Increase Your Response with Multi-Step Marketing

"There is only one way to judge the effectiveness of a marketing piece, and that is by the number of responses you get." - Heidi Richards -

Multi-step marketing is a simple yet extremely powerful strategy when you use it to its full potential. Multi-step marketing is selling people who have contacted you and asked for information about your product or service; a great way to build your own mailing list of prospects and customers.

You are able to send multiple mailings to those same people from which you have created your own mailing list. The key to multi-step marketing is following up with the prospects using an intensive direct mail campaign. How do you develop your multi-step marketing campaign? Follow these four simple steps... click here to read the entire article.

Step One Use some sort of direct response advertising to obtain your "leads." Your ads should have a powerful headline directed at your target audience that causes them to read the rest of the ad and respond. The purpose of your ad is to arouse the reader's or listener's curiosity, getting them to call. Always offer them something for free. Your goal in step one is to generate leads.

Step Two

Your prospect reads the ad and calls - leaving her name and address or she writes to you for more information. Using voice mail almost always generates more leads because people want things quickly and easily. Thank the prospect for calling, state a couple of major benefits, and end by asking for her name and address. The message should be between one and two minutes - no more. The goal in step two is to record your leads.

Step Three

Send your direct response offer to the prospect. These prospects fall into one of three categories. We'll call them cold, warm and hot prospects. A Cold prospect is slightly interested; she is looking and will not buy. These prospects represent a small percentage of your inquiries. A Warm prospect is very interested, but not ready to buy. They represent the majority of your inquiries. A Hot prospect is very interested and ready to buy. They also represent a small percentage of your inquiries.

Step Four

Follow up with mailings to prospects who didn't buy. Repeat this step again and again. According to "Sales and Marketing Magazine," 80% of all people who inquire about a product buy that product within one year, but not from the company that made the original contact. Why? Because the company didn't follow up. It generally takes at least five contacts with a prospect who showed interest in the product or service you offer before they will buy from you. If you are successful with the initial mailing, you can expect 30 to 70 percent in leads turning into customers with follow up mailings.

You don't have to change the entire mailing each time. Generally changing the cover letter and making minor changes to the mailing is sufficient. Remember that one of your biggest expenses is getting the prospect. By following these four steps you can watch your sales and profits sky-rocket!

Excerpted from The PMS Principles - Powerful Marketing Strategies to Grow Your Business © 2005 - Heidi Richards

Heidi Richards is the author of The PMS Principles, Powerful Marketing Strategies to Grow Your Business and 7 other books. She is also the Founder & CEO of the Women's ECommerce Association, International http://www.WECAI.org (pronounced wee-kī) ? an Internet organization that "Helps Women Do Business on the WEB." Basic Membership is FREE. Ms. Richards can be reached at http://www.HeidiRichards.com. or Heidi@wecai.org

---

Direct Mail Sales Letter Mistakes to Avoid

Some companies that use direct mail to sell their products... Read More

Practical Advice to Generate Successful Campaigns Using Merged Lists

You could end up with poor results when designing a... Read More

Is CRM Technology Living Up To the Hype?

Over the last few years the buzz about CRM (Customer... Read More

5 Tips on Establishing Yourself As An Expert In Your Community

Wondering how to get new patients into your practice? Wondering... Read More

Five Marketing Tips to Double Profits

It's a startling fact: almost all entrepreneurs aren't marketing their... Read More

Postcards Work

What's the fastest, simplest and cheapest way to promote just... Read More

Nurture Sales Leads with Direct Mail Marketing

Direct mail is a cost-effective way to make sales and... Read More

The Art of the Business Card

Use a business card as a note pad for recording... Read More

15-Minute Marketing: Lots of Results in Little Time

Do you think you don't have enough time to market?... Read More

Using Flyers In Your Business

If you are not using flyers in your business you... Read More

Fax Marketing : Reaching a New Niche of Customers

Traditional marketing and advertising assumes that all of your customers... Read More

13 Lessons in Marketing, Super Bowl Style

Each year, the Super Bowl provides marketers opportunity to study... Read More

Embracing The Future - Marketing Yourself, Your Business And Your

IntroductionMany businesses and organisations have a perception that marketing means... Read More

A Pass / Fail Test for Any New Market

If you are considering entering a new target market, with... Read More

What Does Your Business Card Say About You? - Making A Great First Impression!

Interesting article in USA Today that I read this week... Read More

Target Marketing - What Are You Aiming For?

Is Advertising Viable?At the turn of the 20th century, department... Read More

The Value of a Good Sales Letter!

Regardless of how many forms of promotional material you create,... Read More

Fundamental Strategic Marketing Mistakes to Avoid

This is a pretty tough global economy and it is... Read More

Promotions That Build Profit

Promotions are everything you do to let your customers know... Read More

Marketing Miracles - Do They Just Happen?

A simple answer to that is: Yes, Marketing Miracles happen!... Read More

Stop Searching - Joint Ventures are the Solution to Doubling Your Business

First, define the end user (or ideal client) of your... Read More

Real Estate Investing - Writing Killer Postcards to Attract Motivated Sellers!

So many of you have been telling us that you're... Read More

Mortgage Marketing and Advertising ? The Magical Ingredient

Do you offer superior service, consistently close loans on time... Read More

Maximize Your Lead Generation Efforts by Recycling Your Leads

The basic lead generation process is pretty much the same... Read More

There Are Benefits... And Then There Are Benefits

Not all benefits are created equal. Knowing which ones to... Read More

Tie-In With Others To Maximize Your Business Leverage

One of the most rewarding, inexpensive, under-used, and effective methods... Read More

Top 5 Kick Butt Marketing Requirements

Cinch your success with 8-second leaders! Step into the saddle... Read More

Target Marketing: The Bell Curve

Finally, Something You Learned In Math Class Makes Sense In... Read More

Spice It Up! Rib Festival Teaches Us About Product Value

The Rib America Festival is a fun filled family event... Read More

Step by Step Guide to an SMS Campaign

SMS is good for:? Short lead times and immediacy ?... Read More

Get More Clients From Networking - Follow The Rules Of Dating!

If you're a business owner, you probably spend quite a... Read More

Judge Rules in Consultant?s Favor with 80-20 Rule

I opened the registered letter and was shocked. My best... Read More

10 Proven Ways To Accelerate Your Profits

1. Make copies of your web site in many different... Read More