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Thread: DIRECT MARKETING

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    DIRECT MARKETING

    The snail mail version.
    Do any companies still use this form of marketing?

    I have cut down on my advertising budget in terms of advertising in the print media, I just found that it seems to be getting more expensive and the results are the same.
    I then found an old(10years) book on direct marketing and started thinking that this is a marketing practice that might return better results.
    The core of my sales are to property owners and a letter in the mail might be a welcome change.
    Do any forumites use this form of marketing and how do you find the return?

    Another question, why is D marketing not considered spam?

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    Gold Member garthu's Avatar
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    We have done direct mailing very successfully.

    Do you have access to saptg or p24??? If so, get the address, owner info etc into an excel sheet. Then set up a mail merge on your word and merge the name of the owner and address. This is very personalized and the people read it it out of curiosity simply as there name is on it (do same on envelopes).

    Measuring the response was a bugger as many of those leads would come back a year later (retained the bus card also in the letter) but the response is FAR higher than flyers etc. and would guess it around 2-3%

    Takes a while to set it up and get it going, but it paid for us

    It is considered spam, but no one reacts to it i guess as there is so little that occurs here as opposed to US etc
    Garth

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    Quote Originally Posted by garthu View Post
    We have done direct mailing very successfully.

    Do you have access to saptg or p24??? If so, get the address, owner info etc into an excel sheet. Then set up a mail merge on your word and merge the name of the owner and address. This is very personalized and the people read it it out of curiosity simply as there name is on it (do same on envelopes).

    Measuring the response was a bugger as many of those leads would come back a year later (retained the bus card also in the letter) but the response is FAR higher than flyers etc. and would guess it around 2-3%

    Takes a while to set it up and get it going, but it paid for us

    It is considered spam, but no one reacts to it i guess as there is so little that occurs here as opposed to US etc
    Thanks most helpful.
    Tell me do you basically just offer the owner your help with any property related issues or do you get right to the point" NEED TO SELL? CALL ME"
    I have access to saptg and prop24 normally I just look for the owners in a specific street.
    I am really worried my mailing will look like the thousand other flyers and shit that are placed in their mailboxes.

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    Quinn, my question on this is, does it really still work? My wife and I recently started a new photography business, and this is something I'm considering doing as well. The products, or services we'll deliver will be something tangible, and not virtual as with my hosting.

    So, dropping a flyer into someone's mailbox does seem like a good marketing idea to me, but I don't yet know if it will pay off.
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    Quote Originally Posted by SoftDux View Post
    Quinn, my question on this is, does it really still work? My wife and I recently started a new photography business, and this is something I'm considering doing as well. The products, or services we'll deliver will be something tangible, and not virtual as with my hosting.

    So, dropping a flyer into someone's mailbox does seem like a good marketing idea to me, but I don't yet know if it will pay off.
    I tried the flyer in the mail box but there is just to much junk to compete with.
    This one day I found a letter addressed to me and inside I found a flyer of a printing company. Made me think and he got by the junkmail I through away

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    mmm, so what else do you suggest then?
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    Quote Originally Posted by SoftDux View Post
    mmm, so what else do you suggest then?
    A "letter" addressed to the home owner.
    Or occupant if you do not know their names.

    Give me a little info on what you do

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    Quote Originally Posted by QUINN View Post
    A "letter" addressed to the home owner.
    Or occupant if you do not know their names.

    Give me a little info on what you do
    uhm,ok. What exactly do I tell them in the letter then? The main purpose will be photography services: weddings, matirnety, portait, corporate, models, etc.
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    As said above, if you can a get a list of the owner name and the email address, you could set up a mail merge to email the fyler out. but I would say, why not create a newsletter that you send out maybe once a month or every quater. If you send bluk mail, there are services which you could use and you can give the client an option to cancel the newsletter. Most people don't, but atl east this way it would not get put down as Spam.
    I like the newsletter option as, you can give a client usefull infomation about the indusrty and what is happening. If the articles are very interesting, client will keep the name in mind. sort of a soft sale approach.

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    Quinn

    1. I have learned over the years that D marketing is very successful if you launch an intensive campaign. Results are as much as 18% per project.

    2. Yes, research shows it's spam. Best way to approach it: Be guest marketer and not an intruder and you'll be rewarded.

    3. Please, please don't go and just sell. This is dangerous in its simplicity. Prove to your client that you bring value first by solving thier pain and then ask for business. Do this to the right "farmed selected" target market.

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