|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Direct Mail Strategy - Brand Identity Guru
1. Know your purpose: What do you want your direct mailer to accomplish? Do you want to be remembered? Do you want to educate prospects about benefits? Recently, Brand Identity Guru was hired to expand a clients direct mail efforts, so we created a direct mail piece to showcase our clients related capabilities. Now direct mail accounts for nearly 30% of our clients new business.
2. Research your market: Explore the companies on your mailing list so you can refer to their needs. Find out the top two issues and pain points that the company faces.
3. Be relevant: Your direct mailer should resemble something your client might use or buy.
4. Plan a campaign: The best direct mailers complement your PR, Advertising, Marketing Strategy and Sales efforts. Ultimately, each piece should build a cohesive, identifiable whole.
5. Attend to details: Find out the name of that purchasing agent or marketing contact and spell it right, proofread your words and double check visual placement. Even an award winning direct mailer is useless unless you send it to the right person at the right time.
6. Keep em' coming: Send a series of direct mailers regularly based on your clients needs. To find out what those are, simply ask clients how often they'd like to hear from you. Generally, December is already crowded with mailings, so BIG suggests waiting until February. Bulk mailers are good monthly and targeted mailers quarterly.
7. Follow up: If you don't follow up, all your efforts could slam to a halt. Initiate a dialogue with clients by making phone calls within a week or two after your mailing, especially if a client requests it. And of course, don't waste time dialing hundreds of phone numbers, but know that it's worth the effort for smaller mailings.
To measure how strong your brand is copy and paste: (http://brandidentityguru.com/bightml/brandmasterpiece.html). Then click "Take the brand strength test". This is a short survey that measures the strength of any company's brand. It's a great tool to see where you are today.
Scott White is President of Brand Identity Guru (http://www.brandidentityguru.com), a leading brand consulting and market research firm located in Easton, Massachusetts, USA, near Boston. Brand Identity Guru specializes in creating corporate and product brands that increase sales, market share, customer loyalty, and brand valuation.
Over the course of his 15-year branding career, Scott White has worked in a wide variety of industries: high-tech, manufacturing, computer hardware and software, telecommunications, banking, restaurants, fashion, healthcare, Internet, retail, and service businesses, as well as numerous non-profit organizations.
Brand Identity Guru clients include: Sun Life Financial, Coca Cola, HP, Sun, Nordstrom, American Federal Mortgage, Simon (America's largest shopping mall manager) and many others, including numerous emerging growth companies.
Scott White is a very enthusiastic speaker and has the gift of being able to explain the principles of branding in a compelling and entertaining manner so that people at all levels can understand.
Advertisement: Honest Riches - Click Here!
Advertisement: Lost AdWords - Click Here!
Advertisement: Get $1 Million A Month In Google Pay-Per-Click Ads Free! - Click Here!
Advertisement: Who Loves Money? - Click Here!
Advertisement: SEO Elite, the GrandDaddy of SEO Software - Click Here!
San Jose Mercury News, USA - 2 hours ago
AP LOS ANGELES—The city on Friday unveiled a new marketing campaign built around the slogan "That's So LA" to keep tourists coming despite the nation's ...
New campaign to boost LA tourism abc7.com
all 23 news articles
Reuters
Chicago Tribune, United States - 4 hours ago
Those marketing dollars have an aim to push Audi US sales to 200000 vehicles by 2018. Schwarzenbauer said the company has a goal to sell 1.5 million Audis ...
Audi plans record US marketing spending Reuters
Audi plans to boost US marketing budget Automotive News
Audi says it will increase US marketing efforts Fox 28
DetNews.comall 16 news articles
Bizjournals.com, NC - 7 hours ago
Implications International, which specializes in interactive marketing, brand design, and Web development, has offices in Peoria, Ill., Mumbai, India, ...
MSNBC - 2 hours ago
TMI's marketing plan includes a program where LTC facilities can lease the equipment necessary to perform skin assessments and store the necessary data ...
Bizjournals.com, NC - 6 hours ago
Effective April 1, Imperial Hotel will start reservations service, sales, marketing and public relations activities within Japan for Halekulani and Waikiki ...
MSNBC - 19 hours ago
Proton will start by marketing a variety of enhanced water products that provide health benefits for people and the planet as well as the commercial product ...
Proton Laboratories opens Southern California office Bizjournals.com
all 9 news articles
Salt Lake Tribune, United States - 4 hours ago
... different companies around the US The Utah Chapter of the Society for Marketing Professional Services recognizes excellence in marketing communications ...
Boston Globe
Bizjournals.com, NC - Jan 8, 2009
United Parcel Service Inc. rival FedEx Corp. will cut its marketing budget by more than 25 percent for 2009, the company recently disclosed on its blog. ...
