Category Archives: Off Line Marketing

If you’re interested in using direct mail advertising to promote your business, Every Door Direct Mail is one option that you can explore to make your campaign more affordable. EDDM is a program of the US Postal Service that allows you to send out direct mail at discounted postage rates.

You dont need a mailing list, since you’re targeting all the people within a particular ZIP code. The EDDM online mapping tool allows you to locate in which geographical area your target audience is located, based on demographic factors such as age and income. You can then have your mailers sent to all the residential mailboxes within that ZIP code.

How do you know if direct mail is the right choice for your business? Here are some of the things to consider:

Are you targeting a niche audience? In general, the more focused you are on a particular audience, the better the results youll get from direct mail marketing. For instance, if you’re running a car shop that specializes in vintage cars, youll probably be more successful using direct mail than email.

EDDM can help you find your target audience by identifying the ZIP code in which people who fit your desired demographics live. Thus, youll know where to send your mailings to achieve the best results.

Do you need to provide a lot of information? If you need to communicate detailed information to customers, direct mail is the best choice. With a piece of printed material, you have enough room to give an overview of your business, describe your products and services, tell customers why they should choose you, provide some company history, and offer a special promotion.

EDDM gives you the option to choose the size of your flat mailer that best meets your requirements. Your options range from more than 10.5 inches long, or more than 6.125 inches high, to a maximum of fifteen inches long to twelve inches high. This provides you with a lot of flexibility to create the most effective mailing piece.

Do you have the budget to sustain a campaign? While direct mail advertising is surprisingly affordable, the costs will still add up over time. Is your promotional budget sufficient to keep your campaign going until you get the results you want?

EDDM can cost as little as $0.178 per piece, and you can send up to 5,000 mailings a day for a particular ZIP code. This translates to $890 per day. While this may seem expensive compared with a comparable email marketing campaign, you may get a better return on your investment.

Imagine getting an entire neighborhood buying all your product stock. That could happen with the help of the new every door direct mail service. This kind of mail service lets you send out advertising campaigns to the entire neighborhood for mere cents per mail piece. The cost is very low, and the returns are very high.

Using direct mail for advertising is an effective way to capture the customers’ interest and let them know about the new products or services you have. It’s a way to connect directly with your customers and potential customers without being too invasive like some ads on TV, print, and on the Internet.

Why Every Door Direct Mail?

Your target demographic or audience is likely to live in the same neighborhood for many different reasons. One of the most common reasons is because each person sees a lot of similarities between himself and the rest of the people in the neighborhood. Everyone who lives there could be first time homeowners, or couples with children the same age as their child. Their neighbor may be the same age as them, or have the same social background.

These similarities could mean that your target audience may be the entire neighborhood, and not just one person in the area. Sending your marketing campaign to every door in the neighborhood is a way for you to reach many different people with similar interests.

Another reason to use direct door email is a wider reach for a small price. Since the delivery team will not be delivering to many different locations, the cost is definitely lower. You get to reach out to a lot of people for just a few cents per mail.

Giving the same information to a large number of people in the same location also invites discussion about your ad or your product. Whenever people of the same location start congregating or meeting each other at the supermarket and other common areas, they may start talking about the ad that they received in the mail. Anyone who has used your product or service can provide his testimony of its effectiveness. Once the discussion starts rolling, people will become more curious about your product and hopefully, would want to try it out themselves.

Cons of Every Door Direct Mail

When you cast a big net as in the case of every door direct mail, you also expose yourself to the chance of reaching customers who will not like your service or product. This can be a small number of people, or a large number. It will depend largely on how you choose your target market. Make sure to choose wisely so you dont send mail to customers who are least likely to buy.

Conclusion

Every door direct mail is a cost-effective way to reach more people and tap potential customers. The similarities in location can indicate a similarity in background and interests. This widens your audience even more. Try every door direct mail and save big bucks on advertising costs.

Direct mail marketing has proven itself time and again. It remains to be one of the most viable marketing strategies in the face of the dominant internet marketing approaches.

Still, people need convincing evidence that direct mail indeed works. Are the stats released by the USPS proof enough for printing and mailing services to continue recommending the USPS service? You be the judge. Below are pertinent figures.

