The success of any direct marketing campaign is directly related to the quality of the list being used. There are two major trends in direct marketing specific to the mailing lists that are expected to grow in 2010.
Increased Detail in List Content
Companies are looking for data beyond gender, age, and contact information. New data fields such as marital status, hobbies, past purchases, and ethnic information are now being included.1
Using Detailed Lists to Produce Customized Mailings
Companies are taking the increased detail found in marketing lists and using the data to create more targeted messages. Targeted campaigns focus on specific data and demographics, rather than mailing the same generic message to everyone on the list. Compared to these generic messages, customized marketing campaigns have been posting strong results in recent years. This has been accomplished with the use of variable data and personalized URLs added to direct mail pieces.
As targeted campaigns using Variable Data Printing and Integrated Marketing Solutions become more prevalent, this type of data will become more and more important to companies looking to increase response rates.
1 http://www.dmnews.com/online-data-will-explode-due-to-robust-targeting/article/160777/
Thursday, May 20, 2010
Tuesday, May 18, 2010
Improving Direct Mail Results One List at a Time
Your creative is compelling. Your offer is irresistible. So why aren’t you getting good results? Chances are it’s your mailing list.
A bad list can bring your marketing campaign to a screeching halt. When you’re trying to stretch your marketing dollars and improve your results, targeted lists and high-quality data can make all the difference. Here are three steps to improve the quality of your lists and boost the effectiveness of your marketing campaign:
Clean and Update Your List
Gathering data on your customers and prospects is relatively easy; keeping it accurate and updated is the hard part. For example, some of your customers will move, others will change their names or phone numbers. If your mailing list contains outdated information, you’re not connecting with all of your customers and prospects. More importantly, you’re sacrificing a valuable source of revenue. By regularly cleaning and updating your mailing list, you will connect with more customers and boost response rates.
Fill in the Missing Pieces
If your mailing list is limited to only names and addresses, you’re sacrificing an opportunity to contact customers through multiple channels. Adding contact information such as email addresses and telephone numbers can help increase sales conversion rates through the use of Integrated Marketing campaigns. By adding demographics, you’ll gain a clearer picture of exactly who is buying your product or service. You can also use that data to customize your campaigns through the use of Variable Data Printing.
Rethink Your Audience
Even the fanciest direct mail piece will fail if you’re sending it to the wrong people. The easiest way to ensure you’re targeting the right prospects is to study your best customers – what do they all have in common? By identifying their unique characteristics, you can fine-tune your list to include only those most likely to buy from you.
Your mailing list is the #1 factor in the success of any direct mail campaign. Obtaining targeted lists and maintaining high-quality data can have a strong impact on your campaign results.
A bad list can bring your marketing campaign to a screeching halt. When you’re trying to stretch your marketing dollars and improve your results, targeted lists and high-quality data can make all the difference. Here are three steps to improve the quality of your lists and boost the effectiveness of your marketing campaign:
Clean and Update Your List
Gathering data on your customers and prospects is relatively easy; keeping it accurate and updated is the hard part. For example, some of your customers will move, others will change their names or phone numbers. If your mailing list contains outdated information, you’re not connecting with all of your customers and prospects. More importantly, you’re sacrificing a valuable source of revenue. By regularly cleaning and updating your mailing list, you will connect with more customers and boost response rates.
Fill in the Missing Pieces
If your mailing list is limited to only names and addresses, you’re sacrificing an opportunity to contact customers through multiple channels. Adding contact information such as email addresses and telephone numbers can help increase sales conversion rates through the use of Integrated Marketing campaigns. By adding demographics, you’ll gain a clearer picture of exactly who is buying your product or service. You can also use that data to customize your campaigns through the use of Variable Data Printing.
Rethink Your Audience
Even the fanciest direct mail piece will fail if you’re sending it to the wrong people. The easiest way to ensure you’re targeting the right prospects is to study your best customers – what do they all have in common? By identifying their unique characteristics, you can fine-tune your list to include only those most likely to buy from you.
Your mailing list is the #1 factor in the success of any direct mail campaign. Obtaining targeted lists and maintaining high-quality data can have a strong impact on your campaign results.
