Direct mail a tangible, effective sales method
By Rhonda Abrams
You and your plumber both lost out because he failed to keep in touch with you. If the plumber had a direct mail program, sending printed mailings to you throughout the year, you'd remember his name when you need him. And his business would grow.
Most small businesses feel direct mail is out of their price range. There's the cost of printing, design and postage. You may have instead decided to contact potential customers through e-mail, figuring that's a lot cheaper.
Well, it's time to think about direct mail.
Direct mail — a physical piece of paper — leaves a stronger, more lasting impression than e-mail. Many people actually read and keep printed advertising they receive. With e-mail, you're competing against many other advertisers — and spammers — and it's likely your message may not get through e-mail filters.
With a little planning, you can develop a cost-effective, successful direct mail campaign. Here are some keys to direct mail success:
You can buy names from companies specializing in selling prospect lists. You also can purchase lists of subscribers to certain magazines serving your target market. When buying lists, make certain the characteristics of the people on the list match the attributes of your potential customers in terms of demographics, geography, income and interests.
Common wisdom is that direct mail response rates are very small — 1 percent or 2 percent. But a carefully executed direct mail campaign can achieve higher returns. Consider the lifetime value of each new customer you attract — or referral you get — as a result of your direct mail. If you consider what a customer spends with you over many years, you may find direct mail is a bargain.
Rhonda Abrams is the author of "Six-Week Start-Up" and "What Business Should I Start?" You can register for her free newsletter at www.PlanningShop.com.
Your kitchen pipes burst, and you need help fast. You used a great plumber two years ago, but you threw away his card when your 3-year-old poured strawberry jam in your kitchen drawer. Looking in the phone directory, no names seem familiar so you end up calling a stranger.