More than 50% of all mail sent was direct mail

The figure is taken from a 2011 report by the USPS, providing the strong basis that businesses do not put aside mail marketing as part of their programs. According to the organization, businesses use direct mail to improve response and return on investment. The direct mail that was sent, the report said, were over 84 billion pieces.

Direct Mail represents 12% of all advertising expenditures

In 2011, the agency recorded a 2.9% increase in expenses for direct mail, compared to that recorded in the previous year. The actual amount of money spent was a whopping $21 billion.

Over 81% of people scan or read their mail daily

Contrary to the popular notion that people are too busy to know who sends mail their way, the USPS assures businesses that in fact 81% do check their mail on a daily basis.

The challenge is for your business to get noticed. To make your mail stand out among the lot, work with an experienced mailing and printing service. They know exactly what to do with mail, so that it will surely get read by recipients. Formatting is one key. Content presentation is another.

Almost half of young people find mail to be useful

42 out of every 100 people aged 25 – 34 get to read their mail immediately, and find it useful. If your business is targeting the same age bracket, make sure that your mail directed to them provides information that these people can make use of. Make a good impression on your first attempt, so you can maintain or even increase your mails read rate in succeeding mailings.

79% of people prefer reading mail

Despite the supremacy of the Internet in terms of providing information, many still find going online less convenient than reading mail that come to their mailboxes. Research also revealed that a large percentage of the US population has no access to the Internet.

So with direct mail, youre not actually competing against the Internet. Looking from a positive vantage point, direct mail is your best tool to reach those who are drawn to reading mail, rather than surfing the net to get information.

To conclude, direct mail is a very powerful advertising medium. It has its own appeal over other media that you cant simply ignore, and you can use to your own advantage.

The US Postal Service (USPS) has made a change in one of its primary services the Standard Mail. The recent change that took place in January 2017 adapted USPS Marketing Mail as the services new name.

For the USPS, the move will help marketers better see how they can maximize the services potentials in growing their business.

Implication to Small Businesses

Marketing Mail includes accepting and sending printed materials such as small parcels, bulletins, catalogs, newsletters and flyers.

In the new system, theres no minimum weight per piece required. Maximum weight per piece is 16 ounces. The agency also requires that bulk materials must be at least 200 pieces, or 50 pounds in weight.

Additional perks such as return receipts, insurance and tracking are available without charges to the customer. You can avail of a forwarding service if you request for it, but its not free.

One bonus from the new system is that businesses are no longer required to indicate whether their materials are to be sent as first class or as periodicals. Both of these are subject to different rates. Non-profit organizations also pay lower postage fees compared to previous rates.

Different types of materials have different rates. If you have questions regarding the details of payment, consult with your direct mail printing and mailing service. Aside from rates, ask them about USPS requirements on dimensions, weights, labeling, and destination zones of mails.

More Benefits for Your Business

Aside from the cost-cutting system and the extra perks that the agency is giving everyone, additional benefits have been highlighted by the USPS. With this service, you also can:

* Easily know the best audience for your message The service has high market targetability, which means you can focus most of your energy and resources on those in society that are highly likely to take action.

* Get important data This direct mail service can help you know the data that matters. Use the data for improving your products and services.

* Get connected with almost everyone The idea is that everybody has a mailing address and they read their mail during a convenient time. This service is designed for businesses to reach as many consumers as possible.

* Tell consumers the whole story Direct mail service isnt limited by a 30-minute presentation that we often have with TV commercials. You can include details that you think will encourage consumers to respond without being hindered by similar limits.

Direct mail is a powerful instrument for driving traffic and sales. Incorporating it into your campaigns will give you insights and measurable results, allowing you to develop efficiency in each campaign.

Despite the superiority of internet marketing methods, direct mail marketing is still one of the largest advertising mediums that US businesses use. The recent USPS initiative only proves how viable direct mail marketing is.

To be successful in business, you need to be flexible in your marketing approaches. For one, its unhealthy for your business if your focus is on online strategies only. Why?

