Archive for August, 2011
How To Get Your Direct Mail Envelopes Opened And Read
Posted by: | CommentsSetting up a direct mail campaign is one thing but actually getting them opened is another. Believe it or not, your prospect actually throw out a lot of the mail that they get on a daily basis, and yours could be one of them if you don’t follow the tips listed in this article.
In this article, we will take a look at some ways to get your direct mail envelopes and packages open so that you can maximize that response rate from your offers. All of these tips are tested and proven so you can lay rest assured that they will work for you.
The first thing that you have to ensure when doing direct mail is that your package will get delivered. If this sounds ludicrous, then it’s understandable – but it is a true fact. You have to focus on getting your mail delivered or else the mailman will through it out.
The bottom line is that the mailman has a choice. He can either deliver all of his mail or deliver the most relevant ones and through the bulk mail out. Which one do you think he chooses? That’s right, the latter one. The fact of the matter is that when his mail sack gets full, he is going to shorten his work load by not delivering all of his mail.
This means alot to you if you do direct mail and are sending your letters via bulk mail. You should never send via bulk mail as bulk rate is the dumpster rate. You have to first get your envelope past the mailman and after you do that, you have to then get your targeted prospect to open it also.
To do both of these things successfully, you should mail your letters out using first class mail. Use a live stamp and don’t use any kind of labels whatsoever. You’re going for the best possible response rate here and you don’t want to blow it on sending out your mail via bulk mail.
When you use a real live stamp, you better your chances of success because you’re giving it your best shot. The mailman will view your letter as a personal letter because you took the time to put a stamp on it, therefore you will increase the odds of getting it delivered successfully.
You also increase the chances of your recipient opening your mail because it looks personal and looks as if there’s something important inside. But when you mail out a brochure or a self-mailer, people view this as non-relevant and throw them out almost unconsciously.
Your mail has to get the attention of your prospect and get them to open up your letters. When you send out an envelope that has a live stamp and the prospect’s name is written in blue ink, you give the appearance of a personal message and your prospect will open it up because of it.
Never again send out an envelope that screams junk mail. It’s the fastest way to get your marketing message ignored and to lower your conversion rates. Good luck with implementing your direct mail campaigns.
Feel free to call us for professional advice and guidance with your direct mail projects.
CRACKING THE QR CODE
Posted by: | CommentsThey’re popping up virtually everywhere you look. Those strange looking symbols now appearing on everything from business cards to ads to catalogs and product packaging. The new technology phenomenon is called a QR or Quick Response Code. It’s one of the latest ways to reach potential customers and a very useful form of marketing.
A QR code is a very specific, two-dimensional code which is readable by a dedicated QR bar code reader, camera phone or smartphone. The code consists of black modules arranged in a square pattern on a white background. The encoded information that an end user can receive might be text, a URL, or other data. It could even be the URL for a Facebook fan page. The medium was developed to allow content to be decoded at high speed and become more interactive.
You may have seen these codes but paid little attention or totally ignored them. But, after I personally tried several and began to see how they worked and how businesses were utilizing them, I started to understand the value of bar-coding and realized the enormous potential for both small and large businesses and service companies.
So how do these QR codes become an effective marketing vehicle? Simply, you can entice and intrigue your prospects by asking them to scan the codes on your ads, brochures, mailers, promotional products and the like. When they scan the code, your existing and potential customers/clients are interacting with you, the first vital step toward connecting with your brand. And, after they’ve scanned the code you can respond with offers and other information that will help build a relationship. Isn’t that what forming a personal rapport/ connection is all about.
If you’re thinking about venturing into the QR arena, you need to know that it isn’t difficult or time-consuming and the related cost is little or nothing.
Here are five actions to get you going forward so that you can start getting a quick response:
Action 1: Decide where you want to offer the code for scanning. Will you put it on an ad, a direct mail piece, brochure or other collateral material, a sign, display or directly on your products? You can include it on invitations and business cards. Make it easy for people to access and visible from all angles. There are no limitations, only your creative and imaginative use of the code.
Action 2: Determine what your message is. Where do you want to send those receiving the code? Or what do you want to give them? Think about what action you want them to take once they land on the website or receive the information.
Do you want their email address? Or do you just want them to like a fan page or engage by answering a question? You can also offer specials or discounts. Put the code on a product and send readers to an online site to place an order.
Step 3: Create your code: There are hundreds of sites that now offer QR code creation services. Some charge; most don’t. The ones that charge are usually pushing marketing services to accompany the QR code creation — something to consider but not necessary.
Here is a sampling of QR sites:
qr.net
createandtrack.com
qurify.com/
http://createqrcode.appspot.com/
Step 4: Brand and market your QR code. Be creative but remember you want consumers to not only receive the information quickly but also to take action right away. You can draw in prospects with an offer to visit a physical store or a website. Free stuff is always good. Discounts work, too. You could even incorporate the QR code into an entertaining game or contest to win prizes.
Step 5: Track your progress. You need to take the time to measure the outcome of your QR code campaign. When you create your code, make sure that analytics or tracking will be available, whether it’s measuring the number of scans or another activity by the hour or day. Some forms of tracking allow you to see what type of device people used for their scan as well. If you are using a URL for your QR code, you can make it one specific for this campaign and then track it with Google Analytics.
Whether you decide to implement QR codes as an enhanced marketing vehicle, they are definitely worth experiencing as a user. Therefore, I strongly urge you to scan a few offered by other businesses or check out some examples online to see how they work. This is an excellent way to become familiar with the medium and get those creative marketing juices flowing. Happy QR coding!
