Mail Archives - TODAY INDIA

Why Your Business Should Invest Into Direct Mail

Like any good entrepreneur, I’m always thinking of ways that I can develop and grow our businesses and brands. One of the best marketing strategies does not occur in the digital world. Each week, one of my companies sends out over 1,000 pieces of direct mail. We have an excellent response rate, even with a younger demographic target audience.

Think about it; people are deluged with emails, social media posts and instant messaging. In the digital world, it’s a novelty to receive a great piece of direct response material in the mail. However, there are a few differences in what we do in our direct mail than what was done in the old school days.

We experiment with all types of colorful pieces.
We rarely send any letter.
The pieces are always vibrant with images and very little copy.

There are a couple of reasons why your business should consider direct response to prospect and grow your business.

Response Rate: Last year, Compu-mail noted, “Direct mail household response rate is 5.1% (compared to.6% email,.6% paid search,.2 online display,.4% social media). This is the highest response rate the DMA has ever reported, since coming out with the Response Rate Report in 2003.
Personalization: When your prospects receive mail (not including bills), particularly those who are of Generation X or older, there is a familiar feeling. The older generations still like to receive something in the mail with their names on it. They can touch the piece, and there’s something novel about it in today’s world.
Generational Myth: Believe it or not, a sizable portion of Millennials also like direct response because it’s something they too can touch and hold. According to a Forbes article, 36 percent of people under the age of 30 like to check their mailboxes, and 95 percent of those between the ages of 18 and 29 have a favorable view of mail, such as personalized cards.
QR Codes and PURLs: Companies have been experimenting with testing QR and PURLs (personal URLs), which redirects a person who receives a piece of mail back into the digital age. Since most people now have a smartphone, these codes can be scanned by the target audience for more information.
Messaging: If you’re doing a particular project or sale, consider using direct mail to bolster the urgency. My team and I have gotten high response rates to direct mail pieces that have had a deadline to partner with our companies. One of the key reasons we have seen this work is because with all of the emails people receive, lots of times they are dismissing this form of communication quickly just to get through their email box.
Multi-channel Marketing: Direct response is an excellent way to support your digital marketing efforts. We know that people have to see your brand and logo multiple times for it to begin to “stick” in their minds. Direct mail helps reinforce your brand’s digital efforts. Prospects not only see you in the digital world but also in the “real world.”
Testing: Direct mail provides your business with an opportunity to test another method for reaching out to your prospects. We’ve tested direct response with high-level prospects in our target audience, and the new accounts we’ve obtained has paid for the mailing expenses
Easy Analytics: Direct mail results are straightforward to understand. You don’t need to have anyone on your team sign-into a digital platform to pull a report for you. Direct response provides you an easy way to see how much you spent against the amount of new business you achieved.
Credibility: Direct mail, because it’s familiar and tactile, gives the recipients an automatic sense of your credibility. We live in a world of “fake news” and raging social media debates about content in the digital space that is authentic and real. Direct response cuts through the noise and instantly gives credibility because of the investment and its familiarity.
Creativity: Direct response is an excellent way to experiment with color, size, shape and different packaging for your pieces. Sophisticated marketers are experimenting with many different types of mailings to stand out from a regular sized and traditional letter and envelope, which encourages people to look at the piece.

The Data & Marketing Association (DMA) has reported that direct mail has declined. However, in a digital world where people are inundated with massive amounts of content, direct mail stands out as a creative way to cut through the noise. At the very least, direct mail is an excellent complement your digital efforts, and at best, it’s a great way to obtain new business.

What Really Sells in Mail Order Magazines

You can only make money with the Mail Order Magazines if you understand exactly WHO reads them. The Mail Order Magazines are trade papers read almost exclusively by Mail Order Dealers or by Opportunity Seekers, who are in reality aspiring Mail Order Dealers. They will only buy merchandise that will help them in the operation of a Mail Order Business.

It is almost always a waste of money to advertise merchandise which is intended for general consumption in the Mail Order Magazines… unless you are offering it on a wholesale or drop-ship basis.

Below is a brief description of 22 products or services that can be sold successfully through the Mail Order Magazines.

1. RUBBER STAMPS – Every Mail Order Dealer purchases at least one name and address rubber stamp. He also purchases “stock stamps” with slogans such as “Big Mails Wanted”, “Commission Circulars Wanted”, “Third Class Mail”, “Your Ad Solicited”, etc. Rubber stamps sell well in the Mail Order magazines because dealers use them in the conduct of their business.

2. MAILING LISTS – Mail Order Dealers constantly buy mailing lists of the ever present Opportunity Seekers, New Mothers, Book Buyers, Gift Buyers, etc. You can sell mailing lists on plain paper or gummed labels. Naturally you can charge more for the lists on gummed labels.

