Stick to Direct Marketing Principles and Increase your R.O.I.

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August 8, 2013

Profitability Isn’t a Guessing Game

Its vital that you have a certainty in numbers through response rates and return on investment estimations when investing in a marketing strategy. You cannot calculate response rates by using the internet to send out SPAM, create advertisements, or create hash tags on Twitter. Sure, these methods of indirect marketing work, but there’s really no way to tell how well they actually drive revenue.

When you have the correct percentages on how well a particular form of direct marketing actually works through response rates of cross-media marketing campaigns, then you will know who to target, and who not to target. Why waste money and time sending out fliers and catalogs to those who will never purchase anything from you.

Time is Money

Time is money, and there may be some really cheap or even free forms of advertising available, but even that is wasting you money if it’s not reaching the right people. When you have lists of who to target, you’ll be more confident in sending out and receiving various forms of direct marketing.

You must communicate directly to the consumer and engage them emotionally. If you aren’t giving them a good reason to donate to your non-profit organization, or if they don’t ‘feel’ like they are getting something out of switching from another company to yours, then you have wasted your time as well as theirs.

Types of Direct Marketing

Let’s review those direct marketing principles that can be measured in order to receive an abundance of response rates of cross-media marketing campaigns:

  • Cell Phone Text Messaging– This type isn’t as ‘direct’, but you will be able to calculate your return on investment because of who uses the promotion or coupon when they tell you they are using the coupon from their cell phone.
  • E-Mail – Generating e-mail lists is simple with a great web site. When you know how many e-mail addresses you are targeting, then you will know who is buying and who isn’t.
  • Fliers– small fliers that have specific information listed on them that is personalized to each individual and sent to their homes is more powerful than general fliers that are sent out to everyone in a particular community or city.
  • Catalog Distribution– Once again, with catalogs, you are sending them out to those target customers, and if they order, you can calculate the percentage of people that are purchasing versus those who aren’t.
  • Personalized URL’s – Normally we wouldn’t admonish our clients to use personalized URL’s, but they are obtaining momentum and can be used as a direct marketing tool. Using a potential clients name as a response channel on a direct mail piece that takes them to a specific landing page will create curiosity and cause them to click on it because they see their names.

Everyone has a preference when it comes to purchasing materials and services. Colleges send out a variety of advertisements, but they can easily cut costs by using our tried and true methods of calculating response rates of cross-media marketing campaigns. Some students will never pay attention to mail they receive, but they just might be wiling to open it if it’s a simple flier or a promotional letter.

A direct advertising campaign that is executed correctly with a concise call to action can guarantee a positive return on investment. Why invest in indirect marketing whether it’s the time you spend on Facebook or Twitter, or the money you spend on hiring someone to do it for you? Only invest in those techniques that provide a serious return on your investment.

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