Direct Mail: The Secret of the Successful Contrarian Marketer

Direct Mail: The Secret of the Successful Contrarian Marketer:

I’m a self-confessed contrarian. When everyone says social media, I start thinking direct mail… here’s why… Do you remember the days when your mailbox was chock full of ‘junk mail’? As a direct marketer, one of your largest concerns was trying to differentiate your offer from the stacks of postcards, #10 envelopes and self-mailers in your prospect’s mail box. Not so much anymore. The talk around the water cooler concerns getting the most followers on Twitter or defeating the spam filter in the email inbox; leaving the mail box relatively empty and ripe for the savvy contrarian marketer.

But just because the mailbox isn’t full of your competitor’s propaganda doesn’t mean you can simply slap a stamp on any old #10 and expect the phone to start ringing. Oh no. Today, more than ever, you need to do direct mail right if you want results and it’s good to recall the old rules that will have an even greater impact if you choose to be the smart contrarian marketer.

Quality Counts

Quality suffers in today’s 7/24 marketing frenzy. This is especially true of the barrage of online marketing your prospects receive. Most emails demonstrate little thought to proportions of white space and copy (is it even called copy any longer?). Garish graphics are clip-art, or worse. There are spelling errors galore and those darn links everywhere. So when your prospect receives your compelling offer in her mailbox, the quality of your creative can really make an impact. Make your piece something a person wants to hold in their hand and appreciate. When a mailbox has only the newsprint circulars and bills in it, your direct marketing piece done on substantial stock, with authentic images bathed in a silky flood finish that appeals to both the eye and the hands, can give your message that extra 15 – 20 seconds of prospect attention to really make an impact. Quality counts, more than ever.

Authenticity Matters

In 2011 I wrote a blog featuring a great video clip by marketing authenticity guru John Rooks. In the clip Rooks argues that people crave authentic relationships. He goes on to suggest that authenticity is a powerful competitive differentiator in a world where even news takes on the quality of propaganda.

Just the other day I received a postcard urgently proclaiming that a company had been trying to contact me about the free vacation package I had won. I would miss out if I didn’t respond within 24 hours.

The problem was that a) the postcard was addressed to resident rather than to me personally and b) everyone knows that a postcard isn’t a time sensitive delivery format. Not authentic and not worthy of my response. Direct mail, done correctly, creates the opportunity for your business to establish an authentic connection between your brand and your prospect. Make your offer sincere. Make it authentic to what your business stands for. It will pay off in the quality of response you receive.

Smart Segmentation: Build A Great Reputation

Segmentation – analyzing your list to determine those for whom your offer is most relevant – is a practice that separates the great marketers from the also-rans. It doesn’t seem to matter whether it’s email marketing or direct mail, for some reason most marketers just can’t resist blasting their message to everyone within earshot. There’s no quicker way to ruin your reputation than to blast unwanted, irrelevant offers to your prospects. After you’ve created a quality piece with an authentic offer, take the time to segment your list so that those most likely to benefit are on the receiving end. It’ll save you money and help build your reputation as someone worth listening to.

So if you’re the kind of marketer who knows that it’s better to zig when everyone else is doing a zag, re-think direct mail. If all the noise in social media channels has you fighting to get noticed… perhaps you should think different. If you need help creating that quality piece with an authentic offer that will stand out and reach your best prospects in an uncrowded inbox, give the professionals at Innovative Marketing a shout… we’re contrarian’s too.