Message Marketing - Direct Mail

Welcome to the Make It Happen Podcast brought to you from Strategies for Small Businesses (#SFSB).  We are continuing with the Message Marketing Series. Through this series I have covered an introduction to Message Marketing , Email Marketing, Text Message Marketing and Social Media Message Marketing. Today we will focus on our final piece in Message Marketing, Direct Mail and using it for Marketing Purposes.

YEP, Direct Mail ... Snail Mail… Pony Express…  it is still valuable and it does increase revenue along with expanding your email marketing lists & text messaging lists.

In this digital age, people look forward to messages and notes in the mail. Of course not the junk mail, but an actual meaningful message. 

You can send flyers or promotional offers that resemble advertisements you currently receive, but they don’t generate an increase in response or engagement. 

Break the marketing mold!

You can change it up and create heartfelt, useful information, special content postcards and greeting cards to your current clientele and even prospects. They become GAME CHANGERS, I promise!

Response Rate

The response rate for direct mail is 4.4 percent, compared to a 0.12 percent response rate for email (Dec 2020), and you can increase this percentage with heartfelt messages.

 

What is a “heartfelt” message?

A Heartfelt message is one that contains a true investment with the receiver. 

Examples:

  • Happy Birthday
  • Happy Anniversary
  • Sympathy
  • Congratulations–not only on their successes but also when you see successes in their families since people share moments in Social Media freely.
  • Reminders about services clients and prospects might need to come back for. Hey have busy lives. Help them out, but don’t be too pushy.
  • Check in just to say Hi, and remind them you are there if they need anything.
  • On-boarding steps to be taken for new people to your business.
These are just a few of the reasons for sending heartfelt messages to your list.

What businesses can benefit the most from Direct Mail? The simple answer is ALL, but some businesses can see a greater exchange in engagement than others.  

I recommend the following small businesses use direct mail to connect with their current clientele, and I would even risk saying it is a must:

  • Insurance Offices
  • Realtors
  • Personal Care Providers, i.e. Massage Therapists (privately owned and also massage facilities)
  • Hair Care Specialists
  • Estheticians
  • Home Cleaning Technicians
  • Sales Offices
  • Locally Owned Restaurants
  • Food/Supplies - private supplies, i.e., local farms to their buyers
  • Activity/Event Locations, i.e. Dance Studios, Play Places, Golf Courses, and so on.
  • Coaches and Consultants

I invite you to go over to StrategiesForSmallBusinesses.com and download the Branding and Purpose Checklist. This will help you work through the questions you need to answer and really helps you have a focused dive into all of your Branding.

If you have any questions, remember we're always here for you. Just utilize the question button on the website and will get back to you.

Thank you

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Several businesses I have worked with  have increased their revenue just by taking a moment to reach out to their clients and prospects.

“Yes,” you might be saying, “but this is so time consuming and I’m already short on time or Where will I find the time to send cards/postcards?”

The brilliant part of this is using an automation tool to do it for you. Using an amazing tool that you can set up and let work for you is another way to leverage your time, while also building your engagement and revenue.

I recommend Mailbox Power 

 It is a tool I use and also recommend to my small business clients. MailBox Power has plans that can get you started on the right foot using their tools to build your business. Theory system helps you automate communications and still retain the personal feel with your prospects, business connections, and customers/clients while spreading positivity and joy!

Create a card, insert a personal message and the tool will then merge in your recipient’s info–such as name and key other points you know about – to complete the message. 

The next step is to personalize by designing the cover image including pictures inside, along with your message. You can even create a QR Code if you want the recipient to see something. Personalize your message even more by sending gifts along with your card. Choose your gifts from a well-stocked catalog. Larger businesses can have your own swag stocked to ship with your messages!

