MASTERING THE ART OF DIRECT MAIL

While social media and search engine optimization dominate the marketplace for effective ways to build  your brand, don't forget, neglect or abandon your offline audience who still pine for the full-color personalized postcard, full of (tangible) money-saving coupons to decorate their countertop or desk until making a purchasing decision.  
So what factors are most important when planning and executing a direct mail campaign?


The receiver makes a decision within three seconds whether to keep or toss your communication during the initial skim of their mail.
Investing in a quality design and engaging copy with a clear call-to-action is the only way to make the first cut.

Choosing the right method to mail can mean big savings when it comes to postage.
While Every Door Direct Mail is designed to provide a reduced postage rate for local, route-specific mailings, if you are using an existing database bulk rates can vary greatly depending on the post office location and presort processing.  If you are not familiar with USPS mailing regulations, hire an experienced direct mail expert to secure the lowest postal rates and save you the reprint costs of a mis-sized or incorrectly indicia'd mailing piece.

Building a qualified database of targeted leads is key.
See our previous post on how to Optimize Your Audience for more tips to make the most of your advertising efforts with an effective list.

Don't forget about catering to your digital audience!
By providing an e-mail and web address, or including a QR code to send smartphone users to your website, all will provide easy access to more information about your products or services.  

Achieving desirable response rates does not happen overnight with the purchase of the "perfect" list or design; only through long-term testing and gauging of results do direct mail campaigns truly reach their full potential.  Stay tuned for more tips on how to build brand awareness through print media and direct mailing!

SOCIAL MEDIA & ONLINE REVIEWS = PEOPLE POWER

A Nielsen Study reported 92% of consumers trust recommendations from family and friends over all other advertising.  The power of a personal referral or testimonial can be a crucial factor when someone is making a purchasing decision.  So how do you get your clients telling the world how amazing your products, services or expertise are?


Social Media
Social media is the new word of mouth advertising.  With Facebook recently hitting one billion users, many of whom log in three to fourteen times every day, the "Like" and "Share" buttons are quickly becoming a brands best friend to reaching a larger audience.  Social media provides a more casual forum to share content more often with users who have already indicated interest in your business by joining or following your feed.    

Another distinct advantage Facebook has over many other social media platforms is the accessibility and ease of sharing from mobile devices, which continues to drive increasing numbers of users to "check-in" at local businesses when finding a minute of boredom, waiting in line, or walking the street... (excuse me!)


Online Reviews
Savvy consumers are investigating local businesses now more than ever through sites such as Yelp and Google+.   These are likely qualified leads about to make a purchasing decision based upon your previous customers experiences, and your last chance to convince them that your company is a reputable, accessible and superior alternative to the competition.

Incentives, online surveys and QR codes directing your customers to review sites are great low-cost ways to generate a wealth of positive online brand endorsement before you're scrambling to bury the one bad review that someone (inevitably) posts.


Just ask!
Write a letter to your top ten clients asking for a personal endorsement; ask customers at the end of each appointment or delivery if they would endorse your brand with an online review (having an iPad handy is a smart move in this situation).  You can also create a postcard or insert to be mailed out with each invoice or statement, directing customers on where to share their experiences on.  You can then feature these testimonials on your website, post to social media, and include on print media to tell everyone how great your company is- without having to say a word.



For reviews on my company, dream ink, click around our website to read a few:
dream ink Creative Page Review

Or click the link below to a few others on our Google+ page!
dream ink Google+ Page

Join our Facebook fans for exclusive deals and techniques not posted on our website!
dream ink Facebook Page

DIGITAL vs. OFFSET PRINTING

Being an educated print buyer can save your company big bucks in the advertising department.  

Thanks to advancements in digital technology, businesses have even more options to cost-effectively market their business with high-quality, full color print collateral.  The real dilemma is finding the right print shop or press to fit your specific needs, order frequency and deadline requirements.   

Here are a few pointers to help you determine the optimal print method for your company's purchasing habits and expectations:

Offset printing:

- Lower per piece cost as volume increases

- Better image quality

- Capable for printing on a wide range of materials from paper and cloth to metal and plastic

Digital printing:

- Eliminates costly plate/set-up charges 

- Quick turnaround

- Personalize each piece with variable data printing and image customization

Working with an experienced print purchaser or broker who has an extensive knowledge of press capabilities and competitively bids your project with several sources may be the most effective way to manage your purchasing compared to your local print shop, who may only quote for the options/equipment they have in-house.  If you have any questions regarding the best process to print your materials, feel free to e-mail the Dream Team who will help point you in the right direction! 

PRESIDENTIAL PROMOTIONS

With the election behind us we thought it would be a great time to analyze what advertising may have influenced our voting decision.  From heated debates on job creation and taxation, the marketing campaign for each candidate had a clear strategy for targeting those most likely to vote for their party.  What issues evoked the most emotion from you, and how was the message reinforced? Take a look at the list below to see the many ways each candidate used to reach their audience.

  

TV:  The first debate attracted 67.2 million viewers.  That's nearly 22% of the entire U.S.!

Radio:  Both campaigns advertising heavily on adult contemporary stations targeting women voters in the last week before the election.

Print:  Political postcard mailings, wide-format banners and stake signs are three of the biggest products purchased during a campaign. 

Optimized lists:  99% of candidates running for (any) office will purchase an optimized mailing list based off of demographics and psychographics.

