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Does Direct Mail Marketing Still Reign Supreme?Tip! Be conscious of details: Find the name of your primary contacts, and make sure you spell them right in the items you send to them. Even the best direct marketing piece is useless in the trash. Sure, there are plenty of different marketing methods out there, but one method, which has proven itself over and over again, is direct mail marketing. Despite the latest technological advances, direct mail marketing is still a highly-effective marketing strategy.
Hey, let's face it… good old-fashioned paper mail is still a part of everyone's life despite email, text messaging and other new forms of communication in today's society. Most people still like to have something solid in their hands… something they can manipulate and explore… something which appeals to their senses.
So, why does direct mail marketing still work?
Is it really any better than other forms of advertising out there?
Let's think about this for a moment…
Direct marketing of any sort, is exactly that… marketing that is ‘direct', directing a specific message to a specific audience. Any time you can get a message directly to your prospects, it is a good thing. But which is better? Direct mail marketing or more general forms of advertising?
Throwing Money Away on Unqualified Leads
General advertising (TV, radio, newspaper, billboards, web sites, etc.) tends to provide blanket coverage. A one-size-fits-all solution with a generic message aimed at a general audience. Many of your advertising dollars could be thrown away on uninterested and unqualified people.
General advertising methods offer no real staying power. The message is there one minute, gone the next and then forgotten just as quickly. With this type of advertising, ads must compete with a variety of attention-grabbers; all reaching out for the same prospects. Someone you may consider a prospect may have a quick peek at your ad and then something else may catch their eye before they have a chance to absorb your message.
Tip! Frequency – So many times people try direct marketing and give up because of low response. They typically give up before giving the campaign enough time to work.
General advertising, even when it works, often has delayed results, due to time lapses between the message being viewed or heard, the intent to buy and any resulting purchase. This form of advertising is also harder to evaluate due to many factors.
Direct Mail Marketing Still Offers Best Bang for Your Buck
On the other hand, direct mail marketing campaigns can be highly targeted to specific individuals, groups or businesses. Messages can even be personalized and tailored for each prospect or group of prospects. Your message could refer to each individual by name or focus on a specific need of a group of people.
This type of advertising is extremely cost-effective, as you only pay to reach people who are more likely to be interested in what you are offering. With each piece of mail being opened and read one piece at a time, it provides the best chance of catching and holding a prospect's attention. Sure, there are lots of junk mail being tossed out every day, but as people sort through their mail, they still have to look at each piece to determine what category it falls into. Their eyes still fall, however briefly, on each individual piece of mail. If your mailing is packaged in the right kind of envelope it will get opened and read.
Tip! Build Your Own Mailing List. Your customers, trade show leads, other prospects, inquirers and former buyers are the feedstock for your own comprehensive own direct marketing list.
Direct mail marketing also has a lingering marketing effect. Your message has a physical form that not only appeals to the senses but can be kept around to be re-read or even viewed by others. This method also allows for better sales analysis and the ability to more accurately track your return on investment (ROI). Unlike general forms of advertising, this method also provides quicker results, often generating immediate action or response.
Tip! Be relevant: Direct marketing efforts should offer something your clients might want to buy.
Your Prospects List is Key to a Successful Direct Mail Campaign
Direct mail marketing campaigns work best when you have a highly-targeted list of prospects, so don't cut corners here. The better the list, the better the results! Though this is a good discussion for another time, here are a few pointers. Buy your direct mail lists from a company who offers personalized service and who can take the time to provide you with the exact list you need.
Armed with a proper list of prospects and a well-designed mailing your direct mail marketing efforts should pay off substantially. Sean Dzafovic is the Chief Database Programmer of DataWORKS Canada, a company which specializes in helping businesses and organizations get the most out of their marketing dollar by providing them with affordable, yet highly-targeted Canadian business mailing lists. You can find out more about direct mail marketing and Canadian business mailing lists at http://www.canadiandata.com.
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