In today's economy, marketing decisions are more important than
ever. We all want our businesses to be well-placed when things turn
around, so we don't want to slow down on marketing. On the other
hand, we need -- more than ever -- to make sure that every penny
that we spend on marketing is doing its job.
This is one reason that more companies are turning to online and
email marketing. The number of people you can reach per dollar
spent is much higher when you take advantage of electronic media,
and your return on investment is higher. Marketing research shows
consistently that email marketing has the best return on investment
of any direct marketing method. Comparisons between direct mail and
email show differences of 10% to 100% or more.
The return on your investment in a professionally designed
website is higher still.
Does this mean you should give up on direct mail?
Not necessarily.
Onsharp has been working on a direct mail campaign. The image on
this page is one of our postcard designs -- you might be seeing it
in your mailbox. We're a web firm, specializing in web design, web
development, web hosting, web strategy, web optimization, and web
marketing -- so what are we doing using snail mail?
There are reasons.
- Sometimes you want to talk to someone new. Unsolicited
emails are nearly always considered spam; the rules for contacting
new people via email are much stricter than those governing direct
mail. And yet there are people out there who want and need your
services, but don't know it yet.
- Sometimes you want to get a physical object in people's
hands. If you like to send a sample, a physical catalog people
might want to curl up with and read, or a promotional item, you
need to rely on physical mail.
- Sometimes you just have a proven track record with direct mail,
so you want to continue doing what works well for you.
If you use direct mail, you probably already know why you're
using it.
Here's something you might not know:
Following up a direct mail campaign with an email campaign
increases response rates by 50%. For every 100 direct mail
marketing pieces you send out, you may expect ten responses. If you
email the recipients as well, you can expect 15. If you do a highly
directed mailing campaign with a 50% response rate, you can expect
a 75% response if you also email.
Since direct mail marketing typically costs at least four times
as much as a comparable email marketing campaign, your return on
investment for a mail plus email campaign significantly improves
the cost per lead of your marketing campaign.
Here are some suggestions for getting the most out of direct
mail in the electronic age:
- Cut your direct mail costs by integrating your web presence.
Use a simpler or smaller mailing piece and direct your readers to
your website for full details.
- Use your direct mail to build your email list. Ask your
customers to come to your website and sign up for your emails, or
to email you. Offer something appealing, whether it's "Email us and
we'll sign you up for email announcements of our sales" or "Get
advance notice of new products when you sign up for our email
newsletter" or "Join our electronic mailing list, and we'll send
you our report on new advancements in your field." With a strong
list of people who want to hear from you, your email marketing will
be even more effective.
- Test with your direct mail pieces. Set up a special email
address or landing page for responses, and see just how many
customers came to you through your direct mail campaign.
Contact Onsharp to discuss
strategies for your electronic marketing.