Offline and online marketing benefit businesses differently. Online marketing allows instant access to company websites and information on promotions.

On the other hand, its better to use offline marketing strategies if one wants to improve visibility, to physically promote products and services, and to directly address issues such as customer complaints.

Internet marketing is an essential concept to everyone, no matter what industries they are in. However, the ultimate goal for businesses is to get closer to potential customers and influential people. This can be done only through the physical marketing strategies such as cold calling, and attendance at business conferences.

The next questions would be:

How is integration done? What are the expected results?

Are there concrete examples that have already been proven to bring out desired results?

For the first two questions, consider the following:

Unique Story: The first step is to know how unique your product is. This will allow you to tell a different story about how your product can affect peoples lives. When people hear something new, the natural response is for them to take steps to know about it, and perhaps use it.

If you succeed in the first step, the next step is to tell it online and offline. Since your products value is unique, it will sell no matter what platform you use.

Using social media: Good engagement translates to increased sales, and using engagement doesnt mean only meeting people face-to-face. You can accomplish good engagement with your potential clients by using the platforms offered by Facebook and Twitter. Posting about events that have taken place in the real world can encourage company-customer engagement online.

Theres the last question to answer what are samples of approaches that integrate online and offline marketing? Here are two more for you.

Direct mail marketing Dont limit your mail marketing reach. The approach can cover both offline and online platforms. Make time to list names of online visitors who have accessed your website recently, and launch a direct mail program that can send your message both to these people and the offline names that you already have on the list.

Make sure however, to take note of the inexpensive ways you can make use of the US postal system for this purpose.

QR Codes Another is QR codes. The minimum goal for this is to make people visit your online site and let them know more about your brand and the special offers that you have.

Be flexible. Take advantage of both types of marketing strategies. What one can do, the other cant. Think about ways these two distinct types of marketing strategies can be used hand in hand.

Offline marketing is no doubt very much alive and kicking, despite the current popularity of online marketing. Social media marketing may be the trend now, but it has not shelved offline marketing strategies to oblivion. For the more traditional businessman, here are a number of offline marketing ideas to up his game in networking.

1. Gather more clients with direct mail marketing.

Advertising through the mail is one of the oldest known methods in offline marketing. It closes the communication gap between you, the entrepreneur, and the target clients.

Its better than email marketing because your promotional materials dont end up in the spam folder, the potential client sifts through the contents of his mailbox, and sees your material. Moreover, clients are more targeted with this method; they get the material they want, and they also have the option to stop the subscription whenever they want to. You also know that your target client is reached properly.

2. Send out unique flyers.

Flyers are easy to produce. Just print out relevant details and your contact number, and distribute the flyers to people who walk by. Its easy and not as costly as billboards. Make your flyers unique by adding coupons, freebies, or printing them out on other materials (i.e. cookie-shaped flyers for a baking business, or animal masks for pet services).

3. Add testimonials to your advertisements.

Testimonials are personal and are effective in encouraging people to try out a product or service. You can ask existing and loyal customers for their wonderful feedback. Pick the ones that are concise and interesting enough to read, and print them on your flyers and other advertising materials.

4. Put up those billboards.

While you have to shell out a lot of money for space on the billboard, you can be sure that youll reach your target market in no time. Billboards are seen everywhere, and even at a far distance. They catch the attention of pedestrians and commuters.

If you have an impressive and catchy billboard advertisement, your target clients wont forget the image they see on your billboard. You may also opt to have a mobile billboard those big advertisements seen in cabs and trains.

5. Create and distribute a press release.

A press release is like a news brief about your product or service. It reaches out to journalists and news agencies. You may prepare your press release kit and send it to newspapers and magazines.

6. Sponsor a community event.

Your presence is a great plus to create a strong network and build a following for your product. You can sponsor a community event and advertise your product there. For example, if you head the leading chain of bookstores and school supplies in the metro, you could host a school fair and sell your wares.

7. Hold contests for your target clients.

You can hold a best design contest for your business. This strategy encourages your target market to become proactive and to become part of your brand. You may ask them to send the best tagline for your upcoming product, and then the winner gets a freebie or a premium item.

