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Direct Mail Insights - Getting the Envelope Opened
If the truth were told, literally millions of dollars a years is being thrown down the drain on direct mail campaigns that fall flat on their face, all because the envelope containing the offer never gets opened. Think of it - you can work with...
Direct Mail Insights How to Get the Envelope Opened
Direct Mail Insights - Getting the Envelope Opened Copyright © 2005 Chris Bloor If the truth were told literally millions of dollars a years is being thrown down the drain on direct mail campaigns that fall flat on their face all because...
Direct Mail Marketing
Using direct mail marketing should be a part of your business,
whether it is an offline or online business. Established
companies can use their existing client list to use as a base of
mail marketing. Alerting your current customers to...
Direct Mail Response Rate Boosters (10 of them)
1. Mail to a different list Your list is the most important part of your direct mail campaign. Who you mail to is more important than what you mail. So if you are persuaded that your offer is attractive, your creative is compelling and your...
Direct Mail Response Rates Mislead if You are Careless
I could tell you that the average temperature in the world is 60 degrees Fahrenheit. But that fact wouldn’t keep you from getting sunstroke in Cairo. Or frostbite in Tuktoyaktuk. Averages tell you only so much. Direct mail results only tell you...
Google Adwords vs. Direct Mail
We recently ran a test to see whether Google Adwords could outpower traditional direct mail advertising. Here is how we did it. We created a new Adwords campaign choosing a few of our favorite targeted keywords, mainly keywords such as “small...
It's In The Mail - Direct Mail is Alive and Kicking!
Compared to a lot of companies in our field we do a lot of direct mail – postcards, sales letters, promotions, announcements, lead generation. Between client business and ours, we’re averaging one campaign every two weeks; about 1500 pieces per...
Paper Direct Mail Is Not Dead
I recently witnessed a conversation about the “death” of paper direct mail due to the “life” of web presence and blogs. I’m not exactly sure why, but someone seems to declare the “death” of a marketing technique every few months…I guess that’s how...
Rising Postal Rates? Don’t Cut Down the Direct Mail
The United States Post Office in the past had some trouble with its finances and their solution was to raise the postal rates. Whether or not you agree with this approach to trying to stay in business, like the weather and government in general,...
Using Internet Direct Mail To Increase Your Company’s Profits
“I want to sell my company’s products on the Web, but how do I get potential clients to visit my site,” a client asked recently. The answer is a strategy that has proven extremely effective for many different businesses…Internet Direct Mail. ...
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Using Direct Mail to Improve Business
Direct mail continues to be a very targeted and effective way to market to customers. It's far more likely to be read than e-mail promotions. Especially when coupled with offers, such as coupons, the medium can be a very cost effective method of promotion.
There are a number of necessary fundamentals. First, you must have an objective. It may be to increase store sales. Perhaps an offer such as a free gift will do the trick. Just be sure to have a clear purpose. It reduces the chance of passing along a confusing message.
Then, you'll need to have a mailing list. Perhaps you have a customer database you've been collecting. This is obviously a good group. Additionally, there are list brokers who can help you get lists that are very targeted, in terms of geography and interests. These are useful for attracting new customers, while your database is great for increasing purchases from your core of customers.
The next step is creating the piece. Working internally or with outside freelance copy writers and graphic designers are possible routes. Letters should clearly explain benefits. Use "you" instead of "we." Offers should have deadlines to
create a sense of urgency.
Then, working to get your materials printed and mailed is the next step. If the mailing is small, a local Kinkos and some stamps may do the trick. If it is a large mailing, you may want to work with a printer and mailing house. They have economies of scale and equipment that will allow you to obtain postage discounts from presorting.
Last, but not least, track response. This may be as simple as collecting coupons. If 10 people responded out of 100, you know the response rate right there. Then make changes and test future mailings to improve return on investment.
Direct mail is often overlooked. However, it is a very effective medium. Many even use it very effectively to drive traffic to their website. As a small business, it is worth considering. The USPS.gov has a wide variety of resources available if you are interested in more information.
brettdalybusiness.blogspot.com
About the Author
Brett Daly is a Marketing Specialist for a software firm in the mailing and printing industries. He has an MBA and a B.S. in marketing with a minor in political science from the Rochester Institute of Technology.
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