FedEx cuts marketing spend by more than 25 percent Reuters
FedEx cuts marketing budget DM News
FedEx to reduce marketing budgets by 25% Brand Republic
all 45 news articles
FMQB, NJ - 10 hours ago
Katz Media Group has launched a new, national marketing unit that will create custom solutions for advertisers and their agencies with the goal of ...
Katz Launches National Marketing Unit, Trims Staff Media Buyer Planner
Katz Media Group forms marketing unit BtoB Magazine
Katz creates unit to handle ads for new radio platforms SmartBrief
all 6 news articles
Examiner.com
Examiner.com - 14 hours ago
by William Sokolic, Jersey Shore Examiner The Hospitality Sales & Marketing Association International will recognize the Cape May County Department of ...
Renting Your Mailing Lists to Others
RESOLVING THE "PROPRIETARY" DILEMMA... SHOULD YOU RENT YOUR OWN MAILING LIST TO OTHER BUSINESSES ? Mail order dealers are always looking for more people to send their... Read More
Effective List Management Can Save You Big
Let's talk about how to keep your postage costs down.So far you have been following my advice and mailing to the same list more than once. At... Read More
Write Better Web Content
If you're reading this article, chances are that you, like most professionals these days, understand the value of the Internet. It may be where you go to... Read More
The Value of a Good Sales Letter!
Regardless of how many forms of promotional material you create, the simple yet very important sales letter never goes out of style. As a matter of fact... Read More
Writing Marketing Copy That Sells
When your prospects see your marketing materials, your brochure, your web site or your ads you want them to read them. You want prospects to read not... Read More
13 Lessons in Marketing, Super Bowl Style
Each year, the Super Bowl provides marketers opportunity to study and learn from the games' advertisers, players, and coordinators. Super Bowl XXXVI (February, 2002) was no exception.... Read More
Open Doors by Building Relationships
"You can make more friends in two months by becoming interested in other people than you can in two years by trying to get others interested in... Read More
The Secret to Adding Credibility to Your Business ? Testimonials!
You may not realize it, but you already have a gold mine of endorsements waiting to be created. Everyone who is serious about building a business and... Read More
Target Your Market
Your market is not everybody, as so many small businesses assume. It is the people/organizations who need, want, have the money--and the willingness--to pay for what you... Read More
Create a Blueprint for Your Success
Having a strong foundation enables you to build a thriving, profitable life and business. A simple method to create this foundation is with Discovery, Vision, Planning and... Read More
Corporate Branding and Trade Shows - 8 Tips for Marketing Managers
Trade shows are part of the marketing mix and the appearance by your firm should be a continuum of your entire marketing including advertising, public relations and... Read More
A Successful Solution: 10 Things to Consider
A provocation for the coming year, decade, century or millennium.By now, you've set a working direction for the year, established clear-cut objectives. Your first-iteration plan to reach... Read More
Creating Your Future with a Marketing Plan
Almost everyone who dreams of starting their own business is familiar with the fact that they should create a business plan. However, often that's where many people... Read More
Reach Thousands of Your Prospects, Absolutely Free
I'm big on getting maximum marketing exposure at the lowest cost possible. After all, most small business owners don't have huge marketing budgets, so finding inexpensive ways... Read More
Stretch Your Marketing Reach
One of the most cost effective marketing strategies you can utilize is an online newsletter, also referred to as an E-Zine.You can provide valuable content to your... Read More
How Much Is Your Popcorn Worth? Powerful Lessons In Marketing & The Psychology Of Selling - Part 1
In the following 'special report,' I will reveal some very powerful marketing strategies and psychological motivators that can easily help you make more profits from your business,... Read More
Motivating Shoppers with Online Coupons (Part 2 of 2)
Last time we discussed how online coupons and promotion codes can motivate buyers. We discussed examples of coupons and some of the aspects of these offers that... Read More
Top 5 Tips For Media Selection
Marketers have a wide variety of media at their disposal. Most of us think first of the advertising troika of newspapers, magazines and TV. But there are... Read More
Business Marketing Strategy
The term business marketing strategy might sound like it is esoteric or stratospheric, so let's take the mystery out of it so you can devise and implement... Read More
Marketing On The Cheap: Become a Joiner
Recently I wrote an article on the benefits of joining your local Chamber of Commerce as a way of getting exposure for your business. See "Marketing on... Read More
3 Simple Selling Tactics
The following 3 simple selling tactics produce sales by responding to the way customers normally think and behave. They work for any business - regardless of what... Read More
Stretching Your Marketing Dollars--7 Cheap and Easy Ways to Market on a Budget
Just because you have to stretch your marketing dollars doesn't mean their effectiveness will decrease. The easiest marketing solution is often to simply throw money at a... Read More
Money-Makers Secrets to Renting Profitable Mailing Lists
As an entrepreneur involved in selling and/or promotion ofsomething by Direct Mail, you should already know that mostimportant aspect of your mailing have to do... Read More
Why Cutting Prices Is Like Cutting Your Own Throat
Why cutting your prices is like cutting your own throat. It's the oldest sales tactic in the world? ... Read More
Knock, knock. Whos There? Your Target Market, Are You Listening?