Some recommendations for business specifics:

Insurance Agents:

  • Stay in front of your clients, reach out to them to see if they would like you to review their current policies to see if there is anything that can be updated or changed to benefit them.
  • Do a check-in before summer asking, “Hey, did you get any new toys for the summer that might need to be covered so your investment stays safe?”
  • Check in if you have any new services you offer - like you started offering health care along with other insurance policies you write.
  • If you know your customers have a small business,send a card asking if they have small business insurance. If they do, ask if they’d like you to do a complimentary comparison to see if you can save them money. If they do not have a policy in place, explain why such coverage is important.
  • Business personalized swag


Realtors:

  • Connect with people when they are going through the “pending sale/purchase” process, consoling them that it is a waiting period and reassuring them you are here.
  • Congratulate your new buyers with a perfect 5x7 frame-able image of them in front of their new home, memorializing the moment.
  • Congratulate your sellers on the move they made to sell their home wishing them well in their new adventure and ask if there is anything you can help them with in the future. Again, remind them you are there for them.
  • Check in with your buyers and sellers telling them you would love to hear what they are up to these days.
  • Connect with your sellers and buyers asking for referrals and testimonials.
  • Ask satisfied clients for Yelp reviews
  • Business personalized swag.



Local Small Businesses/Restaurants:

  • Thank customers/clients for visiting
  • Offer Birthday Specials during their birthday month
  • Discount for special meal or buy one-get one
  • Ask for testimonial/review with a link or QR code in it to a form page to take the testimonial/review
  • Invite a friend to join you to shop or eat here discount for the meal (this will add to your list)
  • Business personalized swag.



Auto Repair:

  • Welcome new customers to your service center
  • Send out 6-month reminders for oil changes
  • Specials on tiles/oil changes/other services
  • Introduce prospects to all you do at your service center
  • Invite new customers to give you a review
  • Business personalized swag.

Online businesses will benefit just as much from this form of connection with prospects and current clients. This brings the “virtual” relationship to a more personal friend level.

I can remember back when I started my business, I was taking a training class on 1Shoppingcart to expand my knowledge. It was a great class! We had to take the training then do the homework and turn it in so the instructor would make sure we were getting what she was teaching. 

It was a 6-week class. I made every class until my sister fell ill. It was sudden and within 3 days she passed. I missed a session and two homework turn-ins. The instructor noticed I was not there. It was out of character and so she reached out to me to “call me to the carpet” for being MIA… I apologized for not having time to reach out to her and explained what happened and she extended my training BUT she also took it further.  he sent me a card with a heartfelt message and peaceful thoughts for the loss of my sister.  

This was 15 years ago and I STILL remember this and it is still an emotional moment that someone that I have never “met” took the time to support me. Still today, I fully support her business and training and recommend her to those who might benefit from what she teaches.

No matter what business you are in, these small gestures go a long way!

Take the time to invest in those that support you and your business no matter what that is. You have the chance to build relationships, loyalty to you and your brand, and create a buzz that leads to building your database. 

Just remember the key to success is a heartfelt message! If you would like to try using MailBox Power for Direct Mail please go here and register for $24 ($14 monthly and $10 to get your wallet started to send)  

The amazing part of this program is this: not only can you send a heartfelt message, but also personalized gifts. 

If you need help with integrating direct mail into your personal marketing plans/funnels, reach out to us. We at Strategies For Small Businesses look forward to helping you build and support your community/tribe/database.

We’d love to work with you in building your support team, whether it's SFSB or another company. We specialize in working as part of a team and building those relationships.

We look forward to hearing from you so you can work with an expert to help you grow your business!

To gain access to more free strategies for small businesses, or to stay connected, visit our website at StrategiesForSmallBusinesses.com. Connect with us on Facebook. https://web.facebook.com/sfsbagency

If you have any questions, need any support, or you need any ideas, feel free to reach out to us on the form provided HERE. We're here to support you.

2. You can also use the button and set up a quick call with me. It's absolutely free. I'd love to talk with you if you have questions about anything.

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The biggest thing to make note of and always remember is this: don't hesitate to reach out when you need support! You don’t have to do it all alone, or become an expert on every working item, marketing plan, nurturing cycle, and tech piece in your business. Focus on your clients and get help with the rest!

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Christina Littrell-Williams

Christina is trained in Sales Funnel Success. Marketing is her passion. She is a Certified Partner with InfusionSoft. She works in different platforms designing successful marketing funnels for her clients. She invests the time to get to know her clients, their market, their strengths and their weaknesses in order to build out full bodied funnels. With over 13 years’ experience in this field, Christina brings a lot to the table. Along with a joyful heart and integrity mindset she supports the growth of several businesses on their paths to success.

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