Friday, May 14, 2010
Letters and Postcards and Brochures…Oh My!
Finding the Right Direct Mail Piece for Your Business
You’ve created your targeted mailing list. You’ve set realistic goals. You’ve created a compelling offer and written your copy. So what’s left? Your creative.
Do you want to mail a letter, a brochure, a postcard, catalog, or a full-blown direct mail package? As you refine your use of direct mail, you will discover that different audiences and different offers require different formats. Here are a few of the common direct mail pieces:
Postcards
One of the most versatile options in direct marketing, a postcard is the perfect medium for delivering a quick campaign in a small space. Postcards are ideal for service reminders, invitations, announcements, or special events (like a sale). They’re economical and can be launched quickly. The best benefit of a postcard is, unlike a letter, there’s nothing to open – all you have to do is flip it over!
Self-Mailers
Larger and more elaborate than a postcard, a self-mailer can be a single piece of paper folded in half so the mailing panel is on the outside. Self-mailers are relatively inexpensive because, just like a postcard, you don’t incur envelope costs. Another bonus: They give you more room to feature your product or service. The downside? Some recipients view them as junk mail and immediately throw them away. However, self-mailers have proven to be effective vehicles for advertising seminars and promoting conferences.
Letters
Even in today’s era of online marketing, sales letters still work. Why? A letter allows you to tell your story persuasively. It gives you the forum to offer solutions that speak directly to your customer’s or prospect’s problems. It creates a sense of urgency that motivates your readers to respond immediately. And it’s versatile: Use a letter to introduce your business, provide news and updates, appeal for donations, and much more. Regardless of what you include in your sales letter, don’t forget to ask for the sale.
Fliers
Often accompanying a letter or handed out at a meeting, a flier provides additional information on your product or service. A word of caution: Don’t make the flier depend on the sales letter – it should be able to stand on its own in telling your company’s story. Chances are you’ll have other uses for a flier such as including it with an invoice or in a display rack.
Brochures and Catalogs
If you sell a wide variety of products or want more room to tell your story, a brochure or catalog may be the way to go. Multiple-page formats provide room for plenty of copy, photos, and graphics to showcase your offerings.
Direct Mail Package
Designed to tell a complete story, the direct mail package provides a lot of room and multiple ways to showcase your product or service. The typical direct mail package contains any or all of these elements: an envelope, letter, brochure, order form, and reply card. You can also throw in “extras” to emphasize benefits or advertise special offers. These can include stickers, fliers, buck slips to summarize your letter, or lift letters to reinforce your message.
Direct mail gives you all these choices. Use the right vehicle for your next marketing campaign.
You’ve created your targeted mailing list. You’ve set realistic goals. You’ve created a compelling offer and written your copy. So what’s left? Your creative.
Do you want to mail a letter, a brochure, a postcard, catalog, or a full-blown direct mail package? As you refine your use of direct mail, you will discover that different audiences and different offers require different formats. Here are a few of the common direct mail pieces:
Postcards
One of the most versatile options in direct marketing, a postcard is the perfect medium for delivering a quick campaign in a small space. Postcards are ideal for service reminders, invitations, announcements, or special events (like a sale). They’re economical and can be launched quickly. The best benefit of a postcard is, unlike a letter, there’s nothing to open – all you have to do is flip it over!
Self-Mailers
Larger and more elaborate than a postcard, a self-mailer can be a single piece of paper folded in half so the mailing panel is on the outside. Self-mailers are relatively inexpensive because, just like a postcard, you don’t incur envelope costs. Another bonus: They give you more room to feature your product or service. The downside? Some recipients view them as junk mail and immediately throw them away. However, self-mailers have proven to be effective vehicles for advertising seminars and promoting conferences.
Letters
Even in today’s era of online marketing, sales letters still work. Why? A letter allows you to tell your story persuasively. It gives you the forum to offer solutions that speak directly to your customer’s or prospect’s problems. It creates a sense of urgency that motivates your readers to respond immediately. And it’s versatile: Use a letter to introduce your business, provide news and updates, appeal for donations, and much more. Regardless of what you include in your sales letter, don’t forget to ask for the sale.
