Direct Mail in the Digital Age

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Lin Grensing-Pophal. Direct Mail in the Digital Age

DIRECT MAIL IN THE DIGITAL AGE

Introduction

1. Beginnings and Benefits

1. Direct Marketing Techniques

1.1 Telephone

1.2 Television

1.3 Print advertisements

1.4 Direct mail

1.5 Digital direct mail

1.6 Billboards

2. Digital versus Traditional Direct Mail

3. The State of the Direct Mail Industry

2. Identifying Your Overall Goals and Objectives

1. Will Direct Mail Work for You?

1.1 Can you reach your market effectively through direct mail?

1.2 Does your product have broad appeal?

1.3 Does your product stand out from the crowd?

1.4 Can you describe or illustrate your product effectively through direct mail?

1.5 Can you make a profit?

2. Goals

Table 1: Goal Statements from Direct Mail Campaigns

3. Objectives

3.1 Objectives must be specific

3.2 Objectives must be measurable

3.3 Objectives must be attainable

3.4 Objectives must be realistic/relevant

3.5 Objectives must be time bound

3.6 Evaluating your objectives

4. The Importance of Objectives

3. Targeting Your Market

1. Identify Your Target Audience

1.1 Identify your target market’s buying habits

2. Segmenting, Targeting, and Positioning

2.1 Segmentation

2.2 Targeting

2.3 Positioning

3. Your USP — Unique Selling Proposition

4. Is Your Target Market Online?

5. Structuring Your Offer to Get Results

4. List

1. Compiling Lists — Your Prospect and Customer Database

1.1 Database marketing and Customer Relationship Management (CRM)

1.2 Deciding what data to keep

1.3 Using databases for mailing maximization

1.4 Internal versus external — factors to consider

1.5 Pitfalls to avoid

2. Renting and Purchasing Lists

2.1 Find a list broker

2.2 Types of lists

3. Email List Rules

Table 2: Email List Vendors

3.1 Co-registration

4. Finding the Right Lists for Your Business

4.1 Being an informed list renter

4.2 Cost considerations

4.3 Placing your order

5. Copy and Design

1. Developing Key Messages

1.1 Attention

1.2 Interest

1.3 Desire

1.4 Action

2. Tips for Writing Great Copy

2.1 Compose a benefit-oriented headline

2.2 Write with design in mind

2.3 Read it out loud

2.4 When to include PS

2.5 Simplify your wording

2.6 Learn from the competition

2.7 Back up any claims you make

2.8 Use testimonials

2.9 Make a reference to your website

2.10 Know when it’s time to hire an expert

2.11 Quick tips for better results

3. Writing for the Web

3.1 Search engine optimization (SEO)

3.2 Spam

4. Templates and Tools

5. Using Outside Resources

6. Creating the Order Form

1. Make Your Order Form Logical and Orderly

2. Give the Customers All the Information They Need

3. Offer Multiple Order Options

4. Additional Order Form Tips

5. Online Ordering

5.1 Analyzing traffic patterns

5.2 Abandoned shopping carts

5.3 Remarketing

7. Hiring Help

1. Where to Find Advertising Help

2. Working with Interns

3. Working with Independent Contractors

4. Working with Agencies

5. Finding Help Online

6. Communicating with Freelancers and Agencies

6.1 Before you begin a project

6.2 Know what you want

6.3 Have a budget in mind

6.4 Put it in writing

6.5 Keep in touch

8. Format Options and Opportunities

1. Traditional Direct Mail Packages

2. Letter Mailings

2.1 Identify your audience

2.2 Define your offer

2.3 Outline your letter

2.4 Compose a benefit-oriented headline

2.5 Get to the point

2.6 Convey a clear selling message

2.7 Write with design in mind

2.8 Personalization

3. Catalogs and Brochures

4. Postcards

5. Product Samples

6. Dimensional Mailings

7. DVD and CD Mailings

8. Email Marketing

9. Choosing a Format

10. Combining Options in a Direct Mail Campaign

10.1 Leveraging traditional direct mail and online options

10.2 Quick-response codes

11. Printing Considerations

9. Postal Procedures and Regulations

1. Efficiencies through Direct Mail

2. Business Tools

3. What’s on the Horizon for USPS and Canada Post?

10. How to Test and Evaluate Results

1. What Is a Good Response Rate?

2. Measuring Response

2.1 Measuring traditional direct mail response

2.2 Tracking online response

11. Social Media Marketing

1. What Social Media Can Do for You

2. Finding Your Focus

3. The Top Social Media Outlets

3.1 Facebook

3.2 LinkedIn

3.3 Twitter

4. Prioritizing Your Time and Efforts

4.1 Pick the tools that are right for you and your audience

4.2 Consider maintaining multiple sites

4.3 Connect with those you can learn from

4.4 Maintain a clear focus

4.5 Incorporate your social media with your website

4.6 Keep your branding consistent

4.7 Use analytics to track effectiveness

4.8 Cross-pollinate

4.9 Repurpose content to maximize the use of your time

4.10 Get involved

4.11 Streamline your social media activities

4.12 Social media may not be right for your business

12. The Future of Direct Mail Marketing

1. An Evolution of Consumer Interaction

2. What the Experts Have to Say

Resources

Magazines (and Their Associated Online Sites)

Blogs and Websites

About the Author

Notice to Readers

Self-Counsel Press thanks you for purchasing this ebook

Contents

Отрывок из книги

Back in 1923, Claude C. Hopkins, widely recognized as a great advertising pioneer, wrote in Scientific Advertising: “The severest test of an advertising man is in selling goods by mail. But that is a school from which he must graduate before he can hope for success. There cost and results are immediately apparent. False theories melt away like snowflakes in the sun. The advertising is profitable or it is not, clearly on the face of returns.”

In 1991, I wrote: “Direct mail was the shining star of advertising in the 1980s and promises to continue to be so in the 1990s. It’s the fastest growing form of advertising because it’s measurable, relatively easy to produce, and cost effective.” Fast forward about 20 years and I could probably say exactly the same thing about e-marketing. How the world has changed!

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• 89 percent said they would spend more time, or the same amount of time, with a direct mail piece if it included a DVD or CD

Despite the fact that marketers could deliver the exact same experience online through a click of the mouse, there’s just something about a tangible package that has yet to be replaced in the digital environment.

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