# Direct Mail



## lkt1954 (Nov 15, 2009)

We are looking to do a direct mail campaign and need to know a good company that can provide full service- from creating the mailer to mailing it.

Does anyone have a good suggestion of who to use for this?

Thanks
Larry


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## dlac (Apr 8, 2008)

Do you have your mailing list? How big is it.. is the mailer going to be like a one page flyer? Maybe I can help, maybe not.. play here or come to [email protected]
dlac


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## lkt1954 (Nov 15, 2009)

No I do not have a mailing list. What I am looking for is a turn-key job from providing the mailing list, creating the flyer (large postcard) to mailing it.

Thanks


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## headfirst (Jun 29, 2011)

Don't throw your money away. A postcard should be the 4th mailing, at best!

Direct mail is great, but from your postings you will be just another direct mail victim. 

You need to write your sales piece. No one else is going to know your business as good as you will. Have someone print it, but don't let them create it. You'll get some BS "branding" piece that wont sell anything.

The questions you need to answer first are:
1- Who are you selling to? Who are your customers?
2- What are you selling to them? 
3- What is the next step you want them to take?
4- Why should the prospect do business with you versus *any* and *every* other possible choice?

Come back with those answers and I'll help you figure this out.


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## lkt1954 (Nov 15, 2009)

Patrick:

I have no problem writing what I want the card to say and promote, I should have said print instead of create in my earlier post.

To answer your questions:

1) We are looking to expand into surrounding counties. Our populations is 15,000+/- and the four surrounding counties have 3-4 small towns (less than 5,000) that we want to target. Basically trying to spread the word on the various services that we offer. Our current customer core is booster clubs, various sports leagues and a fair amount of individual traffic, so we are looking to replicate that.

2) We want to promote our new sequin machine as well as our dtg business. In addition promote our other products such as signs, vehicle lettering, embroidery, etc.

3) Obviously the next step would be for them to contact us about quoting/provide their needs.

4) Being fairly rural there are very few places that offer the services that we offer. Our goal is to get them into our business instead of ordering on line from like Custom Ink, ect. We stress that being local we can meet their needs better than the online companies (try needing 3 more shirts from an online printer and see what they cost).

All these communities are within an hour to hour/half from us so distance is not a real issue, its spreading the word on what we have to offer.

Thanks for the questions and I hope my replies help.

Larry


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## selanac (Jan 8, 2007)

Wow, sounds like you're getting some great advice.


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## VTG (Dec 16, 2010)

Larry,

I agree with Patrick and I'd strongly encourage you to pay close attention to question 4.



headfirst said:


> 4- Why should the prospect do business with you versus *any* and *every* other possible choice?


The answer to this question is the key to helping you create a "unique value proposition". This is what you'll communicate to your current and future customers (the one's that you want to attract and retain).

You've already stated that you want to spread the word about the services that you offer ... and ... it sounds like you believe you can provide better services to the surrounding communities because you're "local". Now you just have to expand or explain your position in a compelling way. In other words, you have to clearly and concisely tell your customers "what's in it for them".

- What "promise" or "guarantee" are you willing to make and keep.
- What differentiates you from every other business who provides the same products and services (other than the fact that you are local).
- Avoid the temptation to be "lowest price in town", unless this is your goal.
- Try to include a "call to action" (call us for a free quote, contact us for a free sample, get XX% off your first order, etc).
- Keep your message short, specific, and to the point.

Once you've develop your "unique value proposition", you can use it on all on of your marketing materials (website, business card, brochures, flyers, direct mail, etc).

Just my two cents, for what it's worth.

Good luck.


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## headfirst (Jun 29, 2011)

VTG said:


> Larry,
> 
> I agree with Patrick and I'd strongly encourage you to pay close attention to question 4.
> 
> ...


Larry - I quoted this whole post because you should read it at twice. 

I suspect John and I have studied some of the same materials. Keep reading his post until it makes sense.

Your value proposition or Unique selling proposition can also be the answer to the question "What do you do?"

And the right answer isn't a single word answer, don't say screen print or embroider or even spangle.

Do you work with booster clubs to create amazing multimedia spiritwear that they can resell for a profit at their next fundraiser? 

Or, do you create amazing teamwear that will make their players look as good as they play? Or look even better than they play?

What can you offer in your mailing to get them to work with you instead of one of your competitors? 

Can you offer free shipping? How about free screens or even half price setups? What about free artwork? 

What do you have at your disposal that you can leverage to create an offer that makes the reader pick up the phone or go to your website?

I have a great artist that can knock out a design with a little bit of customer input in about 20 minutes. I always sell with free design. They have to put their deposit down first, but its an easy hook. My mailer is covered with artwork he's created for customers. The envelope, the back of each page of the letter are all covered with artwork we've created for customers. 

Speak directly to what your customer really wants. If you're selling to booster clubs what about design and order forms? What about shipping? What can you offer to drive them to pick up the phone?

Speaking of the phone, is that how you want them to contact you? I prefer to drive leads to the website. I send them to a form that allows them to schedule a call on their time with our concierge t-shirt team. I give them a direct access line that goes direct to a live person if they have a t-shirt emergency, but otherwise I get them to schedule their own call. 

There's so much to do, but I wouldn't do a postcard. I send out a 4 page full color mailer with a custom full color print envelope. 

Direct mail is an awesomely powerful tool for marketing in our industry but almost everyone does it wrong. 

