Using direct mail marketing to get leads!
Direct mail has been a popular marketing strategy for many years, and it is still an effective way to reach customers and promote products and services. In this article, we will discuss what direct mailing is, how it works, and its benefits.
What is direct mail marketing campaign?
Direct mail lead generation is a marketing strategy that sends promotional materials, such as brochures, flyers, and postcards, directly to potential customers through the postal service. This approach is also known as direct mail marketing or direct mail advertising.
A physical mailer can be used for various purposes, including advertising new products, promoting sales, or inviting customers to events.
The aim is to create a direct connection between a business and its potential customers.
By sending promotional materials directly to individuals, businesses can create a more personal and targeted approach to marketing.
It can also be used to reach customers who are difficult to reach through other forms of advertising.
How Direct Mailing Works
A direct marketing campaign involves several steps, including:
Creating a Suspect list:
The first step is identifying your target market and creating a list of potential customers.
This can be done by purchasing a list from a third-party provider or creating a list of existing customers and contacts.
The more specific you get in identifying the target market, the better. The more detail you go into will help you create a compelling offer in your marketing message.
For example, imagine your perfect customer. Where do they live, where do they shop, and what do they read, listen to and do for fun? What would their interests be and make them want to do business with you?
Designing promotional materials:
Once the list has been created, the next step is to design the promotional materials and develop a compelling offer or proposition.
These materials should be visually appealing and include a clear message about the product or service being promoted to match your target market’s needs and wants.
What offer would be compelling to entice them to take action?
The AIDA principle is a useful guide to follow:
Attention – you have just a second or two to grab their interest
Interest – what would raise their interest enough to want to discover more and read on?
Desire – how can you create the desire to take…
…Action – include a call to action and make it as easy as possible for you the consumer to do.
Printing and addressing materials:
After the promotional materials have been designed, they need to be printed and addressed. This can be done in-house or outsourced to a printing company.
Consider the balance between volume and quality. For example, would investing the time handwriting envelopes with stamps rather than franking deliver a higher open rate and return vs sending a higher volume through a 3rd party company?
Physical mail materials:
The final step is to send the promotional materials to the individuals on the list and measure the responses through a unique identifier.
This can be done through the postal service or through a third-party mailing company.
Why Use Direct Mail for Lead Generation?
A direct marketing campaign involves several steps, including:
A targeted approach:
A targeted approach allows businesses to target specific individuals or groups of individuals with promotional materials.
This can be based on demographics, location, or purchasing history.
Businesses can create a more compelling offer tailored to the specific audience by targeting specific individuals.
Measurable results:
Direct mail campaigns can be easily tracked and measured.
Businesses can track the promotional materials sent, response and conversion rates using a QR code, Reference number or unique telephone number.
This allows businesses to make data-driven decisions about future marketing campaigns.
High response rate:
Successful direct mail can have a higher response rate than other forms of advertising.
This is because the promotional materials are delivered directly to the individual’s home or business and are more likely to be noticed than in a magazine or television advertisement.
Cost-effective:
Direct marketing can be a cost-effective way to reach potential customers.
The cost and time investment of printing and posting promotional materials can be lower than other forms of advertising, such as television, radio ads or more generalised strategies like social media.
Personalised approach:
A direct mail piece can be personalised to the individual recipient.
This can be done by including the recipient’s name in the promotional materials or tailoring the message to the recipient’s interests or purchasing history.
Top tip for B2B Direct Mail: Once you have your prospect list, phone the business and establish the recipient’s name and correct postal address before sending.
Builds brand awareness:
A physical piece of mail can help build brand awareness.
Businesses can create a more memorable and recognisable brand by consistently sending promotional materials to potential customers.
Can be combined with other marketing strategies:
A piece of direct mail can be combined with other marketing channels, such as email marketing or social media marketing.
This can create a more comprehensive approach to marketing and increase the effectiveness of each strategy.
With a clearly defined strategy of Target, Offer, Copy.
Target – Identify your target market for the product or service you’re offering.
Offer – Create a compelling offer to raise interest and desire in your prospect.
Copy – Design a well-laid-out letter, leaflet, brochure etc., that represents your product and brand well.
An effective direct mail lead generation campaign can be a successful marking activity. Especially as we live in a digital age, receiving a well-thought-out proposal through the post is more likely to be read by your target audience than other means.
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By David Rivers