When it comes small business marketing, direct mail is king. According to the Direct Marketing Association (DMA), this powerful marketing channel delivers response rates ranging between 1% and 3.7%. Comparatively, all digital channels combined only average 0.62%.
So the only question is: Should you purchase a mailing list, or, use Every Door Direct Mail® to reach your next wave of customers?
To make the best decision for your business, consider the five key questions below.
- Does your business have mass appeal, or is it geared towards a specific consumer?
If your business caters to a vast audience, that crosses all demographic and sociographic lines, it is best to use a "shotgun" blast approach to marketing.
For example, if you operate a local restaurant it is likely that you want to reach as many local individuals and households as possible within a certain range of your restaurant.
However, if you operate a specialized medical practice, perhaps a pediatric clinic, you are better served purchasing a mailing listto reach only households with children. Additionally, you may want to add more complex layers to your mailing list such as income level, age range, and credit score to further refine your targeted marketing. - Is your direct mail campaign time-sensitive?
With mailing lists, you can choose whether to send out offers as Standard Mail or First Class mail. First Class mail guarantees that your offers will deliver into mailboxes within 1-3 business days. If you are running on a short deadline or have a time-sensitive promotion, a Black Friday promotion for example, this added flexbility is critical. With Every Door Direct Mail®, your mailers can take anywhere from a few days to a few weeks to deliver into homes. While EDDM® is more affodable, and often easier to use, quick turnaround is not guaranteed. - Is your marketing campaign limited to a local area?
If your campaign targets a neighborhood, or local community, Every Door Direct Mail® is ideal. It delivers your giant-sized postcards or flyers directly into every mailbox on the block. Plus, with EDDM®, you do not have to register for a mailing permit. It's a very affordable, simplified direct mail process designed for total saturation. - Are you promoting a Grand Opening, fundraiser, or community event?
Events are generally all about one thing: awareness. If you need to generate maximum awareness in a particular geographic area, EDDM® is a superior choice over using a mailing list. Literally overnight, your communications will "blanket" an entire area and instantly generate a buzz of awareness around your Grand Opening, fundraiser, or upcoming community event. - Do you plan to follow-up your mail campaign with phone calls or subsequential marketing?
If you plan to conduct follow-up phone outreach to the recipients of your direct mail campaign, a mailing list that includes phone numbers is critical. With EDDM®, no phone numbers or mailing addresses are provided (the mail pieces are delivered to entire postal routes), which makes future one-to-one direct mail or follow-up efforts impossible. In this case, a mailing list is the best choice.
Direct mail is very affordable and highly-effective when sent to the right prospects, with the right offer, at the right time.
At the end of the day, your ROI can be greatly increased by choosing the best direct mail format for your business. Afterall, a penny saved is a penny earned.