These are only a few of the time-proven effective offline marketing ideas that you can try for your business.

Printed business cards are one of the best ways to spread contact details about your company. While a business card lacks the space meant for product or service information, it looks professional and neat.

However, not all business people use their business cards the right way. Contrary to popular belief, hiring a printing company to make the cards ISNT the only deal. You have to check whats on the card, something that you as the entrepreneur are in charge of.

Its important that you establish a professional relationship with your customers. It doesnt matter if they are your loyal customers or new ones who just discovered your company. The establishment of this relationship starts with the power of the business card, which unfortunately, is often overlooked and left in the dust bin. That, or the entrepreneur simply doesnt have one.

Having the cards printed out every now and then may seem a tiring and tedious job, but the effects are boundless. A single card may be passed around and can reach a wider market. Customers who are interested in your product or service, yet do not have the time to sit with you and discuss this information, will get a card from your desk and come back when hes ready. This card is your link to your customers, and as with any printed material used in marketing, there are key principles worth keeping in mind.

1. Quality is important. Check the cards before you have them printed out. Check everything, from the content, to the design, to the actual paper material used. Will the card be laminated? Will it be printed on plastic or board? Should it have a glossy overcoat? All these questions pertain to how professional you want your card to look.

2. Dare to be different. As mentioned, your customer could receive several business cards in a day. What you need is a card that stands out, one thats unique in terms of color, design, and layout.

You can add your company logo. You can print your company name in elegant script, and you can even go beyond the conventional business card.

For example, add speech balloons or a rhetorical question for a more creative take on an otherwise stiff and too serious card. Dont be afraid to be creative with the content as well. Another example is to refrain from using a white background, as a lot of companies prefer that for their cards.

3. The card should reflect who you are and what your business is.
You can have an unconventional card, but dont hide under the frills to make up for what you lost in company details. Include your name, your title, and your business. No need to impress your customers with a really intimidating title, just include what they can easily remember.

4. Make it simple. Theres nothing worse than going overboard with content, design, and layout. Keep your elements to a minimum so that you dont overwhelm your customers. You can be creative without overkilling.

Companies are constantly searching for new ways to reach out to their customers and prospects. Advances in digital technology have given these companies new channels and ways to promote their products and services.

Online marketing seems to have replaced those traditional approaches to marketing, but a recent study has shown that radio, TV, and print are still the leading medium when people search for products and services. In line with this, many companies consistently use direct mail marketing as an effective form of advertising.

The 2-Second Rule

Two seconds is the amount of time a prospect is actually going to look at your direct mail piece. The good thing about direct mail is that it lands on the decision-makers’ desk and so theres a good chance that it will be opened. But what most people do when they see direct mail is, they look at it real quick and then they toss it.

Treat it like a piece of art

A couple of key tricks that you can use to prevent that from happening, is to make your mail look as aesthetically pleasing as possible. Usually, prospects make some sort of emotional connection when they see a nice piece of art or something that just looks really cool. And don’t put too much content on these mailing pieces because what you don’t want to do is to have so many bullet points that people dont want to take the time to read, so they just toss it away.

Make it clear and concise

In your direct mail piece, use something that is very clear and concise with very big text, so when your prospects look at it for even 2 seconds they know the message you’re trying to get across.

Stick it out

Another key thing is using mailing piece sizes whether it’s a postcard or whatever, that’s kind of big and sticks out from the rest of the mail. Make it bigger than the average envelope, because studies have shown that mail with lumpy objects inside, or something that sticks out of the envelope, are more likely to get opened.

You probably spent money making something really nicely done, and then the client doesn’t even look at it because it doesn’t stick enough from all the other mail.

Add a personal touch

Your prospects can tell by the looks of the envelope if the letter is junk. Always try to provide value with your mail, and replace typed texts on the envelope with handwritten text, making it more likely to get opened.

Conclusion

In spite of the rise of the Internet and recently, mobile web browsing, marketing with direct mail is still used by many companies as an effective tool to boost sales and generate leads. In the U.S. where 78 percent of the population is online, there are still about 70 million Americans that online marketing is unable to reach, which makes marketing offline a vital tool in your marketing strategy.

