Colorful and animated Websites are great things, but a preponderance of great things starts to become a whole lot of the same thing. The question is, how can you drive prospects to your Website? While search engines are important, what's the best way to entice prospects to visit your Website directly?
Staying power
Direct mail has permanence. Although some direct mail is discarded, some is filed for future reference. And even if discarded, direct mail still requires a certain degree of your recipient's attention. Before a mailpiece sees the inside of the trash can or recycling bin, the recipient will pick it up, look at it, and then make a decision as to its relevance, whether to toss the mailpiece or save it.
Most marketing e-mail doesn't enjoy this much attention, and it's getting worse. The Federal Trade Commission and America Online have taken steps to stop illicit e-mail. These aren't legitimate advertising messages from your printer or office products supplier. They're communications of questionable taste and origin. Although no one disagrees that blocking derogatory messages is a good thing, the stage maybe set for blocking all e-mail advertising, regardless of its merit. The few have spoiled it for the many.
This doesn't imply that e-mail has no place in the marketing mix. Its importance is key and should be part of most campaigns. The point is e-mail complements, rather than competes, with direct mail as a means to drive prospects to your Website.
Mailpiece format
Driving prospects to your Website can be accomplished with something as basic as a postcard. If you're using the Web as a selling mechanism, a full-color, multipage catalog may not be necessary. Consider the economics of printing and postage when determining the best mailpiece format. And, while hard costs are important, don't forget that you have a single objective: results.
Amongthe more cost-effective formats, trifolded self-mailers perform double-duty. They're effective for driving prospects to your Website and useful as handouts for tradeshows and client visits. There's little "barrier to entry" as found with envelopes, and your Web address can be displayed on the front and on the address panel. A self-mailer is commonly 8 1/2 x 11 inches, folded with three panels of information, making it useful as a brochure. There's an address panel and a panel formatted as a Business Reply card. The strongest benefit of the trifold self-mailer is it provides the recipient with four response methods: the Web, phone, fax, and mail.
To get your Web address on a prospect's desk, the postcard is king. The postcard has zero "barriers to entry." The recipient has no choice but to see your Web address when shuffling through the mail. Remember your URL must be accompanied by a compelling headline, enticing graphics, and a relevant offer. Postcards can be printed many to a sheet, and printing and letter shop charges are low. Postcard postage is also a bargain. Cards meeting the postal service's size requirements enjoy First Class Mail service for about 35 percent less than the price of a First Class stamp.
Copy, content, and offer
Your Web address is printed in 48-point lype on a florescent yellow postcard. Visible information for sure, but it doesn't compel anybody to do anything. There must be a reason for the recipient to move. Sell the visit to your site, but be sure to include a payoff. No payoff equals no response.
Consider these ideas.
* Focus on "free." Overused as it is, "free" is still a powerful word. It works in virtually any industry. In retail, it could be a coupon for a free pair of socks to accompany the shoes advertised. The recipient must visit the Website to get the coupon. In professional services, it could be a free "financial health" calculator for responding to a financial planner's postcard.
* Augment the offer in the prospect's hands. For example, a specially advertising company sends an imprinted ruler as a sample of their work. You're directed to the company's Website for additional free samples. To receive the samples, you answer a few qualifying questions.
* Promote a contest. The recipient must visit your Website and answer qualifying questions to be entered in a drawing for tickets to an event or a significant prize. Check with the laws in your state regarding contests before initiating this type of campaign.
Mailpiece personalization
Personalization adds importance and credibility to the mailpiece. You're using my name and talking to me. It feels better than "valued customer." This is easy with today's direct impression printers and mailing software.
In addition to a personalized address, direct impression printers and software with variable text can add personalized teaser copy to the mailer. For example, "Mike, visit www. mycoolWebsite.com for your FREE marketing report" is more compelling than a URL alone. Some direct impression printers can print this message in color for more visibility.
Accountability
Accountability is the friend or foe of many a marketing campaign. You have a great product, an aggressive strategy, an enticing mailpiece, and a responsive list. That's a start. Accountability enters when response must be attributed to the direct mail campaign. The campaign cost X. It returned Y. Was it successful? How do you know that your postcard drove prospects to the Website to place an order or voice a need for your product?
Ingenious marketers are on a constant quest to improve tracking not only from direct mail, but other media as well. While that's true, here are a few tried-and-true methods.
* When in doubt, ask Simple and low tech, but nonetheless effective, have visitors to your Website complete an information or premium request that asks them what prompted their visit to your Website. Using a drop down box is easiest. The drawback is that the visitor may simply choose the first choice in the menu in the interest of saving time, rather than indicating the medium that actually drove them to your Website.
* Use a micro site. A micro site is nothing more than a page that can be accessed only with a unique URL listed on the mailpiece. Your Website hosting company can tell you the number of hits the micro site receives. That's one level of accountability. The next level is determining the number of solid information requests or orders versus the number of hits.
* Use a code. If you shop by catalog, you know this one. Above the address is a code assigned to you. When an order is placed, this code gives the cataloger a number of specifics. The idea is easily translated to your Website. The delivery address on your postcard could include a code indicating the mailing specifics. When the prospect places the information or premium request, he or she is prompted for the code.
The list
While the direct mail strategy discussed is sound, we can't overlook one of the basic components of direct mail success: the list. Mail must reach someone who cares before the Website is visited. Without a relevant list, the remainder of the campaign at best ineffective.
House lists are terrific for cross-selling customers. However, prospecting for new business may require a list broker. Finding a great mailing list is another discussion; however, the short version equates to looking at your current customers, then finding a list with other people like them.
Good marketing is still good marketing
The principles of a solid direct mail campaign haven't changed, even with the proliferation of the Internet. Creativity, a qualified list, and a persuasive offer are still critical to success. Driving prospects to your Website makes direct mail more powerful by providing sight, sound, and an interactive experience.
Michael Maguire is director of marketing for Datatech SmartSoft Inc.
COPYRIGHT 2003 Quality Publishing
COPYRIGHT 2003 Gale Group
