If You Are Not Using Direct Mail In Your Marketing Plan You May Be Missing The Boat!

September 5th, 2012 by Diane Conklin under Direct Mail. 1 Comment.

Direct Mail, one of the media used by direct response marketers, has been around for a long time. Even with the internet and email marketing, Direct Mail is still the Number 1 choice for direct response marketers.

Think about it. How many days have you gone to the mail box and not found it full of “junk mail” as we typically call it? You’re almost immune to seeing all of it, and simply sort the mail over the trash can, without even giving it a thought.

Avoid The Spam Filter With Ink & Paper

The beauty of direct mail is it gets delivered – right to the front door or mailbox of your prospect. You write a good sales letter, have it printed, send it to a qualified list, and the message gets delivered to your client or prospect. There are no spam filters, no emails getting kicked back, no worries about your email being blacklisted.

The next challenge is getting the mail opened. Your best chance of getting your message and offer read is by putting compelling copy on the outside of your envelope and/or by using a very unique envelope or some other type of packaging.

Not everyone knows the secrets that can boost your mail response. You want your mail to be read by the recipient and not end up in the trash can or recycle bin. That’s exactly what you want if you’re going to have successful direct mail campaigns.

Direct mail is still the most effective way to market, and it produces the best response rates available. You send mail, and within a few short days, you know it worked and what your results are.

Even Internet Marketers Are Doing It!

Successful entrepreneurs and business owners have built huge, profitable businesses using direct mail as their primary marketing tool, and they did it long before the internet was popular, and they’re still using it today. The best internet marketers are now using direct mail in addition to online marketing. Integrated marketing strategies are how you maximize your results.

Put The “ChaChing” In Your Direct Mail Campaign

There are many elements that go into developing a profitable direct mail campaign that will boost your business. Here are just a few tips:
• Develop a budget and stick to it.
• Establish a multi-step, sequential, integrated marketing plan.
• The more touches the better
• Target and segment your mailing lists.
• Profile your list and maintain it well.
• Measure and track your results.
• Implement your direct mail program
• Be flexible enough to make changes quickly if you need to.

List Maintenance Is Key

Volumes can be written regarding lists. Your list is the most important element in any marketing campaign. Direct mail is no exception. The list is also, many times, the most neglected part of your business and your marketing campaigns. You cannot mail if you have not captured and maintained the necessary client information. One of the most important components to any Direct Mail campaign is that the addresses are correct and up-to-date. You want your mail to be delivered, not returned.

The postal service can help you with address verification. But as a tip, it starts in your office with you and your administrative list manager.

Your list will be tip top if it’s updated constantly, especially when nixies are returned. (Nixies are mail pieces returned for no forwarding address or that have expired address changes.) You can use services provided by the postal service, or list brokers and mailing houses to verify addresses and update your list based upon the Nation Change of Address Service. (This is a huge tip by the way!)

Don’t Shy Away – Direct Mail Is Gold

If you’re like some marketers and business owners, you may shy away from direct mail because you think it’s too expensive, or it’s too time consuming, or you just don’t want the hassle of setting up a sequential mailing campaign and then have to worry about getting it executed.

If you aren’t currently using direct mail as part of your marketing strategy, you’re missing out on the best marketing system you could possibly be using. That means you’re losing out on potential clients, and a boatload of money too.

Tags: business, business owner, Business Strategy, Communication, Complete Marketing Systems, Diane Conklin, Direct mail, Direct Response Marketing, entrepreneur, Marketing, marketing media, marketing plan, Marketing Strategy, Relationship Marketing, Small Business, small business owner, Strategy.