Friday, August 28, 2015
  • Pumpt Admin

Building your email list with Direct Mail

If you’re like most marketers you probably believe that on line marketing has sent Direct Mail (DM) the way of the dinosaur. “Why would I use snail mail to build and grow my email list?” you’re probably asking.

Bring back snail mail!

I’m aiming to show you that DM is the most profitable way to grow your online business. Dubious? DM worked for a very long time as a major source of prospects. It can still become your top revenue generator and play an important role in getting you ahead of your competitors.

Strike now!

Like most of your competitors’, digital marketing innovations – PPC ads, display ads, and social media – are probably your main way of driving customers to your site. Major companies (think Google for one) are using the same on line marketing tools you’re using. However they’re also using DM to create the ultimate list generating processes.

It’s precisely the rise of digital innovations that have made DM (what seems like a tired tool that’s day has passed) even more powerful today. Why? Have you noticed that your mailbox isn’t quite as full these days as it used to be? As part of a neglected marketing channel, your Direct Mail is facing less direct competition than it used to. Most internet marketers are so entrenched in the digital world that they’ve forgotten their prospects are still living in the real world.

A powerful combination

In fact DM has built many six-figure plus businesses. So resurrecting DM, the traditional powerhouse of marketing, to work in tandem with today’s latest online innovations, was only a matter of time.

Direct response marketing gets your prospects taking action more speedily than digital marketing alone.  So get in quick, get a monopoly on your prospects’ attention before your competitors even notice the trend!

Not convinced?

Take Google for example, a company with:

  • world-wide presence
  • world-beating budget
  • simple access to a vast seam of prospects
  • commanding presence across the whole range of digital marketing platforms

Google is capitalising on the tremendous opportunities that the latest Direct Mail and online follow-up system offer; actively using Direct Mail to drive sales to their websites since 2012.

The goal of the “Direct mail + online follow up campaign” is to build your email list for a perennial source of continuous income for your business.

The following articles will take you through Direct Response Marketing, (Direct Mail and online follow-up) process step by step:

1.)    The humble flyer

2.)    Designing and Formatting Direct Mail

3.)    The seven essential Direct Mail elements

4.)    Accessing quality lists

5.)    Printing and Mailing Tracking and Testing your Lists

6.)    Measuring results

1.)    The Humble Flyer

Surprisingly the most effective way to accomplish your Direct Mail and online follow-up list goal is with the lowly flyer or brochure.

What makes this style of campaign a winner is how original and unexpected it is – that’s where you take the upper hand. As you go on with your campaign keep some of that mystery while piquing curiosity to ensure that your prospects take action and visit your site.

The key here is to attract prospects, without giving too much away. Your flyer should offer a mysterious bonus, with a promise of fulfilment as soon as your prospect takes action. Basically, your brochure is the bait that drives traffic to your virtual page.

Don’t aim to sell a product or service on the flyer itself (that’s for your online follow-up to do). Selling a product or service on your flyer might bring in some new business. But you’ll miss out on the real windfall of continuous reoccurring business that will arise from your DM and online follow-up list equation. Once you accumulate your new email list, then your email marketing can take centre stage to make the sales.

Keep your brochre copy:

  • relatively short and to the point
  • don’t give away any vital buying decision information (yet)
  • include an irresistible offer for visiting your landing page and opting-in
  • be sure to include a few calls to action that draw prospects to your page
If you’re already familiar with online media buying, think of the flyer as a display ad. With banner ads, you’re “selling” for a click. Your brochures will essentially be doing the same thing. You’re enticing your prospect to visit your landing page for more information, to claim a free gift, or to qualify for a special deal in exchange for giving you their email address.