If your company doesn't have a direct marketing program in place, a direct marketing agency can create one for you. A direct marketing company provides small to very large customizable ranges of business-to-business and business-to-consumer direct marketing options sure to fit your needs. From database creation and maintenance to data analysis and creative program execution, a direct marketing company can take any existing direct marketing program, or a lack of one, and develop a highly efficient direct sales machine for your company.
A good direct marketing company employs experts in each aspect of direct marketing who have proven time and time again they have what it takes to create a successful direct mail campaign and turn your existing unorganized data into a powerful computer-readable customer database.
The goal of any successful direct marketing program is ultimately a positive effect on your bottom line. Good direct marketing programs are proven performers that will give you an edge over your competition. The direct marketing expertise and capabilities that a good direct marketing company offers will turn your direct marketing expenditures into successful investments.
Look for a company that has years of target market research experience ready to work for you. They will uncover who your best customers are and develop a direct marketing campaign that will get them to respond.
They should know how to impact behavior, get results and form the basis for long-term relationships with your customers and prospects.
Direct marketing abilities should include: - Direct response advertising - Customer relation's management - Data management services and data analysis - Media planning, media buying and complete direct marketing campaign management
Seven HUGE Tips to Direct Marketing that gets results
Successful direct marketing takes planning and strategic thought?
1. Know your goal: What do you want your direct marketing to accomplish? What kind of impression do you wish to leave? Do you wish to inform your prospects about your product or just make them aware? Recently, Brand Identity Guru was asked by a client to expand its direct marketing efforts, so we created a direct marketing piece to showcase our client's most attractive points. That direct marketing piece now accounts for 30 percent of the client's new business.
2. Research: Don't just have a list. Learn something about your customers so you can speak to them better. Discover their hot buttons, so you can push them.
3. Plan properly: The best direct marketing campaigns work along with PR, traditional advertising, brand strategy and efforts by your sales force. Ultimately, each piece is part of a larger total company campaign and should work together.
4. Be relevant: Direct marketing efforts should offer something your clients might want to buy.
5. Be conscious of details: Find the name of your primary contacts, and make sure you spell them right in the items you send to them. Even the best direct marketing piece is useless in the trash.
6. Be consistent: Use a series of pieces that speak to your customer's needs. Don't know what they are? Ask. Usually, December is not a good time because mailboxes are already overcrowded. Brand Identity Guru suggests waiting until February or another month.
7. Follow up: If you don't follow up, the results of your direct marketing efforts could crash to a halt. Initiate a conversation with people on your list. A phone call a week or two after your mailing is a great idea.
Direct marketing is a powerful tool to capture your prospects' attention and orders. If your direct marketing includes an attractive offer, imagine what the results will be. Throw in a brand-centric foundation and you have a direct marketing effort even more powerful than the sum of its parts.
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.
Mortgage marketing to Realtors involves having a crystal clear position... Read More
Is your mind muddy on marketing? Do you wake up... Read More
People are known to shop on impulse- buying an item... Read More
So many of you have been telling us that you're... Read More
How do you make the intangible real? How do you... Read More
As I was preparing for a presentation recently, I was... Read More
Think you can't afford to hire a copywriter? Think again.... Read More
My mother used to tell me, tongue in cheek, that... Read More
I met a lady who said she received a notice... Read More
Direct marketing is advertising from a manufacturer or front-end supplier... Read More
If you want to substantially increase your tourism prospects and... Read More
Email CampaignsEmail marketing can be a tremendously valuable tool for... Read More
You probably know that February 2nd is Groundhog Day. But... Read More
The goal of successful marketing is to create long lasting... Read More
No claim is made that the steps outlined would be... Read More
Once you have the attention of a business prospect, at... Read More
Revolutionary ideas have always been the mark of mankind. It's... Read More
Breaking into the international marketplace can catapult a company into... Read More
BREAK FROM HO-HUM MARKETING ? IT'S TOO BORING! Once you... Read More
In a crowded marketplace of ideas, it is important for... Read More
Same old same old just doesn't sell anymore. To... Read More
Today's constant bombardment of marketing messages means your materials must... Read More
In a previous installment, we spoke about how to come... Read More
Before you can market, you need to know who you... Read More
Do you cringe at the thought of trying to promote... Read More
Creating Your Unique Selling Proposition"Don't tell them what you do.... Read More
Let's be honest, when you're writing sales material for a... Read More
How do you personally define success? High income? Substantial net... Read More
The right direct mailing list targets people who want your... Read More
Postcards are an effective way for many business owners and... Read More
Gain the exposure you need to succeed with these ten... Read More
Behavioral economics is a new science that sheds light on... Read More
Sales are down, and I need more customers now! Sound... Read More
If you have your own small business, it's important to... Read More
More and more people are realizing that the Internet offers... Read More
What does an old Russian joke have... Read More
Many a home business owner has spent sleepless nights thinking... Read More
And not only your logo, but also your website, your... Read More
Turn a coupon into a business card (or vice versa).Coupons... Read More
Trade show rentals allow you more flexibility and the opportunity... Read More
Listing names of Big Mail Requestors, and sending out packages... Read More
You are an expert. You have lots of content -... Read More
"Price gouging" is an emotional, inflammatory term. Everyone is against... Read More
What's your USP? Don't know, or worse still, you've never... Read More
1. Business CardsIt is very important to market yourself via... Read More
This is a pretty tough global economy and it is... Read More
Marketing is actually very simple. It involves telling people what... Read More
Every now and then I will meet someone who has... Read More
"What do you do?""I'm a CPA. What do you do?""I'm... Read More
Direct marketing is advertising from a manufacturer or front-end supplier... Read More
Say it with a post card. A well designed, colorful,... Read More
Direct Mail . . . Newspaper . . . Radio... Read More
Timing is everything. Hate to be late? The early bird... Read More
Having people go to your website is not always easy:... Read More
Loyalty marketing has been around for as long as retailing... Read More
Here are three alternatives to increase your testimonial numbers or... Read More
It takes money to make money is an adage we... Read More
Marketing to women entrepreneurs is not difficult. You just have... Read More
If you run a small business you should be a... Read More
Every professional or consultant knows that clients typically hire people... Read More
When marketing themselves to leads and prospects there are five... Read More
I am doing what you do, sitting at my computer,... Read More
The customer is king/queen. We have all heard this mantra.... Read More
The highly entertaining Donald Trump's search for an apprentice turned... Read More
If you really want to pull more profits from your... Read More
How Toyota Captured the #1 Market Share . . .... Read More
Marketing |