11 Useful Direct Marketing Tips

Direct Marketing Tips by Mediapost Hit Mail

#8

How to Do It?

1. Don’t underestimate itunder

Direct marketing is not as “fancy”as TV. That’s why people treat it not so seriously.

However, it is quite hard not to pay attention to something that comes through your door with your name on it. And if it's persuasive enough it makes people do something.

And, you know what? It is measurable.

2. When renting databases, always test them first. You will save a lot of money.

You may already know this, but it’s worth repeating it, because usually obvious is overlooked.

Which leads to...

3. Always do tests

Always have in mind that small changes could bring significant results. Moreover, small changes are almost invariably free or very cheap. Keep monitoring your test results and they will guide you through the road to success. And, what is also important, they will provide you with a back-up alternative when results go down.

Because sooner or later they will.

4. What do you know?

Use the information that you have about your

customers or prospects when contacting them.

Don’t keep if for yourself - personalized letters, e-

mails or any other promotional materials could

significantly boost your results.

And by using the data you have wisely, you will

speak to the right people, at the right time, with the

most relevant proposal.

5. Give something

Try incentives related to some

actions: registration, opt-in, enquiry,

early buying, telling a friend (and

prove it), buying more etc. But never

give something for nothing - it won’t

pay for itself.

Organize sweepstakes or contests,

send collectible gifts, but ask people

to react.

6. Don’t be clever

You don’t need to “blind” your customers with knowledge or creativity when the only thing they might need is a relevant product or service.

Say what you have to say in a way it will convince them to buy. If you want to entertain them - good, but don’t be funny about serious things(money, loans, insurances etc.).

7. Explain in details

Tests reveal that long copy almost always beats short copy. You might think that brevity is good, but when you are sending direct mail you don’t expect everybody to react - only those who are interested in your proposal.

Use the letter or the e-mail you are sending to explain every reason to buy, answer possible questions and retain objections. Offer clean and strong benefits. Describe clearly what you are offering. Ask people to replyand to do something.

Space is what you need to have a complete and convincing story.

8. Prove what you’re saying

If you think that people will believe what you say just because you are saying it, you will be in trouble. Use everything that you could use to prove your statements - testimonials, research results and statistics, reports, newspaper or magazine articles. Offer guarantees. “Your money back if you are not satisfied” usually will bring you amazing results.

9. Value of a name

A customer that you got for just 3 BGN

is leaving in your pocket 50 BGN over

one year. Another one that you got for

20 BGN is spending 2000 BGN. Which

one is better? Don’t forget to check

what the quality of the database you

are gathering is.

Usually banners build weak databases

while direct mail or flyers gather top-

quality names. But you never know

before testing it, don’t you?

10. What people hear?

It’s not important what do you say - it is what your customers or prospects hear. Here are several ways of saying the same thing. The green one is often working best, but don’t forget to test it.

1. 20 % off!

2. Save 20%!

3. Save 10 leva!

4. Pay 20% less!

5. Buy four, get one FREE!

6. Time-limited discount!

11. What people read?

“We live in terrible times: everyone is writing, but nobody is reading.”

(Oscar Wilde)

This is true even nowadays - people read what they want to read, not what it is written. So be precise and instantly clear. Don’t leave it obscure or confusing.

More to come:

1. Why Do You Need Your Own Database?

2. How to Build a Database?

3. How to Manage Your Database?

4. How to Segment your Customers?

5. Tests - How to Run and Analyze Them?

6. The Deliverability Problem

7. Personalization

8. Online & SMS Promotions

9. Useful Direct Marketing Tips

10. How to Launch Your CRM Program?

11. The Advantages of Direct Marketing (Summary)

two more slides...

Thank You!

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E-mail: office@mediaposthitmail.bg

Web: www.MediapostHitMail.bg

just one more...

Hello,

We are very close to the end of the “Direct Marketing Tips” series. Don’t forget that we would be glad to know your opinion on it. Please drop us an e-mail at

office@mediaposthitmail.bg,

or call us at +359 885 360 715. You will get FREE all the presentations, in case you’ve missed some of them.

Thanks!

Hristo Radichev

Country Manager, Mediapost Hit Mail

P.S. Do you know someone that would be interested in our services? Or probably you want to know more about direct marketing? Why don’t you give us a try - we won’t charge you for the test if your results are better than ours for two out of three attempts. You don’t lose anything if you try.

A good deal, isn’t it?