These Four Things Will Make Your Direct Marketing Successful

Direct marketing is built on four things. The other way to look at it is that when you think direct marketing is not working only one of four things can be wrong. Let's look at each.

1. The Target ? This is who you are sending your marketing to. The target is your list and the list is your market. These are the people most interested in what you have to say, what you have to offer and what you have to sell. These are interested prospects, hopefully, that will want what you have to sell. If this group does not want or need what you have then your target needs changed. Your target does not represent your market in this case.

When working with list brokers, you can specify what your ideal target, ideal client or market should be. This is where most people think of demographics. How big a company is, what the income is or sales level is, where they are located, their age, their family size, etc. All of this defines your target and the tighter the definition of your target, the higher the probability of success.

TO-DO: Write out the description of your ideal client. Contact list brokers and see how many of these there are. Make sure to specify geographical areas. Determine the cost of such a list. Buy the list and start mailing to it over and over and over on a frequent, consistent basis.

2. The Vehicle ? This is what you are sending to your list. In the world of direct mail its pretty simple: A letter, A postcard, A catalog or a three dimensional package. Professional companies like letters. People that are on the run, multi-tasker entrepreneurs may prefer postcards. C-level officers buying high ticket items may prefer a package. Consider this when determining your direct marketing campaign budget and base it on what you think your target market will want.

3. The Message ? This component of direct marketing is what you are saying to your market; to your audience; to your list. This is also where you develop and communicate the offer that you are seeking a response to. Your job with the message is to communicate benefit oriented information and advantages that will motivate the prospect to take some type of action. The action might be a sale, a phone call, a visit or a web-site visit.

Think of a coupon. That is a response mechanism. The prospect sees the value and product offering on the coupon and visits a place of business and redeems it, all conforming to benefit communication and motivation to action.

4. Frequency ? So many times people try direct marketing and give up because of low response. They typically give up before giving the campaign enough time to work. We are inundated with marketing messages everyday, therefore it takes repetition and consistency of delivering that message to match up with timing and desire to the point where the prospect will take action.

The rule of thumb is 6-8 times will create the top of mind awareness in the mind of your prospect so that they think of you, your product or service when their need or want arises.

Concentrating on just these four marketing components will help you develop the highest probable direct marketing campaign for your products and services.

Get a free 7 step PR plan by sending a blank email to prplan@market-for-profits.com or get a report on how to instantly add 50 people to your network by going to http://www.market-for-profits.com. Also visit http://www.directmailmarketingsuccess.com for over 300 tips, techniques and tactics on direct mail.

Al Lautenslager is a speaker, author, business owner, consultant, a certified guerrilla marketing coach who helps businesses and professionals increase their revenue through focused marketing and an increased client base. He is the bestselling co-author of Guerrilla Marketing in 30 Days and a featured business coach for entrepreneur.com. He can be contacted through his website, http://www.market-for-profits.com

---

Five Most Common Mistaken Beliefs About Joint Venture Marketing

Apart from being the fastest, easiest, and most profitable strategy... Read More

Are You Attracting or Repelling Prospects?

There are basically two ways in which you can either... Read More

How To Bond With Customers So That They Stay With You Longer

How many of your customers are loyal customers? More importantly... Read More

Direct Marketing ? Brand Identity Guru Tips

If your company doesn't have a direct marketing program in... Read More

Blowing Your Own Horn

Opportunity Assistance Business Resource Center At first you must think... Read More

7 Proven Tips To Market Your Cleaning Business

Marketing your cleaning business is something that you will already... Read More

Niche Marketing: The Affiliate Angle

If you're just dipping your toes into the waters of... Read More

Pre-Cleaning and Updating Addresses in Your Database

When you send a direct mail piece using the Addressed... Read More

Why Market to Generation X?

Generation X"--the 40 million or so people born between 1965... Read More

Teaming Up Marketing and Sales

The Pitchers: SalesLet's say you have a new baseball team... Read More

Four Simple Ways to Cut Your Trade Show Marketing Budget in Half

Many times when a trade show is planned for there... Read More

Top 10 Ways to Create and Manage Opportunity

Most of us are used to the concepts of risk... Read More

How to Get the Right Clients and Avoid the Wrong Ones

If you are like most service professionals and small business... Read More

A Great Marketing Model ? Utilizing the Power of OPM

Staying ahead of the marketing curve seems to be a... Read More

Common Exhibit Marketing Mistakes: Ten Tips on How to Avoid Them

The key to great exhibiting is marketing. But marketing is... Read More

Fern Reisss PublishingGame.com: Achieve Media Attention for Your Business

Do you want to be quoted by the national press... Read More

How Much Is Your Popcorn Worth? Powerful Lessons In Marketing & The Psychology Of Selling ? Part 6

How Much Is Your Popcorn Worth?: Powerful Lessons In Marketing... Read More

Marketing the Government for Profit

Steps and tips on marketing your business to the government.Fact:... Read More

Build Lifelong Networks With Your Own Barter Group

I don't know if you have ever seriously considered bartering.... Read More

Let Your Survey Write Your Business Plan

Most entrepreneurs first write their business plan and then develop... Read More

8 Ways to Fill a Workshop in a Bum Economy

Yes, you can fill a workshop when spending is down... Read More

Effective Marketing for Small Businesses

Effective marketing for the small business begins with market researchIf... Read More

Mail Can Make You Money

Are you still waiting for business to turn around before... Read More

Customers: The Key To Successful Marketing

How well do you know your customers?What is the primary... Read More

Effective Marketing

For any business to be successful whether on or offline... Read More

Three Ways to Put Fresh Spins on Old Marketing Concepts

Are you struggling to find a new twist for... Read More

Learn How to Market Your eBusiness in Real Time: Dissect, Study, Emulate

Everything you will ever need to know about internet marketing... Read More

Your Marketing Plan - Prerequisite to Success

Marketing is a vital aspect of a business' operations. It... Read More

Word of Mouth Marketing

'Word of Mouth' is still one of the most effectivemarketing... Read More

Do You Have This Important Tool in Your Marketing Arsenal?

Many business owners do not understand the authenticity and validation... Read More

Unique Gift Items ? 3 Creative Ideas

With promotional items there are standards: t-shirts, mugs, note cubes,... Read More

Creating Your Future with a Marketing Plan

Almost everyone who dreams of starting their own business is... Read More

Niches - The Path to More Profits

Hey, as business owners we CAN'T be all things for... Read More