The Secret to Using Direct Mail in Small Business Marketing
By]Dennis Francis

Many small business owners that I work with equate direct mail with large corporate mailing campaigns. When I ask them if they have ever coordinated a direct mail campaign the answer is usually no. They usually tell me that it’s too expensive and time consuming to try to sell their products or service using direct mail.

I’ve found that the best way to use direct mail is to create an offer that your specific target market will find irresistible. This should be a free offer that requires the reader to take an action to receive his or her gift. Preferably, the prospect should go to the web page indicated on the mailer which requires them to fill in their email contact information in order to benefit from the mailing.

You have now created a leads generating machine. If you can do the research necessary to find your target audience, you will be able profit from your mailing campaign. Here are 10 essential tips for conducting a leads generating direct mail campaign.

1.Start small; test your market with a relatively small sampling of your mailing list. If you have 10,000 names and addresses, start with a 1,000. Test your ad copy, test your offer; be sure of the results before committing to a full blown campaign.

2. Don’t get greedy, know your averages; stick to your averages and make an initial free offer. Your prospects don’t know you from a hole in the wall. You job is to sort through the list of un-proven addresses and qualify the mailing list. That means those who immediately value the offer will stop to take action. Those people have been qualified. The mailing campaign should continue to qualify your list.

3. Once is not enough. If you have experience dating, you know that most people take a few dates to decide if they really like a person enough to commit to “going out”. Most people don’t get married after the first date. Remember that the idea building a relationship with your prospects will pay off very well in the long run if you take the time to pursue them properly. You will need to follow up with your list a few times to let them know that you are serious.

4. Separate your new subscribers; the ones who took advantage of your free offer from the rest of your mailing list. Don’t send them the same mailing with the same free offer again. They now go on your warm prospects list. These folks are ready to see an offer for your retail products or services.

5. Once you have someone on your email list, send them a series of emails. Give valuable information on their topic of interest. Your communication should be brief and lead to a link where they can read more or view more material. If you pitch a promotion to them, follow up if you don’t make the close.

6. Vary your direct mail source. If you are sending letters, send a postcard next. You will want to test postcards the same way you tested letters. People will be trained to identify your mail piece after a while.

7. Always match the look and feel of your direct mail piece to the intended market. Design the mailer in a professional regardless of the style. Be sure to consistently deliver a professional project. If you seriously consider the market you are shooting for, you’ll get the required results.

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