DIRECT FAX MARKETING
Direct fax marketing allows you to send a fax flyer to 10 or 10,000 prospects in minutes. Fax flyers are typically one page, but can be any number of pages.Cost: $$
Great if … you want to reach many people inexpensively, but you don’t have current contact information.
The downside is … personalization is limited to the fax header line.
Merging permits the advertiser to personalize each fax with a name, fax number and company name on the fax cover sheet or on the fax flyer itself.Cost: $$½
Great if … you are looking for an effective, yet inexpensive, way to personalize your direct marketing.
The downside is … faxes can only be sent in black and white.
DIRECT MARKETING on the WEB
HTML emails can be an extremely cost-effective marketing tool, but must be used with discretion. Email marketing generates great results if you deliver a highly relevant message to a target market that is carefully selected.Cost: $
Great if … you have a current customer or subscriber list.
The downside is … if recipients haven’t asked to receive emails, this marketing might be viewed as a nuisance.
When your potential customers search on the web, what do they type in the search field? You can have a link appear on the Google, Yahoo, or any other search results page when your potential customers search for your, or your competitor’s, product.Cost: $½
Great if … prospective customers might search for your product or service online using a search engine.
The downside is … it is difficult to track the effectiveness of your marketing.
Place a banner advertisement on the websites that your prospective customers visit.Cost: $½
Great if … you know which websites your prospective customers frequently visit.
The downside is … it is difficult to track the effectiveness of your marketing.
DIRECT MAIL Direct mail marketing comes in hundreds of forms. And, there are thousands of strategy choices available to the direct marketer, but the first is choosing the right direct marketing media. Below are a few of the many options:
The cover letter is an overlooked, but absolutely critical, component of a direct mail campaign. If the message is written well, your response rate will reflect it.
Letter inserts are 3.5 by 8.5 inch cards that fit into a standard envelope. They can be used as an inexpensive promotional tool to accompany a cover letter. Or, they can be included with standard company mailings, such as invoices to alert customers to your other products that they may not know about.Cost: $$$
Great if … you want a traditional mailing, but wish to control your costs.
The downside is … there is limited space to persuade your target to take action.
These typically range in size from 4.25 x 5.5 inches to 8.5 x 5.5 inches. One of the great things about postcards is that the marketing message is out in the open, not concealed by an envelope. Even if the postcard is discarded, the recipient sees the marketer’s message.
Great if … your product has a strong visual impact, but doesn’t require much explanation.
The downside is … postcards are most easily recognizable as a solicitation.
Simple brochures typically consist of a single sheet of paper folded into two to four panels.
Great if … a strong visual impact and substantial information are both required to make your sales offer.
Complex brochures and catalogs are costly to produce but give the marketer space to convey complex imagery and substantial written information. These mailings can include multi-media components, such as CD-Roms, or product samples. In most cases, a complex marketing piece is necessary at some point in the sales process.Cost: $$$$$
Great if … you are mailing to a list of qualified prospects or a current/past customer list.
The downside is … this option is usually only cost-effective after the early stages of the sales process.
