Using direct mail to reach prospects and customers is one of the tried and true methods to generate leads and sales for small businesses. New technologies available today can increase the impact that direct mail can have on the bottom line. Here are three simple ideas to consider adding to your direct mail project.
Segment your list. Okay, this is not a new concept but there are new resources available that make it easier. Develop a profile of the most likely candidates for your offer. What criteria did you use? If they include things like geography, profession, family size, age, income, gender, or mortgage interest rate, a list vendor may be able to help. In fact, vendors dedicated to a certain industry can provide even more options. Lists companies have grown more specialized in recent years and have made their services available online. I have used InfoUSA to get segmented consumer list with success. They allow you to build and purchase custom lists online, without even speaking to a sales representative and segmenting tools are included in their price.
Now that you’ve built a great list it’s time to tailor your message to their particular wants and needs. Again, this has always been a good idea for direct mail users, but technology now allows you to go further. Today’s print vendors use digital presses that allow use of variable data, without compromising print quality. (i.e. “hello bob, try acme lawn service and have the best lawn in golden ponds” Variably printed direct mail, or one to one marketing, can boost response rates and conversations and hardly costs any more money than traditional methods. (In fact, it doesn’t cost the printers any more at all in terms of printing costs.) Modern Postcard offers variable printing on postcards as do many other vendors. Type ‘variable postcards’ into Google and see what you find.
To maximize your variably printed mail, try to tap into your target list’s unique interests. In addition to using their name on your project, why not add information on their favorite team (based on their location) or make different offers to different parts of your list, based on age or gender? As a cross selling tool, variable printing works great – simply determine which products would complement what your customers have purchased already and send them a post card.
The third way to improve your direct mail results is personalized URLs or PURLs. Companies like Cierant and BlueTreeDirect will help you set up a mini site to complement your direct mail campaign including a URL containing your recipient’s name. For example, if you mail to a prospect named Jane Smith, her PURL could be located at janesmith.acmelawncareoffers.com. Once she arrives, the message will again be personalized for her (Hi Jane, Welcome to Acme!)
In addition to being attention grabbing, personalized URLs add the ability to track direct mail projects more closely. By being able to view each individual’s response to your project, you can tweak and test your offers until you find the one that gets the best response. PURLs usually cost a few cents a piece plus a one time set up fee.
If you are a small business owner, direct mail continues to be a great option for generating leads for your sales funnel. Try adding these emerging technologies as a catalyst to supercharge the process and enjoy the results that you get.
Matt Hamilton has worked in the field of niche marketing for the past 5 years. He operates MerryStockings.com, offering personalized Christmas stockings and a place to discuss Holiday traditions.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Matt_Hamilton
http://EzineArticles.com/?Direct-Mail-on-HGH—3-New-Technologies-That-Boost-Results-Without-Breaking-the-Bank&id=598527
If you liked my post, feel free to subscribe to my rss feeds
BlogoSquare