10 ways to drive more sales and create more opportunities

One of the biggest advantages of using traditional direct mail and e-mail to generate leads is your ability to target specific prospects based on common criteria … and efficiently move them through the sales cycle.

Effective direct marketing programs establish an ongoing dialogue based on your customer’s position in the sales cycle, his obstacles and needs, receptiveness to key messages and the appropriate next step toward closing the sale. Tracking every stage of the process is vital for success.

Follow our top 10 guidelines for your direct marketing programs and drive the sale home.

#1 Pull in your sales team

Do as much research as possible, develop a database and involve your sales team from the beginning. They know which leads have the most potential and they’re accountable for closing them. Your database should capture all relevant information about the entire universe of prospects that can buy your product or service. It is important to have buy-in from your sales team on the criteria used to develop the list and the method for identifying valuable prospects.

#2 Call and boost response

Typical response rates vary from one-tenth of one percent up to 4 percent. Using telemarketing to supplement direct mail efforts can boost response rates into significant double digits. This type of one-two punch works well in B2B direct marketing programs and for offerings that have an extended sales cycle.

#3 Remember other response factors

Overall, the key variables in determining response rates are:

• Respondent database – Fifty percent of your chance of success comes from the fit and quality of your mailing list. Consequently, developing a comprehensive list of sales prospects can have the biggest payoff in terms of higher response rates and closing sales.
• The offer – We’re all pragmatic and can be persuaded to respond. An appealing offer that reinforces your message and value proposition can make or break your response rate. The incentive level should correspond with the perceived value of the product or service. Run a small initial mailing featuring different offers to test which one generates the most response.
• Creative format – Although the package generally has less impact on response rates than the list and offer, it reflects your brand and communicates your key messages.

#4 Target your target audience

The package needs to be tailored to the target audience by tapping into their fears and/or greed — the two basic emotional drivers — and communicating a unique and highly relevant value proposition. Throughout your program, integrate communications in terms of messaging, media, formats, incentives and tracking.

#5 Talk directly to your prospect

Readers pay more attention when you speak directly to them, so personalize your direct marketing package as much as possible. You can do this by addressing the prospect by name and with messaging and an offer that moves him through the sales cycle. Variable data printing technology enables you to do this cost-effectively, even for smaller lists. In body copy, address the reader directly by using the word “you” as well as other individualized words rather than “group” words such as “customers” or “people.”

#6 Track your leads

Direct marketing is a hands-on process and measurement is imperative. Track leads individually and overall based on the source, sales potential, stage in sales cycle and conversion rates. This type of lead tracking system can be integrated with CRM systems to report a set of meaningful metrics to evaluate and optimize your direct marketing program.

#7 Examine lead quantity and quality

Once your program is generating sales leads, evaluate both the quantity and quality of those leads. Based on your quantity/quality objectives, you can decrease lead volume (and increase lead quality) by adjusting your offer, providing a free gift or premium and making it easier to respond by using a toll-free number, user-friendly Web site or postage-paid reply card. You can increase lead quality by asking the prospect for more information, changing the offer and eliminating unrelated gifts or premiums.

#8 Get your e-mail message through

For permission-based e-mail campaigns, the time and day of the week you send the message will impact deliverability. When your audience opens and reads your e-mails will depend on their habits — B2B customers most likely will open them during the workday, while B2C may open them in the evening after work or on weekends. Experiment with different days and times and track which work best.

#9 Keep your e-mail clean

HTML e-mail messages should be less than 40KB in size, or smaller than a Web page. To maximize response rates, keep the design clean, use the above-the-fold area to communicate your offer (not your product shot or elaborate graphics) and lead the prospect to a customized landing page. To avoid spam blockers, make sure your text takes up a lot of space compared with the space taken up by your images.

#10 Stick to the subject

The subject line is a critical element in e-mail campaigns and it can be the sole reason the message gets opened or deleted. Don’t risk losing the audience with redundant subject lines like your company name, date or document name (e.g., Sep. 2004 newsletter). Provide some meaningful or content-related reason for the recipient to open the message and test alternative subject lines before launching a major campaign.

Need better results? Direct marketing is just one business communications solution we’ve provided over the past 25 years. To explore some innovative ways to reach your audience, e-mail Matt Harlow or call 800-800-9547.

Ideas are our product. We work to analyze your markets, isolate your key brand benefits and send clear, focused messages right to your target audience. Messages that build your brand image and achieve what you’re really looking for … measurable results. We call it Communication with insight.^sm