Five Ways to Spruce Up Your Direct Mail Materials

Free Consultation! (With $25.00 Down Payment)

BIG CLOSEOUT SALE THIS TUESDAY!

Dear Mr. Smith: Are You Paying Too Much For Your Mortgage?

How many times have you received a piece of direct mail worded like the ones above? Furthermore, how many times have you thrown away a piece of direct mail like this?

Direct mail (often called “junk mail”) infiltrates our mailboxes on a daily basis. When done wrong, direct mail is nothing more than an eco-disaster (i.e. a massive waste of paper and trees). When done correctly, however, direct mail can positively affect your profits in ways you have never dreamed of. Here are five ways to spruce up your direct mail materials:

• Color, Color, Color! – A lot of direct mail materials are in boring black and white – often just simple letters written on a plain sheet of 8×11″ paper. Want to spruce up your direct mail materials? Use color – not just color, but high-gloss and vibrant color. Colorful materials that are printed professionally are far more valued than boring old black and while letters.
• Magnets and Specialty Items – Including magnets and specialty items with your direct mail materials can do wonders for your profits. People love these little “gifts.”
• Include Local References – If possible, include local expressions and references. Creating geographic-specific direct mail materials can be highly beneficial, as this works to personalize your brand to the consumer.
• Include Sports Schedules – Include a professionally printed sporting schedule (i.e. the times and locations of a local sporting team’s games) with your logo on it. Sports fans hang onto these; in turn, they hang onto your logo and image.
• Professional Copy – Use professionally written copy (as in, text) for your direct mail materials. Grammatical errors and poorly written paragraphs make your brand look unreliable and inferior. When your text appears professional, your business appears all the more professional.

Direct mail can be a tricky game; after all, it is quite easy to fall into the “junk mail” trap. Quality, well-written, and colorful materials are the key in making sure that your direct mail is thoroughly read.

How to Personalize a Direct Mail Letter – To Someone You Have Never Met

Plenty of businesses rely on direct mail as a form of effective marketing. Although many may consider this strategy to be “junk mail,” it can actually be quite profitable: After all, when was the last time you threw away a buy-one-get-one voucher for your favorite local eatery?

However, if you run a business that is more service-oriented than goods-oriented, coupons may not be an option.  Those who provide services like legal aid or home repair should shy away from “Free Consultation” or “Free Estimate” vouchers. Customers are inundated with them to the point that they have become pretty much irrelevant.

These professionals need an excellently written letter to render their direct mail effective. Here are some tips on how to write a personalized letter to a person whom you have never met:

• Speak Like a Human – This may sound silly: you are a human, aren’t you? Truth be told, many marketing letters sound more like they were written by a computer than a real live human being. Personalized and sincere language goes a long way when it comes to direct mail letters.
• Consider Hiring a Writer – Consider hiring a writer for your direct mail letters, preferably someone who has experience writing for businesses like yours. People with experience in technical and copywriting have a full understanding of consumer psychology when it comes to penning letters that actually work. The point here is not simply to make your business better known – rather, the point is to successfully garner sales.
• Include a Magnet or Small Calendar – Including merchandise like a magnet or small calendar with your company’s logo and information on it can work wonders. These desktop tools are items that potential customers actually use for a year or more. Think of it this way: when your direct mail reaches a customer, they may not be in a position to purchase your product. However, in a month or so when they need your product, they will be quite inclined to select your company, since they have been staring at your logo for the past few weeks!

Direct mail marketing works – as long as you know how to tap into the personalized psychology of your target clients.

Lies vs. Euphemisms: Where to Draw the Line

In marketing, there is often a fine line between euphemisms and lies. It can be quite tempting to embellish when crafting your promotional materials, especially when the competition may seem to have an edge.

However, blatantly lying on your marketing materials can have strong consequences. Not only can it result in a backlash against your brand, but it also can actually have legal ramifications. To avoid accidentally lying on your promotional materials, here are some tips and techniques to keep in mind:

• The Truth, Only Prettier – Do as your mother said and always tell the truth. However, there is a huge difference between telling a blatant lie and telling a “pretty truth.” For example, if you own a paint shop and are advertising a special on discounted expired cans of paint, it would be a bad idea to promote the product as new or fresh. However, if you believe that the expired paint is still to completely useable, you can emphasize that fact in your promotional materials. That would be a “pretty truth.”
• Don’t Fake Customer Testimonials – If you are planning on running testimonials to promote your business, that’s fine. However, insincere customer testimonials performed by actors are usually regarded as false advertising. Err on the side of caution and pursue your customers for genuine testimonials. Many will love their fifteen minutes of fame.
• Consider Legalities – Remember that false advertising is a huge deal. People have and still do sue businesses that advertise falsely, and it can also get you into hot water with the Better Business Bureau. You should be extremely cautious of any statement that could be considered untrue. When in doubt, always omit any phrase or sentence that you think could later lead to trouble.

We know that marketing can be an extremely competitive sport. However, with the right materials and well-crafted ad copy, you are sure to stand out from the crowd. Just remember: Never ever fabricate any information about your business. The results are too dangerous to ever make it worthwhile.

Word of Mouth Advertising: Five Free Ways to Market Your Business

In these shaky economic times, even Fortune 500 companies are rethinking their billboard advertisements. Instead of investing into expensive advertising campaigns, businesses can take advantage of free marketing ideas. All you need are a stack of flyers or business cards – and the following ideas!

Don’t believe us? Here are five ways to promote your business without having to pay a penny!

• Voicemail Messages: No one likes a telemarketer calling during dinner. However, people do like when a company with whom they have done business in the past calls to ensure the customer is happy. Leaving voicemail messages for past customers is a great way to retain repeat customers. Here is a tip that may seem counterintuitive, but really works: call during the day when people are at work, not after five PM when they are trying to relax. Let them listen to your message on their terms.
• Children’s Events: Consider sending one of your employees to the next children’s festival or fair, dressed up in a fun costume that has your company’s logo printed on it. Parents are happy when their kids are happy, and thus they will associate your business with a sense of contentment. You can give away lollipops with your business card attached. Parents will keep the business card, while children enjoy the treat.
• Word of Mouth: It may sound too simple, but promoting your business whenever you meet a new person is a great way to generate viral advertising. You will be surprised at the effectiveness of a pleasant conversation. Make sure you always have business cards on hand to give to a new acquaintance. You can also initiate word of mouth advertising through your customers; each time they refer a new client to you, your business can reward the existing customer with a discount or a gift.
• Open Houses: Invite your customers to bring friends to your place of business for a free seminar and maybe a few refreshments. A free open house can be quite useful in attracting both new and old customers to your company. Keep plenty of literature, brochures, and business cards handy. Display these prominently throughout your open house to encourage visitors to take home the materials with them.
• E-Mail Signatures: Never send an e-mail that doesn’t have your company’s name posted within the signature. Every message you send is an opportunity to spread the word about your fantastic business, so use this to your advantage.

As you can see, you don’t have to break the bank to spread the word about your company. Using even one of these great tips will have a definite positive effect.

Last Ditch Marketing Efforts to Avoid

In today’s economy, you have seen many local business ads promoting their “Going Out of Business Blowout” or “Store Closing Mega-Sale.” You may have given these ads little thought beyond briefly pitying the unfortunate owner of the closing company.

However, here is a little secret that may shock you: some businesses promote their “Going Out of Business” sale before they have officially decided to go out of business! Believe it or not, many store owners are actually using these sales as last ditch efforts to see if they can still save a failing company. If their “Going Out of Business” sale is successful, they will simply remain in business and play off the extravaganza as a happy accident.

While this tactic may work occasionally, it does not bode well for your branding efforts. Furthermore, you are sure to alienate your loyal customer base. But just for fun, let us look at some of the other tacky tactics of shameless entrepreneurs.

• Stock Market Pricing – This is a trick that is more common in small bars and cafes. The latest trend in lounges and taverns is “Stock Market Pricing.” Since the prices of drinks in bars tend to be more ambiguous and arbitrary than in a shop that sells tangible goods, many bar owners are actually raising or lowering drink prices on a day to day basis based on the patterns of the stock market. However, while Stock Market Pricing may seem somewhat logical and relatively tame, here is why it does not work: while this price system may build the business a fan base one week, it may chase them away the next.
• Guilt-Inducted Advertising – Unless your small business is a funeral home, there should only be happy feelings associated with your business. Therefore, it is hard to believe that many small business owners are using guilt tactics to draw in customers. Guilt tactics are any marketing slogans or themes that rely on guilt or other negative emotions to bring in customers. For example, if a pet store promoted a sale on puppies by using language such as, “In this economy, a new pet is the least you can do for your child,” this would be a marketing strategy that relied mostly on guilt and negativity. This does not work for obvious reasons: it’s cheap, tacky, and transparent.

To avoid being like one of these awful failing businesses, follow one key rule of thumb above all else: promote your company, but be honest and frank. Your forthcoming, cheerful, and positive attitude will bring in more business than any unscrupulous strategy.