Whether you are trying to reach a decision maker in a
corporation or a specific type of consumer, direct mail is
one of the most powerful ways to market to your target
audience. A direct mail campaign offers many compelling
benefits including cost effectiveness, measurability, and
targeting.
Direct mail can be a postcard, a sales letter, a printed
newsletter, catalog, or any other form of marketing that
you send through the mail. Anyone in business can benefit
from direct mail marketing (DMM). However there are a few
key factors that you must keep in mind to succeed:
1) Target Your Audience. Your DMM should be targeted toward
a specific audience for the maximum impact. Having
information about your recipients and make sure they will
be interested in your offer. You can send your campaign to
your existing database of customers or a subset of them. If
you want to attract new customers, you will need to
purchase a list of names. Work with a mailing list company
that specializes in providing names and addresses. It's not
very expensive and you'll be astounded at how specific you
can get (ex: occupation, revenue, education level, marital
status, zip code, etc..
2) Create an Enticing Offer. Clearly state what your reader
will get. Remember, your audience needs a good reason to
buy from you. They also want to feel a low amount of risk
in your offer. You may try a satisfaction guarantee or a
discount to create incentive for your recipients to give
your services/products a try. If this is a prospect you are
trying to convert into a customer, give them a lot up front
based on what they will be worth to your company over time
(your customer's lifetime value).
3) Make Your Message Meaningful. You may have to work with
a direct-response copywriter, but make sure that your
message resonates with your potential buyers. This means
that you demonstrate that you understand their needs and
problems. Communicate the benefits that you provide to your
reader.
4) Include a Call to Action: What is the point of sending a
marketing campaign if you don't ask the recipient to take
an action? People are busy and don't want to take the time
to think about what to do next. If they are interested in
what you are offering, make it easy for them to pick up the
phone, send in a self-addressed stamped envelope, or go to
a website page.
5) Know Your Numbers. According to the Direct Marketing
Association, the average DMM response rates are in the 2%
range. However, if you are new to direct marketing you may
get a lower response. Therefore, it is crucial that you set
your expectations appropriately. And you must play the
numbers game - send out enough pieces to get the response
you desire: a 2% response from 2,000 names = 40 people.
6) Repeat your Efforts. Sending out just one direct-mail
piece is a waste of time and money. Most studies agree that
it takes at least six exposures to direct mail for a
recipient to take action. This means you must plan your
campaign in advance to have several cards or letters that
are sent out every four or six weeks (Note: more often than
ever 3 weeks may annoy your recipients).
7) Test, Test, Test. For those of you who aren't used to
this process, it is important to realize that different
headlines, different copy, and different offers can get
widely varied responses. Therefore, test variations on
smaller segments of your list to see which ones get the
best response. Then you can take the "winner" and send it
out to your entire list.
8) Track Your Efforts. The more data you track, the better
your campaigns will get over time. Because every business
and each list is different, tracking will help you learn
what works and what doesn't work for your company. Use
these statistics to refine, improve, and focus your future
efforts.
Begin to incorporate direct mail into your marketing
efforts. Set up solid systems to plan, create, test, and
track your campaigns. As you begin to implement DMM
campaigns, you will convince your recipients to trust and
believe in your company. Over time, more of your prospects
will convert into customers and you will see the results in
your bottom line.
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Learn marketing techniques to attract new customers quickly
in Author Wendy Maynard's free report: "Marketing
Strategies to Fill Your Pipeline" at
http://www.gomarketingmaven.com/free_report.html
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