Business Advice Daily

Reprint and Repost Policy

by Diane Carson

All too often, in our years as an outsourced marketing company, we have heard potential clients tell us at our initial meeting that direct mail doesn’t work. We are consistently amused because we are sitting across from that potential client as a result of a highly targeted direct mail piece. In fact, our business has been built on targeted direct mail. How have we successfully built a ten-year-old marketing company using direct mail? By defining our customer “wish list” and putting our name in front of them on a regular basis via the U. S. Postal Service.

Creating Your Wish List

Every business has an idea of whom they would like to be doing business with but limited resources won’t allow you or your sales department to call on every potential customer. The only way to get your foot in the door and to create a “warm lead” is through a well thought out and executed direct mail campaign. Begin by identifying your target audience. Can you go back several years and target customers who have done business with you in the past, were good customers, and yet you haven’t had contact with them in several years? Are you a member of an association who will sell you a list of members who would be interested to hear about your products or services? If you plan to purchase a list through a broker, be sure you purchase from a knowledgeable broker who will be able to assist you in finding a list that will meet your goals and target your potential market. Some purchased lists are rented for one time use and are “seeded” with fake names. To avoid penalties, be sure to follow the rules when using these lists. Whether you are using your own customer list or a purchased list of prospective customers, it’s important to make sure that your list is accurate and up to date. We call this the “grunt work.” Time spent at this stage will save time and mailing costs, while getting you closer to a new relationship with one of your “wish list” customers.

Designing Your Mailing Piece

Postcards are the least expensive to produce and most results-oriented methods of direct mail. A simple compelling graphic and message on the front of a postcard will entice the recipient to turn the postcard over to read your sales copy. However, because you can only include a limited marketing message on a postcard, they shouldn’t be used to close a sale directly. Postcards should be designed to generate traffic to your website and to produce sales leads. Potential clients can be directed to your website where they can learn more about your business. We have designed postcards for clients whose customers have displayed the postcard in their office simply because they loved the graphic and didn’t want to discard it. In addition, if you can include a short tip about your industry, it will increase the chances of your potential customer hanging on to your postcard. Postcards are inexpensive to produce—less than two cents each if you print your own—or there are many postcard printing sites on the Internet such as www.modernpostcard.com and www.postcardpress.com. If possible, apply a 23-cent stamp to your postcards, rather than using a printed indicia, to give them a more personal appearance.

In some cases, however, a simple sales letter will allow you to get your message across. Consider sending a series of sales letters to the same target database. By planning a series of mailings to the decision maker, you can develop “warm leads.” Repetition is the key and a follow-up mailing program—often referred to as the “drip method”—will allow you to carefully plan out what you want your direct mail piece to say and when to say it. For example, in your first direct mail piece, focus on a few key benefits of your service or product. In letter two, take one of the benefits and expand on it—again, pointing out features and benefits and what differentiates you from your competitor. In your third direct mail piece, focus on another benefit and keep repeatedly reinforcing your marketing message in subsequent mailings. By keeping your name in front of your prospects, as your offer matches their need, they will purchase your service or product.

Write Compelling Copy

Many direct mail copywriters use the AIDA concept. A=Attention; I=Interest; D=Desire. And A=Ask for Action.

Attention: If you have a product or a service your potential customers need, it won’t be too hard to gain their attention. Pointing out how they can benefit from your product or service will suffice. However, in order to capture the reader’s attention quickly, you must grab them in the first sentence.

Interest: Now that you have your prospect’s attention, you should expand on your benefit statement and engage them. Emphasize benefits of your product or service, not features.

Desire: After you have generated their interest, you will need to create a desire for your products or service by telling your potential customer what’s in it for them.

Ask for Action: Tell your potential customer how to purchase your product or service, how they can get in touch with you, and give them a compelling reason to contact you immediately.

Your copy should speak directly to your potential customer. If you have done your homework, you will know what benefits will grab your prospect’s attention. If the tone of your letter corresponds directly to the industry you are targeting, it will open the door to sales opportunities.

In today’s business climate, it’s not enough to open your business and expect customers to find you. Using economical highly targeted direct mail as a marketing tool to let your potential customers know you exist, even if you are an established business, allows you to get your message across, gets exposure for your business and gains attention for you and your product or service.

Six Pack Of Economical Ways To Use Direct Mail

1. Hire a professional marketing company to design a direct mail campaign and execute the plan.

2. Mail on Monday to arrive Tuesday—the slowest day of the week.

3. Use inexpensive postcards to keep your name in front of potential customers.

4. “Certified Mail” grabs potential customer’s attention instead of more expensive mail and package delivery services.

5. Send out a small initial sample and test. Tweak or change the offer in subsequent mailings.

6. Update databases regularly.

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