| More and more people are returning to Direct Mail to | | | | 4) Sales Copy that Sells |
| boost sales and profits. Now unlike big corporations | | | | The biggest mistake people make with Direct Mail is to |
| who can afford to throw marketing dollars in to a | | | | send out a beautifully designed mailing piece that |
| black hole the small and medium sized business needs | | | | informs their prospect rather than sells to them. I get |
| to ensure every dollar has a great return on capital. | | | | countless direct mail pieces sent to me telling me about |
| If you follow these essential seven steps you will have | | | | a new store or service. What they forget to do is to |
| a profitable campaign. | | | | sell to me, tell me why I should go to that store, why I |
| 1) Targeted Customers | | | | would love that product or how I would be wealthier if I |
| The more targeted your customers the more | | | | used it. |
| successful your campaign will be. Don't fall in to the | | | | Use a compelling headline and back it up with a sub |
| trap of buying any old data, you want real targeted | | | | headline. Use testimonials were possible, they sell! |
| prospects. Think about who your ideal prospect is, | | | | Make your mailing piece stand out, think about using |
| write it down and brainstorm what their characteristics | | | | post it notes on the mailer itself and if possible always |
| are, where do they live, what type of home, what type | | | | have the envelope hand written (or so that it looks |
| of car do they drive, are they married, do they have | | | | hand written). |
| children and so on. The more you profile your | | | | 5) A Call to Action |
| customer the better you will be able to target them. | | | | Tell the prospect what you want them to do. If you |
| Then find data that matches your requirements. Only | | | | want them to order today tell them that several times |
| ever try a small sample of data no matter what | | | | through the mailing piece and inform them why they |
| discounts they offer. If the data is good the provider | | | | should do it now. You can offer bonuses if they reply |
| will be happy for you to try a small sample. | | | | to your offer within a set time frame. It is amazing how |
| 2) It's a Numbers Game | | | | many times this vital element is missed. |
| This is not an element of the campaign, more of a | | | | 6) Multiple Lead Capture Formats |
| mindset. You must realize that any Direct Mail | | | | If possible give your prospects multiple ways of |
| campaign is about a small percentage response. | | | | performing the action you require. If you are asking |
| Unless you have a preexisting relationship with the | | | | them to buy a product try to give them several options |
| client don't expect a big response. Bearing this in mind | | | | to buy, via the Internet, telephone or in person. |
| you should scale up your campaign so that you are | | | | Ensure that your buying channels work and are |
| reaching as many targeted customers as possible. | | | | available when your customers need it. Don't have a |
| 3) The Compelling Offer | | | | telephone number that is only available for limited hours. |
| This may seem obvious but it is a step many people | | | | 7) Testing for Perfection |
| overlook. Make your offer as compelling as possible. | | | | Everything you do should be tested and tracked. You |
| Spend time thinking about what prospective customers | | | | need to identify what lists give what response, what |
| would want and more importantly what would make | | | | postal days give the optimum result and which mailing |
| them act. Try to come up with three or four compelling | | | | is the most effective. |
| offers that you can test. | | | | Your results will get better with each campaign if you |
| If possible make the offer time sensitive, you want | | | | keep testing and tweaking your results. I have seen |
| people to act now. If you can't do something that | | | | campaigns go from losing money to being massively |
| compels them to act now make sure the offer is | | | | profitable because of testing. |
| something they will want to keep until they need your | | | | If you follow these steps you will give yourself the |
| service. This could be a discount coupon as part of the | | | | best opportunity to help your customers and increase |
| offer or something similar. | | | | your bottom line. |