3. BIG MAILS – Anyone who regularly advertises “Big Mails” in the Mail Order magazines will get orders for them. Big Mails consists of envelopes full of Mail Order Magazines, Adsheets and circulars of every imaginable kind. The “Big Mail Order Dealer” earns his profit by selling a variety of sizes of ad space and subscriptions in the publications which he co-publishes. He also makes money from the items offered on the circulars which he includes in his big mails.

4. CIRCULAR MAILING SERVICE – Set up an efficient, and a good dependable mailing service so that dealers can get their circulars into the hands of real Mail Order buyers, advertise it regularly in the Mail Order Magazines. and you will soon have all the circular mailing business you can possibly handle.

5. PRINTING – Every mail order dealer buys printing. He buys envelopes, sales letters, circulars, booklets, catalogs, adsheets, brochures, price lists, letterheads, mail order magazines and a thousand other things. If you do mimeographing, letter press or offset printing, advertise your service in the mail order magazines. It is probably the mail order magazines’ Number One All-Time Profit Maker.

6. INFORMATION FOLIOS – Mail order dealers will always buy information that will help them succeed in the mail order business. Folios that deal with any practical aspect of mail order selling can be sold through the mail order magazines. If you have produced your own folio and are willing to drop-ship orders for other dealers you will definitely make money.

7. DROP-SHIP AND WHOLESALE OFFERS – If you have a large stock of merchandise which is suitable for mail order sales, and are willing to supply it on a drop-ship (single order at wholesale prices) or on a wholesale basis, then you should advertise in the Mail Order Magazines. Dealers are constantly looking for new products to sell by mail. If you plan to sell on a wholesale basis only, you should offer your product in very small wholesale lots, if possible. Most Mail Order Dealers are part-timers and do not have vast sums of money to invest in untested merchandise.

8. SAMPLE COPIES OF MAIL ORDER MAGAZINES – Mail order dealers have a very insatiable appetite for new mail trade magazines, which is why hundreds of them come into existence and then disappear every year. If you publish or co-publish a mail order magazine, advertise sample copies of it in other publications and you will get requests for it.

Regard your sample copy as a “leader item” or as a “good will builder”. It should be your way of getting your other offers into the hands of a very many prospective mail order buyers. You will probably sell some ads, but do not expect to sell too many subscriptions. Except for a few of the leading publications, very few people subscribe to mail order magazines.

9. GUMMED LABELS – Labels of any kind are “naturals” for many of the Mail Order Magazines. (Name and address labels, shipping labels, addressing labels, slogan labels, etc.)

10. NAME LISTING SERVICE – Whether he admits it or not, most every mail order dealer is a “Big Mail Addict”. If you compile mailing lists and work with another dealer who does, dealers will pay to put their names on the lists. You can advertise you name listing service in any mail order magazine and get orders for it.

11. COMMISSION CIRCULARS – There are circular mailers who watch every issue of every mail order magazine, always looking for new sources of commission circulars. There is no better way to advertise commission circulars than by placing ads in the mail order magazines.

12. COPY WRITING SERVICE – If you have a natural flair for writing ads, sales letters and circulars… and if you have a good basic knowledge of mail order selling , you can sell your services through many of the better mail order magazines. There are very few good mail order copy writers at present. Here is a very basic need… can you fill it?

13. AD DESIGN – Another service which is greatly in demand, the commercial artist who can create eye-catching ads and circulars which dealers can use to sell their products. There are only a few dealers who are now offering this service, but there is room for a dozen or so.

14. TYPESETTING – Most mail order printers and magazines now require “camera-ready” copy. This had created a big demand for dealers who offer a quality, reasonably price typesetting service. At present there are dealers who do mail order typesetting that have so much business they don’t even bother to advertise..

Related to typesetting, are the “clip-art” books which are used by dealers who prepare their own “camera-ready” copy… Right now as always, you’ll find clip-art books advertised in mail order publications.

15. PEN PAL, LONELY HEARTS MAGAZINES – For some reason, you will find that the mail order magazines have always been good places to sell these types of publications. It may be because they are the only kinds of magazines, other than the mail order magazines that are co-publishable.

Most mail order magazines will accept ads for legitimate matrimonial and pen pal magazines; however, very few will accept any “adults only” ads. Too many readers object and some mail order dealers are minors.

16. HOBBY MAGAZINES – You can sell almost any kind of hobby publications through the mail order magazines. This is because many dealers handle hobby merchandise and are always looking for new ways to sell it. Many dealers and readers are hobbyists and collectors themselves.

17. FORMULAS – Dealers buy formulas for two reasons. Some dealers reprint the formula and sell it by running ads in national publications. (“Sure way to kill cockroaches”, etc.) Some even manufacture the product itself and sell it by mail.

Closely related to formula selling is recipes selling. If you can create new recipes or have exceptional ones, you advertise and sell recipes over and over again.

