Are you busy re-inventing wheels? Hopefully not, but you’d be surprised just how many businesses think the “tried and true” no longer works. In the electronic, digital age, it’s easy to overlook marketing methods that have served well since the year dot. But the thing is, tactics such as MGM (Member-Get-a-Member) still make great psychological triggers in direct mail that can get existing customers working on your behalf.
If that’s not reason enough, a Harvard Business Review study revealed that referral customers are more valuable and loyal than others. So if you’re not maximizing your direct mail campaigns with MGM incentives, there’s every chance you’re missing out. And the best thing is, they work for all businesses, from charities to pizza sellers and everyone in between.
Craft an Irresistible Offer
You have to make it worthwhile if you want customers to put in a bit of effort on your behalf. People like talking about stuff they enjoy, great bargains they’ve found and super places to shop, but to get them to make a determined effort to rally someone to your cause, they want to know what’s in it for them.
- Discounts when their referral buys something
- Special membership offers that gives both parties money off
- Trial memberships if your organization supports them
- Free issues or subscription periods
- Money off coupons for services or goods
Whether you’re selling physical products, services or consumer experiences, you can get more sales and win additional leads or walk-ins if you include vouchers, sign-up forms or coupons in your direct mailings.
Keep it Simple
Don’t make customers work hard to understand what you’re offering and what you want them to do. If they need to read a long paragraph of small print to understand how to qualify for your offer, you’ll lose them as soon as the hunt for spectacles starts!
If your direct mail is all about the MGM offer, you can get away with a little more complication, but not much. Make it as simple as possible by keeping everything on one sheet, printing all that’s needed on a single coupon or voucher, and having any terms you’re setting (such as qualifying dates) in large, bold text. Carefully choose colors and fonts to help make relevant points stand out.
Ask for as little information as possible. Do you need more than a name and email address if you’re asking for a simple referral? It may take some working out to keep things as minimal as possible, but you’ll get more takers if everyone can jump aboard after a quick glance at the offer and the instructions.
A Little (Personalization) Goes a Long Way
With direct mail, you have the ideal opportunity to really make your offer personal. Use your customer’s name on coupons, take a leaf out of Reader’s Digest books and print dummy checks in your customer’s name, or fill in their name and address for them if you want them to return vouchers to you.
Keep it simple, make it personal and give it real value, and your MGM campaigns will get more customers working on your behalf.
