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With all the hype about internet business marketing, does old snail
mail still play a valuable role? In his business building strategic
marketing series, GRANT BELCHER looks at the benefits of Direct Marketing.
While it may be argued that the future of most one-to-one marketing
resides on the internet, the humble posted direct mail piece still
has a valuable role to play in promotional business communications.
We'll examine the pitfalls and benefits of e-DM or internet marketing
in a future article, but the basic principles of the trusty (if technologically
challenged) posted DM apply equally to the internet. Though seemingly
dated compared with the potential of internet marketing, traditional
DM can play a vital and complementary role to internet marketing initiatives,
whether as a more tangible follow-up to e-DM, to supply additional
information, or to create a multi-staged campaign using different
mediums. In each case the end result can be a substantial improvement
in overall response rates for a marketing campaign, especially if
you adhere to some basic rules for design, copy, creative and implementation.
Anyone who owns a letterbox will have experienced DM in its many
forms: below-the-line advertising, postcards, flyers, direct mail,
brochures, and mail packs. Without trying to dumb down the many disciplines
of effective DM, here are some basic rules to improve the effectiveness
of any direct marketing campaign.
Database: One of the critical keys to a successful DM campaign.
If you can afford it, an up-to-date, screened, de-duplicated list
of your target market is where to start. On a tight budget, try to
construct your own database of prospects to fit a target profile.
The more relevant your DM, the more chance of a response. If your
budget doesn't extend to using a DM specialist or mailing house, most
commercial databases allow you to perform 'mail-merges' with your
word processor. In this case you can create a template DM letter that
will automatically insert the names and addresses from a nominated
list of recipients in your database. Though this is entry level DM,
it does provide flexible and cost-effective DM contact management
and mailing.
Outer Packaging: I prefer to use an unusually shaped envelope
or package, possibly with a standout colour, and very little written
on it to provoke curiosity. You must provoke curiosity - corporate
logos can give it away - because your reader has a limited attention
span. On a tight budget, keep it simple, unusual and don't give too
much away.
Focus on one product only - don't jam in six or seven brochures! That
just adds clutter, confusion and creates a perfectly weighted ball
of paper to be hurled into the round file. It must be simple to understand.
Creativity plays a huge part in the overall success, so a well designed
theme that integrates each item with the other so the reader is taken
on a journey, but not a long one if you want them to keep reading,
is important.
Covering Letter: One of the most potent elements is the headline.
Sum up your offer or major benefit in one well-written headline if
you want the rest of your letter to be read. Ensure your copy is focused
heavily on the sizzle. Spell out the benefits to the end user - don't
get bogged down in features. Keep it very simple and conversational.
Dot-point those benefits if necessary. The covering letter should
be used when sending a standard product brochure because it will create
a sense of urgency and individuality about the offer (ensure you have
an offer), otherwise it may be seen as just another generic brochure
and will be binned immediately.
Testimonials: Can work wonders - there's nothing the prospect
believes more than a real life example of how your product or service
has been of benefit to customers, especially if it contains names
and businesses/towns. This is one of the best ways to convince even
the most skeptical consumers.
Call to Action: How do they get in touch with you? Your offer
must be easy to respond to, or the prospect just won't bother. Ensure
clear contact numbers, preferably toll-free. Include multiple ways
to respond including detachable coupons with enclosed postage paid
envelopes, fax-back response forms, email or website inquiry. The
easier you make it and the more ways to respond, the better your response
rates will be.
Follow Up: Want to double or triple your response rates? Then
follow up those letters! DM campaigns from larger companies usually
engage call centres to perform this function. There are many reputable
call centres that can tailor a telemarketing follow-up package for
your budget. Alternatively, you can do it yourself if you have time.
While there are many issues involved in effective telemarketing or
telephone follow-up beyond the scope of this column, the major tips
would be create a script but don't be robotic in reading it and choose
your timing carefully and appropriately for your target market. The
important point is that a phone or telemarketing follow-up can increase
your response rates dramatically - it's effective in picking up people
who didn't respond to your 'call to action' but are still interested
in your offer.
Measurability: Ensure that you can track response rates. It's
also a good idea to run a 'test cell'. This is where you send out
a small number of DM packages with a variety of creative, graphics,
copy and headline to test different ideas. This way you can see what
works best, make changes quickly and implement them into the overall
campaign for even greater response rates.
Postage: Though pricing changes are currently underway within
Australia Post with AdPost, there are already discounts for bulk postage.
Again this is relevant for small businesses who can't afford or don't
have the postage volume to justify a mailing house. To make things
even easier for the DIY direct marketer, pre-paid (not as cost effective
as bulk postage discounts) envelopes will save you licking stamps
and the window-face versions save you having to print envelope labels
as the address and contact details on your covering letter appear
in the window.
Marketing Within Your Workplace: Finally, let's not forget
that DM is an effective tool to use in promoting new products, services,
policy changes or restructuring within the workplace. Even sending
the DM to your staff and employees prior to a public rollout can pay
huge dividends and staff feel more a part of the process and as though
they contributed to the campaign itself. Staff will also be better
informed and better equipped to deal with customer or prospect inquiries.
If you want to cut through the clutter piling up in your customer's
letterbox, you must first answer this question: "Why should I
bother buying from you - you've got 10 seconds to tell me?" If you
can't do that, please make sure you use recycled paper and at least
do the planet, if not your business, a favour!
Grant
Belcher is chief marketing strategist with NURO Marketing - Australia's
first strategic mind-share marketing consultancy. He can be contacted
on 02 4929 5300, and welcomes questions, comments or feedback via
e-mail sent to: mindshare@nuromarketing.com
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