Transcript Document

Direct Mail Presentation
Judith Antisdel Anne-Tisdale Direct
Jack Weber Uptown Press
7/16/2015
The PCC Educational Seminar
Presented by Anne-Tisdale Direct
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How Big a Deal Is Direct
Mail? It’s Huge!
And if you are not doing it, you’re
missing out big time!
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About $60 billion is spent annually on direct mail efforts each
year here in the United States.
In return, these organizations realized a return of
$530 billion…or about a 900% Return On Investment
(ROI)…and that’s just an average.
Many organizations realize gains larger and smaller
than this but each greatly benefits from direct mail
efforts…what about you? What can you expect?
Source: USPS Household Diary Study 2000
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© 2009 Anne-Tisdale Direct
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Develop Your Marketing
Strategy: Include Direct Mail!
Direct mail can’t be solely relied upon nor
left out of your marketing plan. Depending on your budget
you can:
• Run advertisements at key times of the year
in local/regional papers, journals & newsletters, show
programs
• Radio and TV spots
• Web broadcasts
• Telemarketing campaigns
• Word of mouth/grassroots solicitation
• Newsletter articles
• Events
• Direct mail efforts
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Managing Your Expectations:
How do you define success?
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When you are beginning your direct mail campaign
efforts, you need to understand it takes time to realize your
return on investments.
• Response rates will be lower at first but over time and repeat
mailings they should grow. That’s not to say that you can’t
get 10% return…it’s just not as likely.
• Direct marketing is scientific. You need to track response
from each mailing to determine what works and what doesn’t.
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FYI…Direct Mail Benefits:
Do it Right. Reap the Rewards.
Such a valuable tool for you:
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Cultivate prospects and retain customers
Generate donor leads
Help build traffic to web site/phones/special
events
Enhance brand awareness/recognition
Develop lifetime loyalty
Brings in more business
© 2009 Anne-Tisdale Direct
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FYI…Targeted Mailings:
Why People Respond to Direct Mail
71 % of consumers in the U.S.
respond to Direct Mail based on:
• Importance of the need to them
• Seasonality (religious, before end of tax
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season, holidays, special events, etc.)
The critical nature of the mail
Perceived importance/value of the offer
It is the only form of Advertising that directly
targets your market!
Source: USPS Household Diary Study 2000
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© 2009 Anne-Tisdale Direct
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PART II
Getting it Done
Planning
A) First you need to define your goal.
• Acquire new donors
• Drive traffic to your Web
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site/store/bank branch
Develop customer loyalty
Introduce new products or services
You must identify your goal, before you
can begin to set a course to achieve it.
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Getting it Done
Planning
B) Identify your target market.
Demographics
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Particular age group
Household income
Ethnic group
Geographic region
Psychographics
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Hobbies
Physical Activity
Collectors
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FYI…Audience:
How Will You Speak to Them?
Everything you say should be
audience appropriate.
Address the specific needs and concerns of
the audience. Say only what’s necessary to
inspire the customer to respond.
• Language
• Tone
• Offer
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• Creative
• Call to Action
• Timing of Mailing
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PART I
Getting it Done
Planning
C) Develop a marketing strategy.
What’s your offer to this target group?
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What are you promoting specifically? Funds
for a new building, materials for new causerelated initiative? Services to homeowners,
businesses or special needs groups.
When will you mail? Is there a better time of
year to send out this solicitation? If you mail at
the wrong time even if the offer is right and the
list is well-targeted, you won’t see a great ROI!
© 2009 Anne-Tisdale Direct
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FYI…Competition:
Up Against Everyone/Everything
All of us are overwhelmed with
marketing messages.
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In 2000, American households sent an average of
4.3 pieces of mail per week and received an average of
25.6 pieces of mail per week*
In other words, your solicitation will have over
2 dozen pieces of mail fighting for attention.
You need to stand out verbally, visually and
strategically since so many other organizations/
businesses are competing for the same dollars.
* Source: USPS Household Diary Study 2000
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Getting it Done
Planning
D) Decide what your budget will be.
Not an easy task, but it’s necessary.
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Things you should expect to pay for:
- Names from list vendor
- Professional design
- Copywriting
- Printing
- Mail house services
- Postage
- Follow up fulfillment, shipping costs
Think of the above as investments, not as
expenses…how much can you invest?
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Getting it Done
Target Your Market
Develop, Expand or Rent a List.
If it’s not a targeted effort, it can be a
waste of your time and money.
• Develop a relationship with at least one list broker that
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understands your needs – don’t do it on your own.
Manage and clean your internal mailing list.
You and your list broker establish a profile of your
target audience (using demographic & psychographic
data.)
Be sure to update your in-house list(s) before you
merge any data to ensure accuracy and omission of any
duplications.
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FYI…Data:
One in 11 American Families
move each year and 20% of
Businesses are out of business by
the time their Yellow Book ads
come out.
• Use the NCOA (National Change of Address)
to clean up your internal file.
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OR
You’ll waste money on postage, material costs and
mailing services.
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Getting it Done
Creative Development
Integration of Copy & Design.
The two must be developed together for the
best results, not separately.
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Select your creative professionals based mostly on
their prior work…not just their pricing.
Share your goals and marketing strategy with your
copywriting and design team.
They are the professionals who know how to get a
target market to respond.
Establish a long-term relationship with one team to
minimize ongoing learning curves either about the
organization or your target market(s).
© 2009 Anne-Tisdale Direct
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Getting it Done
Testing for Success
The Good, the Bad and the Ho-Hum!
You can always do better. To find out how, try
testing the following:
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Test the Offer: Split your list in two different test
“offers” (promotions, give away options).
Test the Format: Will a postcard beat out the results
a letter, or a self-mailer? Try it out with a portion of
your list.
Test the Creative Solution: Maybe a different design
can help guide readers to take action better than a
previous design.
Test only one of these at a time in order to tell which
variable is actually causing the changes in results!
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Getting it Done
Build Your Own List
Every response you receive becomes
a part of your internal list.
So you never have to pay for the right to send
to that person again.
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Gather as much information about your
donors/customers as possible and use the
information in their profiles to help you better
select future lists to rent.
Invite these people to other events, build a donor/
customer loyalty program send them sales flyers,
keep in touch with your clients.
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Work to do on
Your Own List
Your in-house file is your most
valuable tool to grow your business.
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Update addresses
Split your list into target markets
Code your lists so you can track response
Use your list as a baseline-append phone numbers
and e-mail addresses to contact customers and
prospects
It’s yours and it’s free
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Formats: Learn From Others
Addressing Standards
There are over 400 postal requirements that must
be met to insure mailing acceptance and accuracy
They include:
• Indicia/Meter/Live Stamp
• Return Address
• Address Placement
• Endorsement Line
• Barcode Readability
• Aspect Ratio
• Thickness/Dimensions
• Automation Requirements
• PARTNER WITH A MAILSHOP TO KEEP UP TO DATE ON
POSTAL RULES & REGS TO MAXIMIZE YOUR SAVINGS!
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Questions & Answers
&
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