18. CATALOGS – If you can produce low cost catalogs which dealers can mail to their customers offering books, novelties, gift items, baby merchandise, printed forms, etc., you would be well advised to offer your services in the mail order magazines.

19. UNPRINTED DEALERS MERCHANDISE – If you can supply merchandise which the dealer can use in his mail order business, at bargain prices, you can sell it profitably in the mail order magazines. Examples: unprinted envelopes, typewriter ribbons, addressing labels, stencils, scratch pads, etc. There are a few successful dealers who even sell large, bulky items like typewriters, mimeograph machines, file cabinets, paper cutters, and printing presses by mail.

20. AD SPACE – Every mail order dealer buys ad space. If you publish or co-publish a mail order magazine, tabloid or adsheet, you can sell ad space by advertising it in other mail order magazines.

21. ADS TO RUN UNDER YOUR OWN NAME – Can you supply ready-made ad copies which other dealers can run under their own names and fill their orders on a drop ship basis? If so, print up your ads and sell them through the mail order magazines. If you can supply “camera ready” ads and circulars, so much the better!

22. MAIL ORDER PLANS – Opportunity seekers are always looking for new mail order plans. If you have some practical legitimate workable plans that others can use to make money by mail, print them up and advertise them in the mail order magazines.

You will find that 99% of all the ads in the mail order magazines fall into one of the categories listed above. If you are selling a product or service that fits into one of these categories, you can safely advertise it in the mail order magazines.

Direct Mail Marketing For CPAs And Accountants

In the accounting industry, direct mail marketing can be very cost effective. CPAs and Accountants are fortunate to be in an industry where they are able to purchase a database, which provides precise information on potential clients. This makes marketing with direct mail a very cost effective approach to develop new clients.

The first thing a CPA Accountant will need to do is purchase a list of businesses that meet the criteria a CPA Accountant establishes to qualify a client for his or her firm. There are many criteria a CPA Accountant may choose, but the most common are, location, number of employees, sales volume, and industry. Some list companies will even provide limited credit information. It is best to generally select locations closest to your office. Most compiling companies use databases with zip codes to establish locations. Accordingly, the CPA Accountant should start by providing the zip code for his or her office working a radius outward until the desired number of businesses on the list is reached.

Once the criterion is established, the Accountant is now ready to purchase a database. Info USA and Dunn & Brad Street are perhaps two of the largest companies that compile and sell database information for resale. It is recommended the list be purchased from one of these two companies. They are reliable and have been in business a long time. Unfortunately, there are many companies selling list information that are not reliable and that have high error rates. Many other companies are basically just list brokers who purchased a list wholesale from one of those two companies and then resell it to you. It makes sense to always purchase your list from a database compiling company, which has a proven reliable record.

With the list purchased, the Accountant now has a defined target market of potential business that could be good clients for his or her firm. Direct mailing to the defined target is cost effective. The CPA Accountant is not incurring costs of marketing outside of his or her target market. Radio, television, and newspapers all broadcast or publish to the general public. Advertising in these forms of media would subject the CPA Accountant to incurring cost communicating outside of his or her target market. Direct mail focuses the cost of communication to his or her defined target market.

There are three basic rules the CPA Accountant must follow in direct-mail marketing. The first rule is always use professional letterhead and envelopes. Many times Accountants generate “in house” their own business stationary giving it a “home made appearance.” The CPA’s direct mail piece is the first representation of his or her firm’s work that a potential client might experience. The CPA desires his or her marketing piece to be of the highest quality. A professional appearing CPA Accountant direct mail marketing letter to a profession or business will be opened while a low grade appearing letter is often just discarded.

The second rule is never use bulk mail or mailing labels. When unsolicited mail is received, the business owner will look at it and make a decision. Does this look like something he or she should open? The decision is then based on visible attributes of the CPA’s direct marketing envelop labeling. If the labeling of the envelope was with a pre-printed mailing label accompanied with a bulk mail stamp, most likely the letter will never be opened and will be discarded. However, if the Accountant directly labeled the envelope with postage paid via a metered or regular first class stamp, the envelope will appear important influencing the decision to open the letter.

After the business owner decides to open the Accountant’s letter, he or she will always scan the piece to discern quickly if it is of interest. The third rule is to always keep the letter short and to the point. The prospective client will quickly determine if it is interesting and short enough to read while not consuming much time. A common mistake CPA Accountants make is attempting to write long lengthy letters to “sell themselves”. This is a very costly mistake. The objective of the letter is to initiate a positive response. Once a prospective client responds positively, he or she will be provided an opportunity to convey those things in subsequent conversations and meetings enticing him or her to use the CPA Accountant’s services.