Social Media:  Obama is known as the "Social Media President" for being more engaged with the online audience on YouTube, Google+, Twitter and Facebook. 

E-mail:  Both candidates utilized e-blasts to procure donations and build brand loyalty.

Phone:  Who isn't tired of the robo-call?

Promotional:  Both candidates have e-commerce selling hundreds of promotional products:

The Romney-Ryan 2012 official store | Home & Obama for America | 2012 | Store

After all this filibustering... dream ink for President?  dream ink - creative. print. marketing.

  

EVERYONE IS A DESIGN CRITIC

While the phrase "Don't judge a book by its cover" is often advised, rarely do our brains practice this theory in making purchasing decisions; we often gravitate towards products with the most attractive packaging, sold by the most recognizable (and inherently trusted) brands.  This is why choosing the right designer for your marketing materials is essential to developing an effective brand image with memorable ad campaigns that will not only connect with your target audience, but help convert them to loyal customers.  

Here are three tips that will help you hire the best designer or agency suited to fit your needs:

Ignore cost.

Nike paid $35 for their logo back in 1971, while oil company BP recently shelled out $6.4 million for their current green and gold sunflower.

Moral of the story:  don't be enticed by the lowest price, or intimidated by the highest; design and designers have a very wide of scale for compensation that is not always based on true talent.    

View their portfolio.

Great design is subjective.  The best measure of ones ability is looking at the projects and client base they have successfully worked with in the past.  

Is their definition of "aesthetically-pleasing" the same as yours?  Are they familiar with your industry?  Do they have experience in both print and web design?  These questions can be answered by a professional portfolio.  

No formal education?  No problem!

Some of the most skilled and proficient designers I have worked with never received a formal education and honed their craft through on-the-job experience.  By requiring a college degree many employers are missing out on some of the most talented freelancers and individuals available.  

I've been most impressed with the creative use of the iPad in the new Lexus ad in Sports Illustrated.  This should receive every "Design of the Year" award out there!  

View it for yourself here:  Is This The World's Most Interactive Print Ad?

After you've found a designer you will need to decide on what message you want your brand to communicate in its advertising.  Join us next time when we explore how political ads may be the best (and worst!) example of effective, engaging and emotional advertising!  

DIGITALLY SPEAKING

As the world consumes iPhones, iPads and iPods at a rapidly accelerating pace, it appears we are moving to a paperless society in which your product or service will be need to be advertised through magic screens and megapixels to maintain market share. Just don't go investing every penny of your marketing budget in online advertising just yet... and here's why:

Marketing should be a multi-pronged approach to reaching your audience.
Business cards have been used since the industrial revolution, while the phone and fax were essential tools to advertise and communicate for the past sixty years. As we enter the digital age, websites, QR codes and social media are enhancing methods of transmitting information and should complement, not replace, your current marketing efforts.

The majority of consumers are looking online to research products and compare pricing and are not yet completely comfortable making every purchase from their home computer.
While Applications such as Google Wallet are making it easier and more accessible to pay for purchases through your smartphone, people still have security concerns and limited access to the internet. Experts believe it will be another ten to fifteen years before buying habits shift more to the digital dollar than our traditional paper or plastic, which gives your business plenty of time to adapt.

Ad specialties and print media are tangible products.
One of the strongest senses for memory retention is touch; sending a personalized invitation is going to leave a more memorable impression than that online invite. There is still a very large percentage of consumers who have not joined the digital age, even more who still prefer the traditional tri-fold brochure and business card for their rolodex. (For anyone under thirty reading this blog, a rolodex is what people used before cell phones became your address book!)

No matter what medium your using to reach your audience, compelling and effective graphic design stands behind every ad campaign as the difference behind striking an emotional chord with your audience, or turning them off with outdated or cluttered design. Join us next time for tips on how to hire the right designer to develop your brand image!

OPTIMIZE YOUR AUDIENCE

After a short break nursing a fractured wrist, the Dream Team's blog is back with reckless abandon to help maximize your marketing efforts! We left off promising to increase response rates with your direct mailings, which can be done several ways. Here are a few of the most effective:


• Purchase an optimized mailing list targeting a specific audience most likely to purchase your product or service.
Jim's Rocking Chairs can find "new or expectant parents" within x amount of miles from his store for relatively low cost; a little creative thinking will qualify those leads by income level and gender to design mailing pieces directed at those most likely to be holding the wallet at that time!


• A study by Baylor University showed that incorporating a promotional product can increase response rates as much as 75%.
The free gift being sent is really the trojan horse of advertising; it should have your company logo and be functional with a high perceived value to supply hundreds of exposures to your brand in their home, office or car.
BTW- receivers of a promotional product are 62% more likely to do business with an advertiser! Source: Advertising Specialty Institute


• Ask website visitors to sign up for your "opt-in" e-mail list.
These provide the best response rates as users have already expressed an interest in your product or service. Now your goal should be to create compelling content that will draw more unique and repeat visitors to the home/sign up page.


• Follow up with a phone call!
Some of us still enjoy hearing a human voice pitch a product or service. If they received a postcard and e-mail advertisement followed by your friendly voice, it may be just enough brand recognition and perfect timing to get in the door. (Have your elevator pitch ready.)


NEXT TIME ON THE DREAM TEAM'S BLOG: How Steve Jobs revolutionized e-commerce and gave your print media new purpose in the process. Stay tuned!