If you have a good list you don't need to spend a ton. A roll of 100 stamps is $46. If you have a copier or color printer figure out your cost per print and figure out what the average booster club order costs. 

I'm rambling all over the place and its almost midnight. I'll pop into this thread tomorrow and see if I can offer some more info.

Good luck with it!


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## lkt1954 (Nov 15, 2009)

Thanks You'll.......great advise. We have a trifold brochure that expalins our company,services and what we have to offer above the rest that I plan on using with a introduction letter restating the "WIFM"- whats in it for me. We have a website to drive them to so they can see some of our work and services. Good products are not cheap and cheap products are not good and with that we promote the ability to create artwork unique to the customer, qualitity products, experience in working with clubs/organizations to meet their needs to mention a few. Here is the back of our brochure.

One of my concerns is getting a good mailing list to make this work.

Thanks
Larry


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## headfirst (Jun 29, 2011)

lkt1954 said:


> Thanks You'll.......great advise. We have a trifold brochure that expalins our company,services and what we have to offer above the rest that I plan on using with a introduction letter restating the "WIFM"- whats in it for me. We have a website to drive them to so they can see some of our work and services. Good products are not cheap and cheap products are not good and with that we promote the ability to create artwork unique to the customer, qualitity products, experience in working with clubs/organizations to meet their needs to mention a few. Here is the back of our brochure.
> 
> One of my concerns is getting a good mailing list to make this work.
> 
> ...


That's a tough one with booster clubs. The parents on the club change every year.


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## lkt1954 (Nov 15, 2009)

Patrick- I totally agree with you on that, but we work on establishing a good relationship with numerous members in each booster club to help with the turnover from year to year. A free shirt here and there for a parent does wonders.

Thanks


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## lkt1954 (Nov 15, 2009)

I checked with a mailing company in the closest city to us and they gave me a rough quote of $.38 per piece to do a mailing which included the list they would pull, bulk postage and I furnish the envelopes and inserts. They said they had 15,000 names that equals $ 5.700.00 for one mailing.

That seems way out of line if you ask me. Who is someone that is good and affordable to get a list from or do the mailing??


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## headfirst (Jun 29, 2011)

I'm still going to tell you to do it in-house.

A 15k piece mailer is huge for your first run. You really want to budget and plan for sending 3-4 pieces to each person on the list. We send 10 days a part in the sequence of letter, letter, letter, postcard.

Just to do it right you're looking at an investment with them of $17,100.

If you do it in-house you can mail as you can afford it. We send out 500-800 pieces per week which translates into 25-30 phone calls per week and 20-25 quotes. I have the processes in place to handle that, to track the mailings and find out which letter drove which call. 

Now, if for example your list and mailer converts at about the same rate (it wont) that means you could get 563 calls from that mailing. How many phone lines do you have? How many customer service operators do you have? Busy signal? you blew it. Didn't return the call right away? You blew it. Didn't get the quote back quickly? Guess what, you blew it again. Do you have a full time estimator for those ~400 estimates you're going to have to write if you do it right?

You can't call these people back next month and tell them "Hi this is Larry, you called last month looking for a quote..." They won't want to talk to you, and rightly so.

Go smaller and make sure the list is focused. Ask them where the list came from. Are they people that really want to hear from you?


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## GordonM (May 21, 2012)

lkt1954 said:


> I plan on using with a introduction letter restating the "WIFM"- whats in it for me.


Okay, I know you asked regarding the mechanical aspect of the mailer, but as you posted a portion of your flyer, I thought I'd chime in with a comment regarding the content.

Although the spirit is there in your example, it doesn't say anything your competitors haven't been saying for the years they've been in business. Everyone says they've got good price. Everyone says they give good service. Everyone says "we look forward to..." yada, yada.

I'm assuming some stunning graphics go with this. You're in a graphics business, and your potential customers will want to see examples of neat art, attractive models, and everything else that goes into this type of mailer.

You should consider soliciting testimonials from customers (don't make them up, that's now illegal). Use a few of those as quote bursts in place of the text in your example sheet.

Directly ASK for their business with a REAL benefit to them:

Dudsville closer: "We look forward to hearing from you!"
Proven closer: "Save 25% on your first order! But hurry -- offer expires December 1"

Wording like "We have extended hours to accommodate our customers..." Thud. First, avoid addressing customers in the third person. Second, don't tell, show. It should be more like: "We're here when you need us! Call 800-xxx-xxxx 7am to 8pm, Monday through Saturday." (Or whatever your actual hours are.)

There are some great books, many of them older and available at your public library, on creating motivational mail pieces.


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## gijoe985 (Sep 15, 2009)

Gordon or Patrick, do you guys have any particular books or online articles that you'd suggest for beginners in direct mailing? I've been considering it as well. I tried email, but I think actual mail might be easier. Or a combination. Unlike the OP I create my own designs and am hoping to get them carried in stores that carry similar designs.


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## headfirst (Jun 29, 2011)

gijoe985 said:


> Gordon or Patrick, do you guys have any particular books or online articles that you'd suggest for beginners in direct mailing? I've been considering it as well. I tried email, but I think actual mail might be easier. Or a combination. Unlike the OP I create my own designs and am hoping to get them carried in stores that carry similar designs.


I recommend just about anything by Dan Kennedy. A good place to start would be "No B.S. Direct Marketing: The Ultimate, No Holds Barred, Kick Butt, Take No Prisoners Direct Marketing for Non-direct Marketing Businesses" book.

You can probably find it at your library.


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