Printed materials still rule the world. Believe it or not, a lot of companies prefer to invest in printed marketing materials because customers want the tactile feel of flyers, brochures, and promotional magazines.

There is an old-school charm to it, and you can never go wrong with printed material. It may not be as cost-effective as digital marketing and social media marketing, but it does work.

Offline marketing works in a number of ways. For instance, companies can work on printing their advertisements every week and give them to customers. People come and go, so its not like the same customers receive the same flyers and brochures again and again. In the same manner, a lot can be printed on flyers discounts, information, and other customer service concerns.

But if theres one thing that companies and entrepreneurs NEVER drop, its marketing using business cards. In fact, business cards will always be an essential tool for business people. Whatever the product or service is, customers tend to look for a card at the end of the transaction.

Giving out printed business cards is one of quickest ways to get more customers. Cards can be easily passed around, and the concise information found on the card is easily digested by customers.

Since some customers dont have the luxury of time to get to know the product being sold, they prefer to read the contact details of the business person and just ask for product information at a later time. Business cards are likewise a safe approach towards clients who are unsure about a product, or those who arent ready to engage in an intelligent discussion with the seller.

Business cards are easier to give away. They are handy about the size of a credit card, or even smaller and fits any wallet. Thus, customers can bring the card anywhere, making the business contact and discussion more plausible, than if it were done digitally. The customer may also share the card with others.

Every printed material is different, as each card is unique. Hiring a printing company that helps you nail what the best business card looks like should be your priority. There are elements that you need to include in your business card before you think it has become an effective marketing tool for you.

One of the key chacteristics of a good business card is the way it attracts the attention of customers. The latter should focus on your card. You never know how many cards he receives. Your business card should stand out. If possible, print on both sides the first side with key company information, and the other with your contact details as the proprietor.

The design matters, too. Whether you select a minimal or eye-popping design, it should always be suitable to your brand and your companys vision. Adding the companys logo on the card is one way to make your business card look legit.

From traditional and offline marketing, marketers today are starting to take advantage of more advanced channels when it comes to reaching their target audience. This causes them to forget about some of the most effective offline marketing techniques and go online. Some create their Facebook page, send newsletters and push notifications to clients and tweet about their brand.

However, its important to note that offline marketing techniques are just as effective as online strategies. This is the main reason why you should consider combining the two if you want to boost sales and generate more leads. If youre looking for an effective offline marketing strategy to pair with your online marketing campaign, then the following options will definitely work to your advantage:

1. Trade shows Participating in trade shows gives you the opportunity to be under the same roof as your competitors. This is an advantage because you also get to know your competition better. You can analyze their pitch and research regarding the marketing materials they use. You also gain an actual insight into the strategies they use.

Aside from that, trade shows are also perfect avenues if you want to showcase your products and market your brand. Its one of the most effective offline marketing techniques as it provides an opportunity to network with other experts and professionals in your industry. You will then get the chance to work together.

2. Package or presentation re-evaluation Reevaluating how you present your products to your target audience is crucial if you want to get an edge over your competitors. Keep in mind that in business, looks matter. Store design, as well as your branding, play a major role in attaining success.

Perhaps, its the right time to make some changes in the outdated designs of your brand. Revisit and reevaluate your packaging or presentation, and find out whether it still sends the correct message to your target audience. Slight changes can actually make a huge difference in your success.

3. Direct Mail Direct mail marketing often costs more than online marketing. However, take note that it also provides several benefits, especially in terms of generating leads. One benefit of marketing with direct mail is that the recipients will most likely appreciate it as its more personalized.

Furthermore, a huge chunk of consumers and buyers prefer to receive direct mails than messages sent online. This means that you can still tap a huge number of potential customers through this offline marketing technique.

4. Cold Calling This is another effective offline marketing strategy as it carries with it a more personal touch, which can resonate with your target audience. In comparison to e-mails and other forms of online messaging that require instant responses, phone calls have a more personal feel, making them effective in marketing.

Cold calling is also a good way to communicate to prospective marketing partners, so you can collaborate for a productive activity, such as content production or hosting a webinar. This can further expose your brand.

