Direct Mail Response Rates Mislead if You are Careless

Written by Alan Sharpe


Continued from page 1

Take a magazine publisher. It mails to 500,000 names, generates only a 1% response rate, yet considersrepparttar mailing a success. But a stock. broker who targets wealthy doctors in Lower Manhattan has different expectations. His lead generation letter needs to generate a response rate of at least 25% because he only mails it to 100 doctors, and he only closes around one in every 25 doctors who responds. A one percent response rate, even if it is an average, is of no use to him.

Average response rates are useful when they are for your product or service and your target audience in particular. If you can discoverrepparttar 150267 response rates that your competitors are generating by mailing sales letters torepparttar 150268 same prospects that you are targeting, then, by all means, use those response rates as a yardstick against which you compare your results. You are talking specifics.

Some response rates for various industries. The Direct Marketing Association (www.the-dma.org) calculatedrepparttar 150269 average response rates for a number of industries:

Fundraising: 5.35% Retail: 3.36% Businesses selling services to businesses 3.34% Manufacturing: 3.17% Personal and repair services 3.07% Travel 2.98% Computer/electronics: 2% Packaged goods: 2%



----

About the author

Alan Sharpe is a business-to-business direct mail copywriter who helps businesses attract customers using direct mail marketing. Sign up for free weekly tips like this at www.sharpecopy.com.


Business Postcard Marketing: 35 Ways to Use It

Written by Alan Sharpe


Continued from page 1
  • show that your real estate firm has listed or sold a home inrepparttar reader’s neighbourhood
  • remind a customer that her car is due for a service
  • announce to clients that you are moving, giving your new address
  • survey your clients
  • announcerepparttar 149484 re-opening of your business after renovations are complete
  • distribute a coupon that givesrepparttar 149485 holder a discount at your store
  • announcerepparttar 149486 opening of a new location near your customers and potential customers
  • remind customers whenrepparttar 149487 product that you sell (such as home heating oil) is ready to be replenished
  • send a follow-up note after sending a sales letter
  • send a thank you note
  • remind customers of a seasonal deadline for ordering
  • announce a retirement
  • capture names and addresses of potential customers by asking them to mail back your warranty card
  • keep in touch with clients with a simple “We’re thinking about you” message
  • introduce a new manager, sales person or customer service rep
  • offer a mystery gift that is redeemed by visiting your business
  • announce that you are going out of business (may it never happen!)


    • ----

    About the author

    Alan Sharpe is a business-to-business direct mail copywriter who helps business owners and marketing managers generate leads, close sales and retain customers using creative direct mail postcard marketing. Learn more about his services and sign up for free weekly tips like this at www.sharpecopy.com.


        <Back to Page 1
     
    ImproveHomeLife.com © 2005
    Terms of Use