Marketing Muse Newsletter
Helpful Marketing Advice for the Small Business
February 2012
Say Yes to Direct Mail
It’s 2012 and everything is online, right? Not so fast. Small business owners should continue to keep direct mail in their marketing budgets. While much of the marketing mix is being directed online, it’s important to keep a portion centered on direct mail as a key way to reach prospects and current customers.
Direct mail has always had the highest response rate of any media used in the marketing mix and should not be considered unnecessary. Businesses that have relied solely online media in the past, are using direct mail campaigns can help drive traffic to their websites and influence online behavior. A recent article in The Wall Street Journal spoke about a long-time direct mail advertiser that switched to email marketing. Sales dropped 18% within three months. When direct mail was added back into the overall plan, the advertiser’s sales started to increase again.
The mix always makes a difference. Much like you, your customers take in information in various ways, so your task is to speak to them in all ways possible.
So what types of direct mail are good in 2012?
Postcards are a great way to grab your reader’s attention quickly. Short message, concise call to action, contact information, personalization and low production costs, postcards are an inexpensive option for direct mail in your campaign.
Partner with another business and cross-promote your offers. Share in the costs of printing, all while opening your business to a new customer set. You can include your offer as in insert into their mailed statements or you can both share space on a 3rd party’s insert program, such as a Val-Pak.
Direct mail has many options, so just explore them. It continues to be a great way to promote your small business. Keep it in the marketing mix for 2012 and beyond.
If you want more information about using direct mail for your small business, let us know. We’d love to help you with your marketing projects this year.
In a recent study, The Content Marketing Institute found that nine out of ten organizations market with content marketing. Marketers interviewed claimed to employ eight different marketing tactics to achieve their goals. Pressured by tighter budgets and markets cluttered with competing products, marketers have to work smarter to craft engaging content that influences the decision making process and prompts the desired behavior. But, how can you be sure your customers can relate and will respond? Develop buyer personas.
More than Target Marketing
Personas are profiles constructed using information compiled about specific groups of buyers you want to reach. Focusing on details such as job function, responsibilities, interest areas, concerns, problems, buying processes etc. will help you tell a more compelling story that demonstrates your understanding of pain points and ability to meet their needs.
Keep Things Simple
Start by looking for common characteristics of your customers or try organizing them by industry or job function. Then outline the aspects the buyer will consider and assess when evaluating a product/ service during the purchasing process. You can find useful insights about buyer behavior in market research at MarketResearch.com or MarketingSherpa.com.
Putting the Pieces Together
Each narrative should summarize the key attributes important to each group and factors considered when making purchasing decision. Take a look at Stacy Startup.
Stacy Startup just launched a new business. She’s looking for an experienced, boutique accounting firm that won’t make her feel like a small fish in a big pond. Stacy believes in supporting her community and wants to work with a local firm. Since she will be focusing on growing her business, she must be confident that the firm will protect her interest. While price important factor in the selection process, Stacy is looking for a firm with integrity and a solid reputation she can trust.
Creating personas is an important first step to creating more effective and engaging content for all your communications. For more help building buyer profiles, contact us today!
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