[Show Transcript]
I’m Randy Charach from RandyReport.com and THIS is the show that takes you from internet zero to business hero!
In this week’s report you’ll learn how to market to your online customers using an offline direct marketing campaign. You’ll also learn how to manage your direct mail campaign and send customers material that grabs their attention. You’ll learn about mailing lists, promotional materials and how to make your mail stand out so you can drive sales and increase profit.
When you’re building your online empire, reaching out to customers is rule number one. Without customers, where would you be? There’s more to your job as an online marketer than just targeting customers though. You need to keep attracting them and offering them fresh, new things to keep them interested in your product or service.
Direct mail is a great marketing tool for your business. It seems like it’s taken a bit of a backseat to email and website promotions in the past couple of years. A lot of Internet marketers look at snail mail as a thing of the past. But direct mail still drives a lot of sales…both online and offline…Direct mail is also economical because you can really focus in on customers, and only send materials to the ones who you really think will bite…or even nibble.
You need to identify your audience first. Who are they? What problems do they need to solve? How can you help them solve these problems? Your target audience will affect the choices you make in your print design and the overall message and tone of your material. If you don’t properly target your audience you’ll end up losing money.
Teenagers aren’t going to be interested in wrinkle cream, and grandmothers aren’t as likely to sign up for online gaming tips…although some of today’s grandmothers do know their way around a Wii. Direct mail is great because it’s like a one-on-one meeting with a client, only you don’t have to spring for an expensive business lunch.
If you already have an established business or a database of loyal customers then you have a good list of targeted leads. If not you can turn to a company that sells mailing list to marketers. Mailing list companies compile lists of people in every targeted group, in different demographics, package and sell them to marketers who are selling a relevant product or service.
You need to make sure your list is qualified. That means it’s updated frequently – the older the list, the less qualified the leads are. It’s always a good idea to request a small sample list before you buy…a sort of taste test…so you can check for typos or missing information. There are mailing list providers out there who sell dusty old mailing lists that won’t do you any good, so beware before you buy.
A direct mail campaign is similar to an online campaign – you need to have compelling sales copy, a strong call to action…put some muscle into your message…and an irresistible offer. The golden rules of marketing remain the same. So raise the bar by being creative and coming up with something eye catching, something that will stand out…but don’t get too carried away with…hot pink lettering or tons of blinding graphics…save your energy for your ad copy.
Your message is the most important part of your mail out. The truth is longer sales copy is going to sell more, but it has to be captivating. It can’t be boring, or ramble on without a point like your coworker’s story about her recent vacation. Make your message unique, so that people are hooked by your special offer that isn’t available anywhere else. Teaser copy gets the reader interested…words like “Free gift” or “Special offer enclosed” can help keep your message out of the recycling bin.
You need to tell the recipient what they need to do…not like a bossy older brother…but more like a knowledgeable friend. Tell them how they’ll benefit if they use your product or service and how you can help them. Make them an offer they can’t refuse…something like save twenty five percent if you buy before January 15th, or get a free trial membership for a month.
Snag repeat customers by putting an opt in form on your website. When you direct people to your website…of course that’s printed clearly on your direct mail out…get more bang for your buck by using an opt in form, where they enter their email address for free updates, offers or products.
Tracking is really important when it comes to those direct mail outs. You need to be able to track the responses you get, things like how many sales you made or how many phone or email inquiries you got. Then, you can refine your mailing list and tweak your direct mail approach for next time. If you’re offering a special promotion in your mail out, be sure to provide a promo code so you can track those stats as well.
Remember, it’s more expensive to market through direct mail than through email, so it’s extra important to monitor your efforts and tweak until you get it right. You’ll get the best return on your investment that way. In my opinion, direct mail campaigns are worth the extra effort and expense. They’ve always been much more profitable for me than online campaigns.
Be prepared to handle the response from the direct mail campaign. If you get a fantastic response from curious customers, do you have the resources to process a bunch of orders or deal with a flood customer inquiries and support issues right away? There’s no point in going to the trouble of mailing out offers if you can’t provide the goods on time or customers can’t get through to you.
You can also include a reply envelope and an order form so people can order products from you right away. One technique I’ve used successfully is to include a business reply envelope and an order form in my mailing. That way, people can fill out the form…which i also prefold…and put it in the envelope.
Make it as easy as possible for your customer to simply fill out a reply card and mail it back to you. Everyone is busy, and the easier you make it for people to reach you, the better your odds are of being successful. Make sure you include a postage paid envelope…nobody wants to dig around in their desk drawer for a stamp!
Our question this week comes from Chris W from Singapore who wrote:
I’ve tried two direct mail campaigns, and had dismal results both times. My target audience is corporate executives, but I’m getting almost zero response. I spent a lot of money on the design and text, so I’m not sure what’s wrong.
Okay, it’s hard to say exactly what the problem is here, Chris, but one consideration is the style of your direct mail campaign. You say you’re marketing to higher level executives. There are differences between business to consumer marketing…b to c…and business to business…b to b.
In this case, you want to tone down the teaser copy. Words like “free” or “special offer” can work really well when sending large volumes of mail to consumers, but will not be effective when targeting higher level execs. Most executives have a gatekeeper…someone who screens their phone calls and mail…so a large chunk of mail gets tossed.
Make sure you use their name, not the company’s. Using an express mail service can also help – if the package has a courier address on it it usually gets opened. I hope you get a better response next time!
Well, that wraps up this episode of Randy Report. Since company’s websites, prices and quality of service on the Internet change rapidly, for my up-to-date recommendations on resources and for free tools and training, visit me today at RandyReport.com.
Today you learned
How to target your audience for an effective direct mail campaign, and how to get your hands on a qualified mailing list. You also learned how to get your direct mail noticed instead of tossed, how to get repeat customers by using an opt in form, and the importance of tracking your direct mail campaign so you can learn from each mail out and improve your success rate.
Thanks so much for watching. Remember, if you’d like more free reports, resources and training then visit RandyReport.com and join me again next week where you’ll discover How to set up a seminar producing business, where you can share your knowledge and make money. You’ll learn how to attract an audience by doing market research and creating seminar programs that sell. Every year, people pay to attend seminars and workshops where professionals help them learn and grow. I’ll show you how to start up and successfully run your very own seminar business.
I’m Randy Charach, and this is the show that takes you from internet zero to business hero!
[End of Show Transcript]
