| Direct Mail That Rings Your Chimes ? Part Two |
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| Written by Tim Taylor |
| Sunday, 30 April 2006 16:00 |
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Last month we discussed why your advertising may not be working as well as it used to, why it costs more, and how the consumer is avoiding your message in almost every media source except one-direct mail. Yes, your customers only have one mailbox and only one way to receive their mail. Theyll be impacted by your message, good or bad, and its your job to make sure you hit them with something that rings their chimes. As we continue this month, I want to address how to coordinate your budget and direct mail strategies to build a completely cohesive and high-impact advertising campaign.
If you spend $25,000 on direct mail twice a month, and one mailer hits and one misses, youve effectively doubled the cost of each piece of mail that month and added more stress to your life. Instead, create a monthly campaign that will build your business for the whole month, not just a hurried weekend sale.
Lets take that same $50,000 budget and spread it over the entire month. Use only one piece, coordinated with your theme of the month. Print all 80,000 pieces at once and mail 20,000 pieces each week to new customers so it hits their mailbox on Wednesday or Thursday. This will take the pressure and stress out of your mailing and create a buy in by your staff because you are creating a steady flow of ups, making the traffic more manageable and in bite-size pieces. Your staff, your management and you are happier because you are not just working the numbers, but working the customers and training your staff to build relationships with each and every person that walks in the door. Most dealers tell me they have a 20 percent closing ratio, but are often so far off the numbers that they are more realistically somewhere in the low teens. When you have 250 people show up in 2 days with just ten salespeople on the floor, there is no way each of them can meet, greet, and qualify each person that walks in the door. It may work for the first two hours, but eventually you will get a rush and end up with a packed showroom of disgruntled people waiting for your attention. How many deals will you lose because no one welcomes the customer to your store?
Treat direct mail as the best media you have. Find someone you trust and build loyalty with them. Bring them into the marketing meeting and make them a vital partner in your overall campaign. . Remember to look at the total months budget and not a hit and miss mail drop. Tie your advertising media together, build from a budget, find a mail partner you like and trust, and you will build a marketing strategy. Be patient because once you start, it takes time, just like anything you do. Remember, consistency and continuity win the race.
Tim Taylor, CEO of ACME Publishing, Inc. and ACMEAutoZone.com can be reached at 801-272-1445 or email him at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . |
