One of the best ways to grow your business and increase clicks, calls, and sales — is to advertise with Every Door Direct Mail®.
But as with any type of sales-related scenario, it pays to approach customers with offers built on value. The number one mistake made on direct mail offers is — well, the lack of a compelling offer. To maximize your potential and achieve optimal response rates, you must be deliver value in both your messaging and call to action.
What does value look like?
- Low Prices
- 24/7 Customer Support
- Coupons
- Testimonials
- Bundle Offers
- Better Quality
- Product or Service Consultation/Expertise
- Reward/Loyalty Program
- Rebate
- and the list goes on…
The success of your Every Door Direct Mail® campaign ultimately stems from your knowledge of your customers. Afterall, how can you sell to prospects if you don’t understand who they are, what drives their purchasing decisions, and what their current challenges are?
In fact, understanding and communication is critical in all types of marketing campaigns and interpersonal communications.
So, when you use the EDDM® program, you are essentially targeting people “you know” at the local level. If you have done your research well, you know your customers and this gives you a good idea as to what will work. With this valuable knowledge, design postcards or flyers, and make offers that you know will get the attention of prospective customers.
Here are some tips to help you provide better value, and reach the right prospects:
1. Choose the right mailing areas
You have the ability to hand-pick the mailing areas (postal carrier routes) at the local level. Are you mailing to affluent neighborhoods, or blue-collar areas? Do the prospects know about your business, or do you need to introduce them to it? Also, look at your customer history or database (where possible), and find where most of your heavy-transactors come from. In many cases, this is an effective way to determine the best initial mailing areas. With the EDDM® program, you can map out the mailing route that you want to reach.
2. Design for success
Staying active in the design process will help to ensure that you get results. Work hand-in-hand with your designer because, ultimately, you know your customers better than anyone else. A designer is only as good as the material and information they have to work with. Even when working with professionals, you have to make sure that you play your role and offer relevant input as progress is made. The professionals are simply there to implement the message that you want to communicate.
3. Set a schedule, stick to it
You have a responsibility to yourself, and to your business, to set a marketing campaign schedule and stick to it. Remember that the most-effective directmail campaigns reach prospects on multiple occasions, with various offer variations designed to cast the widest net possible — while building your credibility. Ensure that everything goes out according to schedule. If you are planning a special event for a specific date, you have to make sure that the customers get the message in good time. Your planning is critical and required to avoid delays. Remember, if things go out late — it’s always your fault. Plan, plan, plan!
4. Prepare for the response
When you embark on a direct mail campaign, you have to assume that you will see immediate results and this means that you should be prepared for an increase in call volume, web traffic, calls, and hopefully, the number of customers. You have to make sure that you are able to handle the influx to avoid ending up with disappointed customers or poor customer service. People are not likely to come back if you fail to deliver won your initial promise.
5. Keep it consistent
EDDM® is not a program that you blast out once, and then jump to conclusions on its success or failure. It takes time to do things right and get results — perhaps this is a universal truth. From fine art, to design, to building a house — it takes time achieve great results. You need to have a system in place where you can send out mail regularly (start with a campaign for each quarter ie: every 30 days). Set up a marketing campaign that is effective, consistent, and positions you for long-term success.
Get started with your direct mail program today — and grow your business tomorrow.