Direct mail is almost deemed old fashioned now a days with the huge move away from offline marketing towards online marketing but direct mail still is a very important marketing tool when used correctly. You probably do not realise how much direct mail you receive through the post yourself.
Think of the big supermarkets that send you a leaflet every week with the latest bargains in store or the utility provider that sends you a direct mail every month wanting you to sign up with them because this month they have a fantastic deal.
If many of the UK’s biggest companies are still using direct mail as part of their direct marketing then it must be an effective marketing tool. They are using targeted database marketing campaigns as an effective method of capturing customers. So direct mail should be considered when planning any marketing campaign.
When using direct mail as part of your direct marketing or database marketing campaign you can get a clear message across to your potential customers and you can add more detail into the message. You can spend time thinking about the layout and the presentation of the direct mail and obviously there are fewer restrictions with the amount of information you can add.
Direct mail has a longer shelf life than say a commercial on a radio, as a leaflet can be put to one side and read later when time allows. A commercial is a 30 second data surge and once its over you have nothing to reference back to for further information unless you managed to catch the telephone number they through in at the end.
More importantly, using direct mail for your direct marketing campaigns is cheaper than most other advertising channels. You can normally get a discount rate for bulk purchases from the post office so remember the more you send the cheaper it will be. You will need to get your flyers designed and printed up but remember this is a lot cheaper than producing any kind of TV or Radio advertisement
Once you have sent out your direct mail make sure you exhaust all your opportunities by making follow up calls to the contacts that you sent your direct mail to. Ask them if they received the direct mail, are they interested? Do they need any further help or assistance with your product or service? You will vastly increase the conversion rate of your campaign if you pro-activity contact these contacts after you have sent out your direct mail.
So, the reasons to still use direct mail… well, a) it is a proven, tried and tested method. b) You can deliver more information and the contact has a physical reference. And c) it is cheaper than most other methods but remember to follow up your contacts for maximum opportunities. This may seem like general information but it is important to consider all your options when planning your direct marketing or database marketing campaigns. It is only when you have all the information that you can really decide on your best course of action.
Phil Smith is the managing director of <a href="http://www.prospectlist.com">Prospect List</a>, one of only a few UK companies to provide B2B marketing data instantly online at the most competitive prices. <br/><br/>As well as being involved with other start-up businesses, Phil also has over 20 years experiance with Pricewaterhousecoopers.<br/><br/>Prospectlist is a provider of business mailing and telemarketing lists for direct mail campaigns and other database marketing services.
