Direct Marketing in Today’s Economy
By Frank Irias

Direct marketing is an easy, cost-effective way to increase awareness, generate solid leads and enhance sales. Not only is it a particularly effective tool to use in the type of economy we’re facing right now, it also helps you maintain positive relationships with customers over the long term. When the economy picks up, customers are more likely to turn to you because it’s your name they remembered seeing over time. But before you get started, you’ll need to keep the following principles in mind.

Market only to your target audience. Avoid “blanket” direct marketing campaigns (i.e. a general mass mailing). The most important component of the campaign is the quality of your mailing list. Saying that, a smart campaign is well targeted, focusing on a smaller group of prospects most likely to respond to your offer. That way, you’re likely to get a better return on your investment.

Make it personal. You can address prospects by name and develop different versions using variable data to appeal to your targets specific interests. People are more likely to respond when they feel like you understand them and know what they need. For example, an African-American prospect may respond better over a Hispanic prospect when marketing a particular type of restaurant.

Include an offer. A good direct marketing piece always has a compelling offer. It gives recipients a reason to respond. Offering something for free usually works well. This could be a free brochure, free consultation, free trial or free sample. Whichever you choose, there’s got to be something “in it” for customers to contact you. You also should set a time limit on the offer, which will give people more reason to respond to the mailing sooner.

Think beyond the postcard. Direct marketing is flexible with plenty of print and online format options that will work within your budget. You can develop an email campaign with personalized URLs, send invitations to a seminar, offer free tickets to an event, send a newsletter (print or electronic) including articles and useful tips, and so much more. The goal is to keep communicating to your prospects so they’ll keep you top of mind. A “cold” sales call is not so chilly when they’ve seen your name repeatedly.

Measure your results. One of the great aspects about direct marketing is that’s measurable. With a response mechanism in place, such as a phone number or web address, you can track who contacts you and from where. You’ll have a better idea of how your campaign is doing, giving you a chance to see what worked well and what you may need to change in the future.

Direct marketing is an affordable yet powerful tool that gives you a quick return on your investment, which is particularly helpful given today’s economy. Plus it has the added bonus of helping you in the long-term. While you continue to regularly communicate to your target audience, it’s you - and not your competition - that people will remember when the market improves.

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Frank Irias is the president and co-founder of Daisho Creative Strategies, a Miami-based marketing and design firm. For more than a decade, he has specialized in helping small- and medium-sized businesses mix short- and long-term marketing strategies that yield higher results. Contact Frank at 305-234-5617 or visit [http://daishocreative.com]daishocreative.com for more information.

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