To execute a direct marketing campaign you need a list, you need an offer, and you need creative/messaging – the part that lets your list know about the offer. That’s it in its most basic form. Many of the people I meet in networking meetings, if they are doing any type of direct marketing campaigns, are using their email lists solely. So let’s delve into that more.
If you are only contacting potential clients by using email, you are leaving a large portion of your prospects on the table. Without permissive email addresses (opted in, you are allowed to send) you are at risk. So the smart marketer is sending emails only to opt-ins. What about the other 60 to 70% of your prospects? How will you reach them? This is where you can use a combination of social media and direct mail. Direct mail has not gone away. And with the right messaging and right offer, you have the potential to bring these prospects in to your opt-in email list. Through social media, you can get friends to send to friends and gain awareness and even more opt-in emails!
Your list is your single most important aspect of a campaign.
- Do the people on your list care about what you have to say?
- Are they truly your target market or are they influencers to your target?
- Can you tell the difference?
- From your data, is there any way to segment – that is might you have different messaging based on their demographics, their potential role in the buying cycle or even on their relationship to you?
The more relevant you can ‘speak’ to your prospects, the higher your response rates and conversions will be.
And that is ultimately what it’s about – get responses, get opt-ins, find out what your prospects are interested in. And don’t waste your time, your money, your efforts by sending marketing messages to people who aren’t in your target. Spend more money on the people who are and you will get a strong return on your investment.
About Kathie Sherman
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