persuade them to take you up on your offer. This goes to show that your direct mail collateral is only as effective as the message you have for your target clients. Even if your product is the best in the market, you can only get the response you need if your readers find it valuable and useful in providing solutions to their needs and concerns. All things considered, direct mail is not the best marketing method there is; but with careful planning, you will have one of the most effective marketing tools to help you become successful in your industry. For comments and inquiries about the article visit: Cheap Catalog Printing, Catalog Printing
Sunday, December 27th, 2009 at
9:44 pm
Differentiate your business and stand out from your competitors by creating a niche market for your business. Use postcard printing to get the brand recognition your business needs to promote personalized services.
Building a brand name for your business now is a way to guarantee higher earnings in the future. Your brand is the set of values, perceptions and identity with which you clients can recognize and associate with.
With proper branding, your customers can build an image, a sense of value, and gain security in your business. Either from their own experience or from other factors such as word-of-mouth or your advertisements, you can enhance your brand identity.
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Sunday, December 27th, 2009 at
9:44 pm
The toughest job you face as a B2B direct marketer is reaching
your prospect with your message. Reaching C-level executives is
particularly difficult because they employ mailroom staff and
executive secretaries who screen their mail, or your mail,
depending on how you look at it. So unless your direct mail lead
generation letter or postcard or self-mailer stands out from the
rest, it won’t reach the desk of your potential client.
That’s why dimensional mailers are one of the most effective
ways to reach elusive prospects with your sales message. A
dimensional mailer is simply one that has more than two
dimensions. Unlike a letter, postcard or self-mailer, it has
three dimensions. Dimensional mailers are usually boxes, but
they can also be sturdy envelopes that have something
three-dimensional inside. These kinds of packages are also known
as “lumpy mail.”
Dimensional mail is effective because it stands out. It gets
attention because it doesn’t look like everything else that the
executive is receiving that day. Dimensional mail is also
effective because it always gets opened. I am confident in
predicting that no one who receives a box 36 inches long, 9
inches wide and 5 inches deep, bearing the prospect’s name and
job title on the top and an intriguing headline, is going to
pitch the box in the trash unopened. Innate human curiosity is
too powerful for that.
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Sunday, December 27th, 2009 at
9:43 am
As you empty your mailbox, do you wonder why so many companies choose to send you a load of communication about their products and services? If you never respond to such letters, there’s a good chance you believe no one else does either. But before you dismiss direct mail marketing as a waste of everyone’s time, maybe you should look at its advantages and why it has caught the fancy of so many marketers.
What is direct mail marketing – it is simply a means to reach your customer directly, generally through paper or electronic mail. Direct mail that comes through the post usually contains a letter, a brochure or flyer and perhaps a postage-paid reply envelop. The electronic version might take the form of a plain email, newsletter or even a fancy brochure with music and flash animation. Regardless of the format, the crux of direct mail marketing is that the sender selects who should receive the communication, based on a consideration of several factors which have helped him identify prospective customers. For example, a furniture store might choose to communicate with all those people who have purchased a house recently in the neighborhood.
Why is it so popular – direct mail marketing has several advantages, the first one being that this is the most targeted form of advertising. As a marketer, you decide who should receive your communication, and when. Thus, direct mail marketing helps to minimize waste. It also increases the chance of your message getting noticed – we at least glance at our letters before trashing them, but it’s not necessary that we would notice an advertisement in our favorite magazine.
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Saturday, December 26th, 2009 at
9:49 pm
Direct mail marketing is an effective and time-tested marketing tool that has worked for many companies and individuals for many years. The efficacy or potency of this marketing strategy, however, lies on the ability of the company or business to write an effective and attractive sales letter.
Unfortunately, many people who have tried sending direct mail sales letters were not able to see positive results from this marketing tool. The main reason for such failure probably lies on the fact that companies and business entities do not pay attention on the content and form of the sales letters that they send out to customers. Many fail to accomplish their sales target from direct mail marketing because they have committed the six mistakes listed below.
1. Not paying attention to the layout
The first mistake that a lot of people commit in making a sales letter is not giving enough attention to the presentation and layout of the letter. They probably think that the aesthetic appearance of a letter contribute little to its effectivity. However, it is important that your sales letter is visually appealing and not too cramped and crowded with words and highlights.
An ideal direct mail sales letter should be written in a clean, white paper, preferably the standard letter size. A serif font, preferably Times New Roman, is ideal; just make sure that the size you choose is not too small nor too overwhelmingly large. The body of the letter should be in black, while the headline or some of the highlights of the letter can be bolder or in larger fonts. You can also use a different color, such as red, to emphasize some points.
Use short sentences, but ensure that it does not appear choppy. Paragraphs should also not exceed six to seven sentences so that the letter will have enough white spaces to let the reader’s eyes rest.
2. Uses business language and tone
People do not have time to look at the dictionary just to understand what you are saying in your letter. If they do not understand the technical jargons and the archaic words that you use, chances are your letter will go straight to the trash bin. Make it easy for clients to understand what you are saying by using a friendly tone and simple language.
3. Beats around the bush
You don’t need to make a very long sales letter. In fact, the longer your letter is, the bigger the chance that your reader would not read it. So keep the body of your letter short but ascertain that the content you want to impart is clear, cohesive and flows smoothly. Do not sugarcoat your messages or use run down sentences.
4. Focuses to much on self or company
Although you need to introduce yourself, the company and the product you are trying to sell, the body of the letter should not be focused on you or your business. You should ensure that the focus of your letter is your client – how will they benefit from the product and what will they get if they acquire the product or contract the service from your company? Remember focus on you and not we or me.
5. Does not encourage people to act immediately
A sales letter should compel a customer to take positive action immediately. Thus, you should give deadlines for a promo, for example. Motivate your potential clients to Act Now! Call Immediately! Subscribe Today!
Another motivation is by giving a special offer, a discount or a free gift. People will be compelled to buy your product within seven days, two weeks or whatever time frame you set because they know they would get something out of it.
6. Provides no follow up
Do not expect that your first letter would immediately work with most of the people in your mailing list. If you want results, you must be patient in following up your potential client. Sending four sales letters in a span of one year is a good start. Even if you were not able to get the client the first time, he or she will remember your company the third time or fourth time that he or she receives your mail. By that time, who knows, the client might already be motivated to buy because of your persistence.
If you want to see actual sales from direct mail marketing, make sure that you don’t commit the six mistakes mentioned above.