Fliers
Often accompanying a letter or handed out at a meeting, a flier provides additional information on your product or service. A word of caution: Don’t make the flier depend on the sales letter – it should be able to stand on its own in telling your company’s story. Chances are you’ll have other uses for a flier such as including it with an invoice or in a display rack.
Brochures and Catalogs
If you sell a wide variety of products or want more room to tell your story, a brochure or catalog may be the way to go. Multiple-page formats provide room for plenty of copy, photos, and graphics to showcase your offerings.
Direct Mail Package
Designed to tell a complete story, the direct mail package provides a lot of room and multiple ways to showcase your product or service. The typical direct mail package contains any or all of these elements: an envelope, letter, brochure, order form, and reply card. You can also throw in “extras” to emphasize benefits or advertise special offers. These can include stickers, fliers, buck slips to summarize your letter, or lift letters to reinforce your message.
Direct mail gives you all these choices. Use the right vehicle for your next marketing campaign.
Thursday, May 13, 2010
Anatomy of a Good Direct Mail Campaign
Here are 5 ingredients essential to a successful direct mail campaign:
1. A Targeted Mailing List
Your mailing list is the #1 factor in the success of any direct mail campaign. If your targeted audience is wrong, even the best of pieces will receive little to no response. Research the demographics of your current customers and develop a targeted list based on those characteristics. Be sure to update your list regularly and don't get tunnel vision - continually redefine and adapt your list.
2. A Simple Message
You only have a few seconds to get your customers' attention - do it with a simple, powerful message that clearly explains what you're selling and the benefits. Use potent words that paint a vivid picture.
3. A Compelling Offer
Offers come in all shapes and sizes - a discount, a free trial, promotional items, or coupons. Not surprisingly, consumers are increasingly interested in coupons. According to a DM News/Pitney Bowes survey on direct mail, as many as 94% of consumers say they took action on promotional offers and coupons received in the mail.
4. A Clear Call to Action
Make it easy to do business with you. Lay out exactly what you want the recipient to do - call, email or visit. Give recipients options. One very effective option is incorporating a Personalized URL or pURL into your mail piece. Be sure to design the call to action so it's clear and easy to follow.
5. A Follow-up Mailing or Email
In today's busy world, your recipients will miss your message 2 out of every 3 times. So repetition is crucial - the more they see your message, the likelier they are to buy. For the highest response rates, mail multiple times. At the very least, follow up your mailing with a phone call, an email, or a second mailer within two weeks.
A Bonus Ingredient - testing, testing, and more testing
Many variables can affect the response to a mailing - the list, the offer, the price, etc. Try mailing only a few hundred or thousand pieces to refine these variables before rolling out a big mailing.
1. A Targeted Mailing List
Your mailing list is the #1 factor in the success of any direct mail campaign. If your targeted audience is wrong, even the best of pieces will receive little to no response. Research the demographics of your current customers and develop a targeted list based on those characteristics. Be sure to update your list regularly and don't get tunnel vision - continually redefine and adapt your list.
2. A Simple Message
You only have a few seconds to get your customers' attention - do it with a simple, powerful message that clearly explains what you're selling and the benefits. Use potent words that paint a vivid picture.
3. A Compelling Offer
Offers come in all shapes and sizes - a discount, a free trial, promotional items, or coupons. Not surprisingly, consumers are increasingly interested in coupons. According to a DM News/Pitney Bowes survey on direct mail, as many as 94% of consumers say they took action on promotional offers and coupons received in the mail.
4. A Clear Call to Action
Make it easy to do business with you. Lay out exactly what you want the recipient to do - call, email or visit. Give recipients options. One very effective option is incorporating a Personalized URL or pURL into your mail piece. Be sure to design the call to action so it's clear and easy to follow.
5. A Follow-up Mailing or Email
In today's busy world, your recipients will miss your message 2 out of every 3 times. So repetition is crucial - the more they see your message, the likelier they are to buy. For the highest response rates, mail multiple times. At the very least, follow up your mailing with a phone call, an email, or a second mailer within two weeks.
A Bonus Ingredient - testing, testing, and more testing
Many variables can affect the response to a mailing - the list, the offer, the price, etc. Try mailing only a few hundred or thousand pieces to refine these variables before rolling out a big mailing.
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