Four Productive Direct Mail Marketing Campaigns
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Consistency is key to the positive results direct mail marketing provides.
You know you need to stay in touch with your customers and prospects
but may run out of ideas of content or theme. Generate a campaign that
will create consistency, with flair, so your customers and prospects will
pay attention month after month.

With direct-mail marketing persistence is a virtue. Your mail piece may
find that one prospect that is 'ready to buy what you're offering right
now', but in most cases the recipients of your direct mail marketing
piece are those that are categorized as the 'buying in the future'
or 'thinking about it' categories. Your persistence will pay off when
prospects in those categories move to the 'ready to purchase' category.
There are four types of direct mail marketing campaigns discussed
in this article.

1. Tip-of-the-Month Series

A monthly mailing is the easiest way to achieve consistency. The content for those mailings should be something that you know a lot about. Your tips need to be related to what your product/service is. Think about what your customer would use or need either right before or after they buy your product. What issues are your prospects facing and think of several solutions (not just buying your product/service). If you're a Real Estate Agent, for example, one issue your prospect may face is a growing family and the house is too small. Your solutions would be tips about how to put on an addition, remodel, or find a larger house.

Keep your tips relevant to what your product/service is and it will provide two benefits for you. First, you will be seen as an expert in your field. Secondly, you become a pre-qualified vendor in the prospects mind and they will be more inclined to work with you when they are ready to purchase what you're offering.

2. Recognition Campaign

This campaign identifies and rewards your existing customers by saying 'thank you'. It is suggested that you tone down the marketing when using this approach. When you're sending a 'thank you' leave the sales pitch off completely. This is very effective for your existing customers to keep you 'top of mind' and refer you to others.

Use this approach to single out your targeted prospects. Start by making them an exclusive offer your general mailings do not. Explain why they are receiving mailings from you and what to expect to receive each month. Keep the sales pitch in but the personality of your message should over shadow it.

3. Pre- / Post-Sale Campaign

Use this campaign to follow your prospect throughout the entire purchasing cycle resulting in customer follow-up. This will create consistency, repetition and follow-up.

Let's look at a window replacement example:

A company makes a sale to replace several windows and sends postcards to other homes in the area announcing that they will be in the neighborhood. Once the windows are in (make sure your yard sign is in the front yard), the company sends another card to reflect this, and then begins mailing to the area on a regular basis. The company is now developing recognition in the target area. All postcards need a strong call to action providing the recipient a reason to contact them, see the house with new windows, or visit the company's website.

With this campaign you show prospects what you can do and then ask if you can do it for them.

4. Drive To Your Website

Direct-mail postcards will drive prospects to your web page. The postcard informs your prospects about a free gift, great discount offer, or a Special Report on your website to get them there. Once they are on your website you want to keep them there. Ensure you have a content rich website with information that will be valuable to your prospect. With this campaign you draft a plan about when you will update your website and with what type of information. Use the postcards to announce your updates and the value to the prospect to visit again.

These are just a few of the ways you can campaign with direct mail. Experiment to find a campaign that suits your particular situation and your products or services, and then see it through. You may find that a combination of these will produce new leads and generate increased sales.

Direct-mail campaigns put your message and name in front of prospects for several months, or even years. The productive result will be that you are the first person they think of when they are ready to purchase. A direct-mail campaign is a way of saying "remember me.