Why Mail in March? Spring into Action!
What's the first thing you think of when you think of March? The beginning of Spring? The wearin' of the green? Basketball?
It's not warm yet, but a sense of excitement and renewal is palpable in the air (or maybe that's just cabin fever here in the East). Take advantage of this month to generate some excitement among your customers and prospects and to renew your direct mail marketing strategies.
The purpose of direct mail marketing is to entice the mail recipient to act. Maybe it's calling to make an appointment. Or coming in to buy a new product on sale. Or calling for a free consultation. Whatever action best fits your business and the product or service you're selling, it's important that your direct mail solicit that action.
A few points to keep in mind as you think about your call to action:
* Make it easy for your prospect to understand the offer. Are you using words like, "new", "sales", "FREE" effectively? Keep it simple and direct.
* Do you give them enough information so they can respond? Ideally, your call to action hasa deadline to make it more urgent.
* Did you remember to include your address, a phone number or website for the customer to visit?
How do you know if your direct mail is successful in getting your prospects to act? As you plan your direct mail for March - whether it's tied to St. Patty's Day or March Madness (or something else) - think about how you'll measure recipient response.
For example, if your offer is to come into the store and buy a new product, include a coupon with a code specific to that mailer. Analyzing the coupons customers use, you can gauge how many responded to your mailer. If you're asking your mail recipient to take an action like call for an appointment or free consultation, make sure that the associates answering the phone ask what prompted the call.
Using March as a time to renew your direct mail strategy, think about what you're asking prospects to do in your mail piece. Then think about how you measure who responds to your call to action. Understanding what you're asking and who's responding will help you improve future mailers.
Great mailing opportunities in March
Mardi Gras - March 8. For "Fat Tuesday" consider a message of celebration, fun, and revelry.
Daylight Savings Time begins - March 13. If you don't have any other excuse to mail in March, sending customers a reminder to "Spring forward" on March 13 is a good one.
St. Patrick's Day - March 17. Irish or not, St. Patty's Day is a fun, carefree holiday - and makes a great mailing opportunity. You can leverage the "luck" theme in a number of ways in your direct mail:
* Tell your clients and customers how lucky you are to have them
* Mail "get lucky" coupons that customers can redeem in-store
* Create a "gold at the end of the rainbow" promotion to give customers hidden discounts
March Madness - March 15 through April 4. March Madness, the NCAA Men's Basketball Championship, is like the Super Bowl for college basketball fans. Leverage the opportunity to tell your customers, even if your business isn't sports-related, that you're "Mad" about them. If your businessis sports-related, think about special promotions you could mail that tie in to the big event.
First day of Spring - March 20. The birds begin chirping, the flowers bloom, the sun shines. But you don't have to run a gardening business to take advantage of the beginning of Spring. Maybe it's as simple as incorporating some bright colors or floral themes in your next mailer. Or maybe you tie your headline in to the concept of "fresh" starts.
National Mom & Pop Business Owners Day - March 29. If you have small business clients, celebrate them in March. A special "Small Business Appreciation sale" if you're a retailer. Or, if you provide a service, send a free special report designed specifically for small businesses.
April Fool's Day - April 1. If it makes sense for your business, send a lighthearted "April Fool's" joke to your customers and prospects. If you're really creative (and bold), create an in-house "Fool's" event and promote it with a fun mailer.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Karla_Humphrey
What's the first thing you think of when you think of March? The beginning of Spring? The wearin' of the green? Basketball?
It's not warm yet, but a sense of excitement and renewal is palpable in the air (or maybe that's just cabin fever here in the East). Take advantage of this month to generate some excitement among your customers and prospects and to renew your direct mail marketing strategies.
The purpose of direct mail marketing is to entice the mail recipient to act. Maybe it's calling to make an appointment. Or coming in to buy a new product on sale. Or calling for a free consultation. Whatever action best fits your business and the product or service you're selling, it's important that your direct mail solicit that action.
A few points to keep in mind as you think about your call to action:
* Make it easy for your prospect to understand the offer. Are you using words like, "new", "sales", "FREE" effectively? Keep it simple and direct.
* Do you give them enough information so they can respond? Ideally, your call to action hasa deadline to make it more urgent.
* Did you remember to include your address, a phone number or website for the customer to visit?
How do you know if your direct mail is successful in getting your prospects to act? As you plan your direct mail for March - whether it's tied to St. Patty's Day or March Madness (or something else) - think about how you'll measure recipient response.
For example, if your offer is to come into the store and buy a new product, include a coupon with a code specific to that mailer. Analyzing the coupons customers use, you can gauge how many responded to your mailer. If you're asking your mail recipient to take an action like call for an appointment or free consultation, make sure that the associates answering the phone ask what prompted the call.
Using March as a time to renew your direct mail strategy, think about what you're asking prospects to do in your mail piece. Then think about how you measure who responds to your call to action. Understanding what you're asking and who's responding will help you improve future mailers.
Great mailing opportunities in March
Mardi Gras - March 8. For "Fat Tuesday" consider a message of celebration, fun, and revelry.
Daylight Savings Time begins - March 13. If you don't have any other excuse to mail in March, sending customers a reminder to "Spring forward" on March 13 is a good one.
St. Patrick's Day - March 17. Irish or not, St. Patty's Day is a fun, carefree holiday - and makes a great mailing opportunity. You can leverage the "luck" theme in a number of ways in your direct mail:
* Tell your clients and customers how lucky you are to have them
* Mail "get lucky" coupons that customers can redeem in-store
* Create a "gold at the end of the rainbow" promotion to give customers hidden discounts
March Madness - March 15 through April 4. March Madness, the NCAA Men's Basketball Championship, is like the Super Bowl for college basketball fans. Leverage the opportunity to tell your customers, even if your business isn't sports-related, that you're "Mad" about them. If your businessis sports-related, think about special promotions you could mail that tie in to the big event.
First day of Spring - March 20. The birds begin chirping, the flowers bloom, the sun shines. But you don't have to run a gardening business to take advantage of the beginning of Spring. Maybe it's as simple as incorporating some bright colors or floral themes in your next mailer. Or maybe you tie your headline in to the concept of "fresh" starts.
National Mom & Pop Business Owners Day - March 29. If you have small business clients, celebrate them in March. A special "Small Business Appreciation sale" if you're a retailer. Or, if you provide a service, send a free special report designed specifically for small businesses.
April Fool's Day - April 1. If it makes sense for your business, send a lighthearted "April Fool's" joke to your customers and prospects. If you're really creative (and bold), create an in-house "Fool's" event and promote it with a fun mailer.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Karla_Humphrey
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