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Effective Direct MailDirect Mail has become more important that ever before since the Telemarketing Do Not Call laws took effect last October. Direct Mail is the only advertising medium that guarantees that your message will reach your prospect. It is the only advertising medium that lets you target your prospect to the narrowest, most responsive group. It provides you with an opportunity to track response. It allows you to continuously tweak it. There is no question that Direct Mail is the most comprehensive, cost-effective advertising means available to water dealers today.Water Dealers must market. They must continually reach out to new prospects or their businesses will decline. Today's highly competitive marketplace forces dealers to develop marketing skills that they never needed a decade ago. The secret of Direct Mail success is based on 4 main components:
There are several lists that are most responsive for dealers in the Water Industry: New Homeowners Existing Homeowners & Homeowners with Children Parents of New Babies Ailment Sufferers Business (New + Existing)The New Homeowner list is the Dealer's single most important list. A well-designed postcard with an appropriate offer mailed to this special group will always get results. Dealers can select New Homeowners by zip-code as well as by the amount they paid for their homes. This list is available either monthly or weekly and provides the Dealer with a continuous, non-duplicating flow of prospects. Quantities on this list are not huge, which allows the Dealer to facilitate the mailing using existing personnel and mailing 1st class at 23 cents per piece. In addition, this list lends itself to phone follow up and personal visits which will improve response by adding another marketing channel into the mix. The Parents of New Babies and New Business lists are also available on a monthly basis. These kind of lifestyle changes force new needs and Dealers need to capitalize on these unique groups. Existing Homeowners & Homeowners with Children lists can also be selected by zip-code as well as age, income, and credit worthiness. Your list can be customized and refined to reach your best possible prospect group. Dealers should never waste their dollars mailing to fringe prospects. It's better to mail to the best prospects more often. These types of lists generally have 5,000 name minimums and Dealers would be best served to utilize a local mail house to do the labeling, postal sorting and actual mailing. Creative When we use the word "Creative", we are talking about the appearance of the mailing as well as the wording. Don't let your mail piece get cluttered up. A great picture or graphic can really make an impression. Telephone numbers must be bold, the dealership's actual physical address should be listed. Copy tips: According to Herschel Gordon Lewis, one of the nation's foremost copywriters, there are seven main motivators of human behavior: Fear, Exclusivity, Greed, Guilt, Need for Approval, Convenience and Pleasure. Use lead sentences like: "Don't let your family drink sub-standard water". The trends for 21st century copywriting are increased informality, highly emphatic persuasion, the inclusion of validation and the promise of fast action. Dealers should mention their membership in the WQA or the local Chamber of Commerce. Quick service should also be stressed. Tell your reader exactly what you want them to do. If you want them to pick up the phone and call you, tell them that. "Call us at 555-1212 today" The Offer The nature of the offer has changed in the past year. Prospects are no longer enamored by offers of free soap - Dealers must make an offer that will make the prospect pick up the phone and call. Dinner for 2 at a local restaurant; a $25 gift card to Home Depot or Lowe's; or a great premium such as a portable phone, clock radio, or steak knife set are excellent offers. Since the direct mail is reaching out to a unique, hand-picked group, dealers can afford to make a special offer that cannot be refused. Timing There are 2 components to market timing: the times when individuals have actual needs versus when the times of the year which dictate response. Actual Needs are often triggered by lifestyle changes - when someone buys a new home, they need a water system; when a family has a new baby, they need to provide that child with safe water; if a family member has kidney disease, they need to drink pure water. Lifestyle change needs are on-going and mailings to these special groups (new homeowners, new parents, new businesses, ailment sufferers) should happen throughout the year. There are also certain times of the year that dictate response. Seasonal special offers are great: Spring Sale, Back-to-School. Anniversary Sale. And remember, don't mail during Holidays. Postcards sent in mid-December will get lost in the Holiday rush. Testing Your Direct Mail Success How does the Dealer know if the direct mail program was successful? If the dealership made money as a result of the mailing, then the mailing was successful. Dealers must remember to look at the lifetime value of a customer, not just at their initial sale. There is no question that a well-constructed Direct Mail program will bring new business to a Dealership. Consistency and repetition are key. Continued testing and tweaking of the program is vital. Those dealers who spend the time and effort to develop and refine a quality program will be rewarded by $ucce$$. « Back |
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