Offline marketing still works despite the abundance of online marketing platforms and campaigns at present. It would be best to take advantage of the power of these techniques, so you can further increase your reach.

While looking for getting the best in class services for your advertising campaigns, you must know that the spinners that you hire play the most important role in getting you the kind of services you need. Great expertise and several other qualities make a spinner get you good results for your investments, thereby boosting your business growth and exposure. Here are 6 elements to seek when looking out for the best sign spinners for hire.

Expertise and Sense of Responsibility

A spinner can’t pull off a good marketing campaign if they are themselves not deeply informed about their job responsibilities as well as what the advertisement is all about. They must be competent and know how their work can help the concerned brands gain increased exposure among the people, and that’s something which will be quite evident in their interactions with the prospects.

Quick Problem Solving

Working on the streets and carrying out a promotional campaign may lead to a number of unexpected problems that call for a quick solution. Therefore, good spinners are trained with amazing problem solving skills in order to make sure they always keep their performances effective.

Great Interaction Skills

What makes sign spinning different from other modes of advertisement is the ability to communicate with people. And that’s why an engaging interaction with the consumers is a must to work out a successful promotion as well as to cater to the customer requirements. Not only does it help to solve any queries and doubts of the clients, but also makes the spinners work in great coordination with the other team members.

Holding Information In Confidence

The best sign spinners make sure that they use your information only according to your specified guidelines and the purpose of advertising, while holding any confidential data absolutely secure. Plus, if the campaign calls for collecting any kind of personal or confidential information from the prospects, the spinners must seek their permissions before using the same.

Power To Vocalize Positively

Working in lots if different settings and spots is always associated with all sorts of opinions, responses and requirements of the crowd. The best sign spinners can handle the same in a truly positive manner and voice their campaigns or advertisements in a way that proves to be beneficial for your business in each of the settings.

Innovation and Inventiveness

Best sign spinners always aim at introducing beneficial changes to their service and performance by putting their creativity to use. They constantly study what’s making a difference to the prospects and catching their interests towards the campaign, followed by inventing great solutions and methods accordingly to provide the consumers exactly what they need.

Arrow sign spinners with their perfectly pointing element can direct prospect clients to your business, while making it a cost-friendly affair to achieve great leads. When, where and how you put them to use is all what you need to figure out to experience their incredible results. Here are some of the wonderful applications of arrow sign spinners that can give a huge boost to your marketing campaigns.

Gaining More Exposure for your Business

Nothing can work more amazingly than arrow sign spinners when it comes to making people more familiar with the products and services offered by your brand. The different engaging tricks performed by the spinners not only help you gain more exposure, but can also be extremely efficient in drawing the crowd to your outlet, store or business premises. All you have to do is to hire skilled arrow sign spinners and make them provide a quick glimpse into what you offer, while pointing to your property.

Promoting Seasonal Establishments

Some specific days or months of the year make opportunities for seasonal stores or establishments, such as festival shopping stores or occasional costume outlets for a short period of time. But, this also comes with a risk of people not getting to know about you in such a short span if you fail at the advertising front. Arrow sign spinners can promote such seasonal businesses almost effortlessly when placed in locations with busy traffic.

Advertising Limited Offers

Any special offers or promotions that you introduce to your products or services often come for a limited duration, and that’s where the best arrow sign spinners can prove to be a huge boon for an effective marketing of those offers. Imagine a spinner holding an arrow sign outside a nice corporate building during the lunch hours, showcasing an advertisement for your snack outlet that talks about an amazing limited deal on afternoon meals. Won’t that help you gain enormous crowd?

Directing Traffic to Special Events

Special exhibitions often witness countless stores and stalls, all displaying their own range of products. Such a scenario makes it hard for a large number of customers to head towards your or event. But, arrow sign spinners can come to your rescue by promoting your brand around the exhibition by interacting with people, thereby directing potential customers to your display.

A smart utilization of arrow sign spinners can work as a reflection of your business, ending up in increased sales, no matter what’s the line and nature of work that you belong to – construction, retail marketing, shops or specialty stores, or just about any service you can think of.