Making direct mail work for your business

Many small businesses are stuck with the problem of needing to advertise in order to bring in more clients, but not being able to afford to do so until they've actually acquired these new clients. This doesn't paint a very nice scenario, but the good news is that it's easier to fix than you may realize. While you may not have the budget to launch a television or billboard campaign, you probably do have the budget to launch a fairly powerful direct mail campaign. To get the best results from your direct mail campaign, you'll need to make sure that it meets certain criteria.

It has to stand out. Most people, especially business owners, get a lot of direct mail. If yours looks just like everyone else's it's going to get tossed right into the trash along with the rest. Make sure that yours stands out by using an unusual size, shape and design. To do this, you're going to have to take a look at the direct mail that your competitors are sending out, but it won't hurt to look at direct mail from companies outside your industry too ? remember, even though you aren't directly competing with them, your marketing materials are competing with theirs for the attention of your prospect.

It has to present the right message. Your message should be clear, concise, and contain a call to action. Don't just tell your prospects that you are the best mortgage broker in town ? tell them to call or stop by your office. The goal of your direct mail should be to get their attention and cause them to take some action so that you can then convert them into a client. It has to target the right prospects. You'll get far better results by sending your direct mail to the people most likely to have a need for what you offer. Instead of sending it to a list of 10,000 prospects, narrow it down to a list of 1,000 prospects who are:

1. The most likely to need what you offer right now 2. The most likely to be able to afford what you offer right now 3. The most likely to place a larger than average order 4. The most likely to refer new business to you

It has to be consistent. People are constantly being exposed to marketing from hundreds if not thousands of companies, so in order to make be noticed and remembered, you'll need to execute your campaign on a regular basis. People don't care about what you're offering until they actually need it, so the idea is to increase the likelihood of your message being in front of them at that time.

It has to be followed up on. In just about every B2B scenario, some follow up is going to be needed to convert your prospects into clients. Direct mail is usually most effective when it's used to initiate the sales process, leaving the actual presentation and the close to a live sales person, or at the very least, your web site. Plus, by following up, you're adding a more personal touch and even if your prospect isn't ready to move forward, they will remember it when they are.

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