Redhead Marketing

Make Direct Mail a Part of Your 2009 Marketing Plan

So you want to start a direct mail campaign for 2009, but you aren’t sure where to begin or what type of campaign to run? Before you do, you should know your options.

Here are Eleven time-tested direct mail options for you to consider:

Package inserts ~ a package insert can be anything from an informational brochure to a postcard to a little business card size document. The purpose of the insert is to get the recipient to take an action such as go to a website, call the company for more information, send in a warranty card, redeem an incentive such as a coupon and gift certificate.

Co-op Mailings ~ A form of trade sales promotion where a marketer offers non-competing companies the opportunity to share the cost of mailing to a particular database or group of customers and prospects.  

Postcards ~ an economical way to promote a business or particular product or service less expensively than mailing a letter. Postcards can be very effective because there is no envelope to open and the prospect can see the offer at a glance .

Flyers ~An offer detailed on a single sheet of paper.

Card Decks ~  a package of individual cards wrapped together and mailed to prospects. These decks vary in quantity,  and can contain 60 cards or more, each competing for the prospect’s attention.

Sampling Programs ~ A method of encouraging trying products free-of-charge or very inexpensively.

Statement Stuffers ~ Marketing brochure in a customer’s  billing or account statement containing an offer or brief sales message along with a call to action mechanism such as a short-form, postcard or toll-free telephone number. Statement stuffers are an inexpensive way to market additional products and special offers to current customers.

Catalogues ~ A publication, such as a book or pamphlet, containing  a list or display of products, services and offerings to a specific group of prospects and customers.

Door Hangers  ~ door hanger marketing is where you create a small flier (often in mixed in with a few other direct mail pieces that are included in a plastic bag to be hung on the door knobs of prospects. This form of direct mail is often seen in residential areas however has also been effective in large office buildings (provided leaving them is allowed).

Webserts ~ A websert is a text or graphic link that appears after an online purchase is made.  Webserts are more cost-efficient, offer more accurate source tracking, and can be dynamically served more easily.

Classifieds ~   Print advertising that is limited to certain classes of goods and services, and usually limited in size and content.  Classified ads can appear in print media such as newspapers, magazines and catalogs as well as in digital media such as ezines, online magazines and websites.

In my next post I will be sharing 8 tips to run a successful direct mail campaign.

For a complete list of marketing definitions, visit: Speaking With Spirit and download your FREE copy of the Self-Marketing Dictionary TODAY!

1 comment January 8th, 2009

Door to Door Marketing

  or… How to Drum up Business by Knocking on Doors!

I love the idea of Door to Door Marketing and in fact years ago when I first started in business “hired” my kids to do this for me. I also hired teenagers in the summer to put door hangers out there in neighborhoods. It really was a great way for customers to find out about my products and
services.

According to the Associated Press “Others factors besides the do-not-call list have prompted companies to put sales staff back on the street. Unsolicited e-mail annoys most computer users, and improved spam-blockers make the tactic less effective. And it’s hard to persuade customers tovisit a company’s Web site.”

And a spokesperson for the Direct Selling Association said “I think companies are looking for new distribution channels for their products. Door-To-Door selling has traditionally been undervalued by Wall Street, but many realize its strength. It’s a niche market, but $28.7 billion in
sales last year make it nothing to scoff at.”

After a few years of doing the marketing ‘in-house’ I hired a company that sold the space in the form of a flyer insert to local businesses and then would go around and hang these on doors in specified neighborhoods. Prior to every major holiday I would do a door-to-door campaign to raise awareness and more customers. The main reason I stopped is that it got costly and didn’t really have the same return as when we hired “kids” to do the hangings. It may also have had to do with other companies sharing the space. People might look at that as junk mail and yet, when a company does it as a single ad, it looks like it is more effective.

So guess what? I am going to do it again! On my own… with no other companies in the hanger. and I might even knock on a few doors and introduce myself this time.

I am going to create a gift certificate that can be either used toward a purchase or can be redeemed for something of value on the certificate.

So, what kind of Door-to-Door Marketing campaign could you come up with?

Need help marketing your small business? Redhead Marketing Can Help!  Contact heidi (at) redheadmarketingblog.com for a quote.

1 comment August 23rd, 2008