Direct Marketing:
3D Mailing:
A relatively new marketing technique. Not really, but it is being used by more businesses now with great success.
When was the last time you received a package that was bulky? You could feel something inside but had no idea what it was. What did you do? I bet you opened it if just to see what it was?
This simple act of opening the letter or envelope is exactly what you want the prospect or customer to do . If providing a little item that makes your package or letter bulky and interesting then this is a technique that you want to try.
A big part of advertising is getting the prospect to open your letter or package. Once it is opened you want them to start reading the sales letter. Getting them to open your letter is the first step. If they do not open your letter or package, you never get to make your sales pitch.
Add a bulky item to your letter or package and make it part of the sales presentation.
Add something to your package that creates curiosity. Make them want to open your package even if only to see what it is. Then try to include that item as part of the sales pitch.
Examples:
Use a toy soldier: Then your sales letter can say something like “We are targeting you for this special deal” or “We want to take a shot at offering you a once and a life time offer”
Use a toy car: Use a car that states :You can drive away today with a new car” or “We are racing towards making the best offer in History”
Use a toy Garbage can: They make your headline “Don’t throw this opportunity out” “If you don’t think this is the best offer available then here is a little garbage can to throw it out”
Use a Key: Make it a big key not just a little regular key then “This is the key to your best deal ever” “Use this key to open the best deal you will find”
These are but a few ideas that can help you to brainstorm some ideas that you may be able to use.
Sit down and write out some ideas
This technique works and is used by some very large companies. The small local business can get even more exposure using this. Your competitors are not doing this so why would you not at least consider it?
Sit down and write out a few ideas. Re-read the examples above and see if there is a way you can adapt them for your own direct mail campaign. Even better go to our Resource section and visit some of the companies we are recommending. They specialize in this type of advertising and can help you find or create a great campaign to test.
Remember “STAND OUT”.
You have gotten your prospects or clients to open your package now you need to take this time to make a special offer. Don’t waste this precious time to make a mundane offer. You only have a few seconds to capture their attention. Your first headline MUST grab their attention and make them want to learn more.
Offer them something they must have
Make them an offer they can’t refuse. Offer something that you can break even on or even lose money on if it will get you a new client or customer that you can sell to in the future. Once a client or customer brings out their wallet and pays for something, you now have a customer you can sell to for years to come.
The cost to get a new client normally is much more than to continue to deal with an old client. If you can afford to break even or lose a little on your initial offer then by all means give this serious consideration.
Follow up fast and start to make profits
Make sure you have some type of follow up program already created so that once you make the initial sale you can immediately start to try and sell them more. You must have a follow up program that allows you to upgrade or add to the original sale. There is no excuse to not have a fully developed follow up program. Autoresponders can be programed to send out a follow-up email offers for days, weeks or months into the future.
You can design your direct mail out packages with follow-up mailings. Use another envelope or postcards to keep in contact with your new customer. Not having this planned out in advance of your marketing campaign will cost you many sales.
The best time to up-sell a client is right after the first sale. Design your campaigns to have a follow-up program for each mailing you do.
Make different levels of service or different offers they can add on to the original purchase. Your add on products or services will be where you can make a real profit.
When someone orders any of your products or services you need to have another one of two offers they can purchase immediately. You can offer an up-sell to a more expensive product or service or a down sell to a lower priced product or service.
You can direct the customer to a website for further discounts or to see more products and services. Sales and marketing of your products and services should never stop.
Focus on building a relationship
Once you have a new client you need to do certain things to make sure you build a solid relationship with them. Follow up with them using the Survey method. You send out a survey that they fill out to help you improve your business or to find out more about what they need and desire. Offer them a discount coupon for taking the time to fill out the survey.
You can do this using a form you include in your package or you can use this as one reason to follow up after a sale has been made. Direct them to a website page to complete the survey for a special gift or bonus. This gift or bonus should should be an add-on to the original product or service they bought.
Build up the desire to get this bonus. Write a short sales page to promote it. Make it interesting so they want to complete the survey.
A good idea is to make the survey 10 questions or less. If you ask to many questions they will not respond as it becomes a task. The more questions you ask the bigger value the bonus or rewards should be.
Offer tips and free advice on a regular basis. Mail it to them, email it to them or call and talk to them. Figure out any way to offer free products and advice to help build your relationship. The stronger you can make this relationship the better your chances of selling them in the future.
Adding value regularly is critical. The more value you add the better your relationship will be. Use the Internet to help you find information that you can share with your customers. Then share this with them. You can even make another offer to them for another purchase. Do not do this every time you send something. Try to send one or two interesting articles, resources, links or even free products and samples between each sales offer.
If you try to sell every time you send them something they may send your message directly to the garbage can. Sending them good valuable information without expecting anything in return helps build your relationship. Trust is always something you want and need with your customers.
Use the curiosity of 3D mail to get new clients
3D mail demands some kind of attention and sticks out from all the other mail that day. If this idea can work for you and your business, try it! Find something you can use to mail your data base. Buy it in bulk and then test it with a part of your customer list.
This is another way to get your business to stand out from your competition try it. Test it out and see what type of response you get. You never know you could find your new CONTROL Ad.
A CONTROL ad is an ad that pulls the best response for you each time you use it.