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Bringing In More Customers Using Direct Mail!
By Ken Varga | October 24, 2008
If you are currently advertising using TV, Radio or an ad in the newspaper, you can bring in more customers by also using direct mail.
Direct mail puts your message right in front of your prospect in their own home or business. If you send the right mailing to the right list at the right time, your direct mail is cost-efficient and an easy way to get customer attention and sales.
Here are a few ways that I’ve used direct mail in a few of my businesses.
As a reminder: Car dealers and other businesses who rely on residual income a number of times during the year, use this tool very well.
In this fast paced world that we live in, it is hard enough to remember birthdays, let alone when our last doctor visit was. That is where your direct mail piece comes in.
A reminder could be anything from a postcard reminding your customer when they are due for an oil change, or a suggestion to repeat the purchase of a birthday cake.
As long as the service or product is something that needs to be repeated or gets used up, this method will work for your business. Your customer will appreciate this service and will be happy that you provided them with such individual attention.
As a promotion. I don’t think there is a customer who doesn’t like to save money. This is a great method to grab attention and offer an opportunity to save money.
Sending a postcard with a chance to win a new product or offering $20 off a purchase of $60 or more, will inform new and existing customers about what you have to offer and induce them to visit your place of business again.
Make sure you set an expiration date and make it prominent on the mailing so that your customer will rush to save money NOW, before the promotion is over. You can simply say that those taking advantage of this offer within the next 5 days, before (date) will receive (such and such).
To notify your customers of New Products or Services. It is always an exciting time for any business when they decide to offer a new service or handle a new product. This is a great time to share this excitement with your customers. For example, if you sell software, you can say that you developed an update that will enhance their ability to (whatever) by 45%, therefore saving (Xdollars). The more specific you are, the more you will educate and motivate your customer to take advantage of the offer. Whatever business or service you are in, you can utilize this method to increase sales. Your customers will appreciate your honesty. And don’t forget the human nature side of this method…people like to be kept informed.
The best way to keep your customers informed is by sending them a newsletter. In your newsletter, you may want to include articles that relate to your business, special offers, or even stories about your staff.
When customers and prospects see your newsletter on a regular basis, they will start to remember you and your company as an authority and a reliable source for the products and services you sell. There are several newsletter software programs that you can choose from to format a newsletter. There are even online programs you can use at very inexpensive prices. We use a service called Constant Contact.
Here is a very important point. As you utilize direct mail in your business, be very careful not to bombard the customers with mail. A barrage of mail may invoke an unfavorable response whenever your company is mentioned.
If you have successfully used direct mail in other ways, let us hear what you’ve done. Leave a comment in the Comment section of this blog article.
Topics: Attract More Clients, Grow Sales, customer acquisition | No Comments »