With all the focus on inbound marketing these days it’s often thought that direct mail no longer has a place at the marketing table. This isn’t true. With a little imagination you can make sure your direct marketing strategy complements your other activities.. Here are 4 critical components to include in direct mail to integrate it into your overall marketing plan.
Component #1: Present a Clear Sales Message
One of the main principles behind inbound marketing is to provide information to prospective customers that they can use. But what is often lost is the importance of creating compelling sales messages, particularly when it comes to your direct marketing strategy.
You have around four seconds to grab your recipient before they dump your expensive mailing in the garbage. You need to make your message personal, relevant, useful and persuasive. Your content must tell your prospects precisely what is in it for them and describe why your solution is better than others.
Component #2: Synchronize With Online Marketing
To optimize your marketing budget, you’ll need to discover the right mix of online and offline marketing methods. Neither is more important, but the secret id synchronizing your activities for an integrated marketing strategy.
Begin with a promotion that directs recipients to your website to claim a special offer or access valuable information with a unique user code. Grab the opportunity to verify the user’s contact information and update your email marketing list. Ask a question or two to help gather additional information about the prospect’s needs.
Component #3: Track Your Mailing
Yes, it is possible to track your direct mail campaigns in a similar way as you track email. The USPS now has barcode technology that can be added to your mailing materials to track the process of posting and delivering the mailing. This increases the costs associated with direct mail, but it’s also helps evaluate response and determine return on investment (ROI). Without statistics you cannot determine whether or not your direct marketing strategy is working.
Component #4: Follow Up, Follow Up, Follow Up
Did we say follow up? Studies show that 90% of leads don’t get converted simply because the sales person tries once, twice or maybe even three times and then abandons the lead for a “hotter” one. Revisit warm leads on a regular basis to see if changes have occurred in the prospect’s situation that might push him closer to making a buying decision. Sure, it doesn’t make sense to make 6 phone calls to a prospect for a $50 item, but for higher-value products your ROI will improve by doing so.
Maximize returns from your direct marketing strategy by including these four vital components in the process.
