Is Direct Mail Marketing Cost Effective?

Many inexperienced marketing folks will tell you that Direct Mail Marketing is old school. They will tell you that Direct Mail Marketing is not an effective use of your marketing efforts. Nothing could be further from the truth. The real beauty and strength of Direct Mail Marketing is that you can deliver your message to the exact demographic that you desire. Mailing lists are available for nearly everything imaginable. Golfers, Catholics, Republican Men, Doctors, Mexican Restaurants, Toyota Drivers, and New Businesses only scratch the surface on what kind of Mailing List Data is available for purchase. Search the Internet for “Mailing List Companies”, and you will be amazed with the Mailing List Data that is available.

Direct Mail Marketing is Effective

Let’s say that a Hardware company has developed a New & Improved Tool Belt. That company could purchase a Mailing List for plumbers, electricians, carpenters, and contractors within selected States, Counties, Cities, Zip Codes, or Neighborhoods. Every business and/or home address of these targeted professions could then be mailed information regarding this New & Improved Tool Belt. Since they are contacting people that actually use tool belts professionally their efforts don’t fall on deaf ears or blind eyes. In a City of 150,000 residents, there may only be 4,000 or 5,000 residents that meet this companies criteria of being a plumber, electrician, carpenter, or contractor. This company can now send a message directly to these people regarding their New & Improved Tool Belt. There is no wasted effort or wasted dollars on people who are not likely buyers of their New & Improved Tool Belt.

If your potential client base is 4,000 or 5,000 why market to 150,000 hoping the potential clients of 4,000 or 5,000 see your message. Marketing directly to your potential clients and avoiding non-potential clients will save you wasted time, effort, and dollars. Using Direct Mail Marketing our fictitious tool belt company can bypass all those 145,000 non-potential clients and contact only the 4,000 or 5,000 potential clients. Direct Mail Marketing works best for products or services that have a very fragmented or small percentage of the total market. Direct Mail Marketing can be the primary marketing efforts or can be combined with other marketing efforts to spread the message of any company. When you look in your mailbox, notice the Direct Mail Marketing that is taking place, and consider how it could help you and your business.

The DMA (Direct Marketing Association) can be a valuable resource regarding Direct Mail Marketing. In 2014, $46 Billion was invested in Direct Mail Marketing within the United States. That was an increase of $1.2 Billion over 2013. Successful Direct Mail Marketing participants will tell you that the mailing data and the offer are the two most important parts of Direct Mail Marketing. Make certain that your target audience (mailing data) is correct. Don’t mail to Doctors and Attorneys if you are showcasing a new and improved tool belt. Mail to carpenters, plumbers, and electricians. Also, include an offer that has value. $2.00 off a $69.00 tool belt is NOT an offer with meaningful value. $10.00 or $15.00 off a $69.00 tool belt is more in line with an offer of meaningful value in today’s marketplace.

The DMA tells us that most homes in The United States received an average of 19.1 pieces of Direct Mail Marketing every week in 2013. 42% of those recipients read or scan the Direct Mail Marketing received. These statistics are factual and not inflated to enhance this Blog. The DMA has a Direct Mail Marketing Statistical Book available in their online book store. It is full of valuable information that may surprise you.

Do you have a target audience that you would like to contact? Select Marketing would be pleased to provide you with an accurate count of your target audience located within selected zip codes absolutely FREE. Use the Contact Us form and we will also include “Five Tips to Successful Direct Mail Marketing”.