Direct Mail Webinar to Show the ‘Personal’ Touch
Direct mail continues to be a very viable channel, but only if the direct marketing fundamentals are applied. Improving the levels of both personalization and relevance is the only way to increase response rates…Those who keep [direct mail] in the mix and ramp up the relevancy will be pleasantly surprised by the results.
—Andy Cutler, chief strategy officer, Mercury121, Nov. 1, 2010, in Direct Marketing News
“The Green Hornet”, Gov. Jerry Brown, corn-based ethanol and arranged marriages are all apparently back, so why not direct mail. An all-star marketing trio of Malee Nuesse, national director of circulation marketing, The Dolan Company, Vicki Moffitt, marketing consultant, and ace copywriter Robert Lerose—led by moderator Leslie Davidson—will showcase their speaking skills and knowledge on March 24 at 1 pm in the second SIPA webinar of the year: Direct Mail for Publishers: How to Create Subscriber Acquisition and Renewal Campaigns That Make You Money.
The bottom line is that, like “The Green Hornet” (more than $225 million worldwide!), direct mail still makes money. Done right, it can bring in new and renewing subscribers, sell one-offs and help to register conference attendees. But how has direct mail changed in the last 10 years—or has it—and what concessions do you now have to make in our social marketing world? What’s the secret of creating successful direct-mail campaigns? Those are the questions that the panel will answer.
In a speaking appearance last year, Nuesse offered 10 Simple Ideas to Enhance Your Direct Mail Responses.
1. Use the right lists – House lists are often your strongest lists.
2. Always test against your control – Try to beat your control and test new elements or packages every time you mail.
3. Get the envelope opened – The envelope knocks on the door as the salesperson.
4. Test teaser copy – B-to-C mail is often opened at home by the intended recipient so you have a greater chance of getting your message read.
5. Use risk relievers – Reinforce the strength of your product and boost your response with risk relievers.
6. Don’t forget the BRE – Use every surface you can to reinforce a call to action.
7. Promote white papers and special reports – Bring readers deeper into your products with targeted editorial content.
8. Develop a new offer -The offer should be stated clearly (multiple times in the package) and of course tested.
9. Coordinate multimedia efforts – Vanity URLs and Personal URLs should be one of your calls to action.
10. Touch your subscribers – In addition to your renewal series, reach out to them about new editorial features and benefits, online data and account options—all without asking for anything other than engagement.
This only serves as a coming attraction to the information you will learn on March 24, where Nuesse will expound on these ideas. Lerose has spoken often on renewals, so this session will let him focus on one aspect of that. He is a big proponent of making your renewal efforts personal—and that can play into the strengths of direct mail where you forego the de-personalizing technology. Direct mail also allows you the room to write an effective value proposition and sell it. Why is your publication valuable to the subscriber? What value will it continue to give?
For one low price—just $149 (through March 18, $249 thereafter)—you and your entire team can take part in this 90-minute, fast-paced, insightful webinar. And for just one registration, you can all listen, learn and get tested ideas and strategies about creating more profitable direct mail programs. Best of all, you’ll be able to connect personally with the speakers when the floor is opened up for questions from the audience. (Is there a floor in webinars?) Make that when the webinarosphere is opened for questions!
Register today
and see what’s bringing direct mail back to marketing!
SIPA Webinar Series
Direct Mail for Publishers: How to Create Subscriber
Acquisition and Renewal Campaigns That Make You Money
March 24, 2011, 1 pm
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Another good way to give your response rates a boost is to use personal urls. An example of a Personal URL would be: yoursite.com/Jim.Smith and when “Jim” visits his personal url, the website will usually be customized to him. It also allows the marketer to track who is responding. Learn more at: http://purlem.com.