In addition to the three basic rules, it is always recommended the CPA Accountant include a business card with the direct mail letter. This will allow the prospective client to locate the CPA Accountant’s contact information and retain it for future reference. It is also recommended that the CPA Accountant refrain from using postcards in direct mail marketing for the accounting industry. They have a commodity appearance diminishing the perception of the quality of the CPA Accountant’s firm. Finally, always use industry-specific direct mail pieces whenever possible.

In summary, direct mail marketing for CPA Accountants can be very cost effective. The use of target markets avoids spending advertising dollars outside of the target audience. It is important to always follow the three basic rules for direct mail marketing for CPAs and Accountants. The costs of violating those rules can be enormous. Marketing for CPA Accountants does not have to be expensive but can be very cost effective if implemented correctly.

20 Ways to Increase Sales With Direct Mail Letters

1. Adapt letter-headed paper

If you’re using company letterhead for direct mail then adapt it to your requirements. The company name and selling benefit should stand out. If you want people to email you, then the email address should stand out. If you want them to phone, then make the phone number prominent. Use the footer as a place to increase sales by drawing attention to a trade association or quality control mark. Make legal information as small as possible.

2. Postal replies

Do you want potential customers to reply by post? Include a pre-paid envelope.

3. Long letters

Don’t be afraid to write long letters (over a page). Nobody will buy something without enough information to make a decision. Keep selling until you have run out of sales points. Every word should be relevant – no rambling.

4. Be friendly

Address your letter to a known person if at all possible because it shows that you care who they are. Second best is to address them by their job or interest, eg. ‘Dear Dog Owner’. The worst salutation is ‘Dear Sir/Madam’.

Sign off in a friendly way. Instead of a secretary signing the letter on your behalf, sign it yourself. Include your Christian name and a friendly title. ‘Customer Services Manager’ says that your company cares about its customers.

5. Powerful headlines

At the top of the letter write a headline that communicates the product’s main benefit. It gives the potential customer a reason to read on. Keep it clear and simple – think communication not clever word play.

6. Powerful openings

Grab your reader’s attention. Study magazine articles and newspapers. How do they it? What works? Use your research. Here is a list of letter openers to get you started: http://www.procopytips.com/sales-letter-openers

7. Subheadings

Subheadings make letters digestible. Each subheading should sell the product.

8. Ask for what you want

Don’t beat about the bush. If you want your reader to buy your soaps then tell them so. If you want them to take out a subscription, ask them to sign up (and make it super easy). Ask straight away – don’t leave it until the middle of the letter.

9. Talk benefits

Know the difference between features and benefits. Instead of saying ‘the X65 lawnmower has a barrel of sixty rotating blades’ say ‘the X65 lawnmower develops a healthy lawn within weeks’. Decide which is the most important benefit and put that first. All the other benefits follow.

10. Make it personal

Address the reader as if you were sitting beside them. Make it about them and not you. Every time you write ‘we’ try and change it to ‘you’.

11. Emphasise important points

Emphasise important words by using bold or underline, but don’t overdo it or the power is lost. Indent to emphasise key paragraphs.

12. Make sure the letter flows

Guide the reader gently from one point to another. Sentences should be linked (‘what’s more… ‘, ‘but… ) and ideas should be set out in logical order.

13. Entice the reader to act

Your letter must end with a ‘call to action’. Now you’ve (hopefully!) sold the reader make it easy for them to act. Don’t make it complicated by providing lots of alternatives which involve decisions. Give an incentive too: ‘reply by 20th August and you will receive a free watch’.

14. Provide reassurance

Make sure the reader knows they can’t lose. For instance, say you won’t take payment until the product has been dispatched or that they won’t be charged for 60 days.

15. Use a PS

When you receive a letter do your eyes go straight to the PS? So do your reader’s. There should be a new ‘just remembered’ benefit here to seal the sale.

16. Make it a parcel

You don’t have to send a letter on its own. A creative package is likely to generate a higher response rate. You could include a sample of your product or a promotional item which will be a constant reminder of your company eg. a drink coaster or a pen.

17. Include a reply device

Pre-paid postcards with tick boxes make life easy for potential customers. If you can print their name and address for them, all the better. Reassure people that a salesman will not call and that they are under no obligation to buy.

18. Include an endorsement

Comments from satisfied customers go a long way as do market research statistics: ‘85% of our customers have used us for over 2 years’. Always be truthful. Never be tempted to lie – to do so cheats your customers and undermines your reputation.

19. Involve the reader

Ask rhetorical questions: ‘What would you do if… ? Write questions that potential customers might ask and answer them: ‘How much will it cost?’ Provide an example of a company or individual who reaped the benefits of your product: ‘When James & Son bought our product they halved their production costs in a week’.

20. Overcome objections

Make a list of all the possible reasons your customer might have not to buy. Decide how you would answer these objections and put them in your letter. For example: ‘I can’t afford it now’ could be solved with an easy payment plan. If you think people will want to compare deals with other providers then provide a comparison chart.