Have you ever had a conversation with a person who wasn't listening to anything you said? This one-way communication experience is a big turn-off and many times... Read More
Motivate Your Market Force
IntroWant me to tell you something on how you can motivate your market force in 2005. I will do so today. Tell you ideas that will power... Read More
Doing it with Class!
Doctors do it, hair dressers do it, and salespeople can do it too.I have been working with a chiropractor for a few months and when it came... Read More
Perceived Value Is In The Eye Of The Beholder
Q: My partner and I are having a hard time coming up with what we feel is the perfect price for our new product. We know what... Read More
How to Magnetize Your Business
Do you ever wonder how some businesses always seem to be doing so much business? And how they seem to do all that business without really trying... Read More
Referrals - How to Get Them
Referrals are an extension of Networking. If people like you and like the sound of your product or service, then there's a good chance they'll tell other... Read More
Attracting Clients With Ease
Whether you are already running your own business, or still thinking about starting your own business, I suspect that deep down you know you have gifts and... Read More
Do You Really Know Your Prospect?
I'd like to introduce you to someone. I don't actually know his name, but I'm hoping you do. I'm hoping you know quite a bit about him.He's... Read More
Increase Repeat Business and Referrals with Direct Mail
So you have been writing mortgages like crazy now for the last few years. You have a pretty big database of customers and hopefully you have been... Read More
Marketing Tips: Free First
When people think about promoting their business, the first thought that comes to mind is, "What is is going to cost?" While marketing and advertising should be... Read More
3 Simple Selling Tactics
The following 3 simple selling tactics produce sales by responding to the way customers normally think and behave. They work for any business - regardless of what... Read More
Everything Youve Ever Learned About Marketing Is Wrong
Everything you've ever learned about marketing and advertising is WRONG. Everything you've ever heard everything you've ever tried, everything you've ever done, it's all WRONG.Hello, my name... Read More
The 10 Cornerstone Principles of Marketing
There are four parts to a marketing system and they rest on ten cornerstones. Marketing results are only as powerful as your marketing systems. To build your... Read More
Write Articles WITHOUT Writing!
Face it, writing any article can be a tedious and time consuming task for a beginner or even an expert writer. Here are four ways to make... Read More
Building Credibility for Your Business
Small companies that rely on business-to-business sales often find it difficult to be seen as credible in the eyes of larger companies. If this is true for... Read More
Marketing: Are You Focused?
In early 1992, President George H.W. Bush was riding high. He was sitting on an almost unprecedented 80% approval rating following the first Gulf War. Conventional wisdom... Read More
5 Great Ways to Reach Your Target Market
There are many ways to reach out and find the people you are trying to attract for your business. Here are just a handful of ways to... Read More
Using Purchased Leads
A little advice about using leads that you purchase from another source;These are not opt-in leads per-say, that you have gathered using lead capture pages.They might join... Read More
What the Heck is a Campaign and Why Do I Need to Do One?
Many people ask me, "What is a postcard campaign, exactly?" "And why do I need one?" As I have been educating my clients one on one for... Read More
Moving a Business Relationship from Free to Fee: Power of Freebies - Part 2
In the last issue we looked at 5 reasons why giving stuff away is a great tactic for filling your pipeline.Now let's take a look at the... Read More
Happy Hunting!
Before you ever get on the telephone, send a marketing piece or set up an appointment with a potential customer, you must first identify whom that customer... Read More
Pay for Performance Pricing Models for Search Engine Optimization
I do think that it is entirely possible for an SEO and client to work out a pay for performance pricing structure that is fair to both.... Read More
When The Stars Align - Choosing the Right Entertainment
Savvy event producers follow the Golden Rule: know thy audience. When they set out to create a special event, the first thing they do is slip into... Read More
Advertising Campaigns That Get Results
"Advertising doesn't work." I hear it from my clients all the time. One client was about to file for bankruptcy because she wasn't getting a good response... Read More
20 Tricks to Help Get That Envelope Opened
When your envelopes aren't opened, you can't make money! Beforeyou can get an order, the recipient of your mailing package mustfirst open the envelope. Unfortunately, many recipients... Read More
Unleash the Power of Post Cards
Direct mail marketing is essential for a business to survive.Choosing the correct materials can make the difference between success and failure of your marketing campaign.Postcards are visually... Read More
Ten Breakthrough Marketing Ideas
Ten Breakthrough Marketing Ideas1. Create a directory of web sites on a specific topic. Give people the option of adding the directory to their web site by... Read More
Using a Marketing Calendar Template
Owning a small business isn't easy, especially if you are running it alone. Between moving products, taking orders, paying bills, and taking care of family, it is... Read More