Monday, July 22, 2013

MaxValues Magazine article - A Basic Guide on Direct Mail

A Basic Guide on Direct Mail

by: Andrew Michaels

Sending any printed material to your local customers entails getting the right company that can offer you quality delivery services. In business marketing, on-time delivery is a must. For example, your company may be launching a new product in the market. To promote this product, you may way want to send and distribute printed and even online materials that MaxValues magazine direct mailintroduce what you have to offer. These promotional materials should be received by your target demographic on your target date. Otherwise, your marketing campaign plan will be compromised. One of the ways in which you can be assured that your materials will be received on the expected time is through direct mail services. These days, delivery and distribution of marketing materials does not have to be difficult. Previously, especially during those years of starting out in the business, you may have resorted to the basic method: sorting all your printed materials and placing them inside mailing envelopes, carrying all the packages to your local post office, and send them to your target receivers. This is manageable for those who new to the industry, when you have only a hundred or so clients and customers. What if your target demographic has reached to a thousand? What is the best option for you in terms of delivery and distribution?

Here's a tip for business beginners out there: you may want to consider direct mail services. There are private companies that offer this type of services. You should know that big companies and multi-national corporations go for direct mail. As their clients can number up to thousands, they need an efficient delivery service. For those who are not familiar with direct mail, companies that offer this enable efficient delivery services. Also, they may have the facilities and capacities to offer specific services, such as producing mailing envelopes, printing bar codes and addresses, among others. Direct mail can also be provided by design and printing companies. Thus, on the get go, you have to check what are the packages being offered by each company you are considering. Make a search for companies that offer mailing services, and create a shortlist. In doing so, you have to have a set a criteria. You may want to assess them by looking at their pricing system, payment set-up, and timely delivery. As you are going to invest your hard-earned money, know which of your options offer affordable packages.

When opting for direct mail services, one thing you need to do is to prepare the mailing list. Your mailing list contains the names, addresses, and other contact information of your clients and customers. This mailing list is your directory. You may be asking the question: "How can I make a mailing list?" You can get the content of your mailing list from target clients yourself. For example, if they avail of your products or services, ask them if they are willing to get news and updates from you. You can also get information when they log in to your website. Getting a person's permission is important. Otherwise, you may be tagged as a spammer & a label can affect your business in a negative way. Also, update your mailing list all the time. As you know, people move house or change address. Create a mechanism in which your clients can provide you their new contact information.
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