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ferrismagic Regular user 116 Posts |
Anyone has any advise on the first thing to send potential customers? Example brochure, personal letter, postcard? Does it work?
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misterillusion Special user Roseville, California 748 Posts |
The method I am currently using is to call first to make sure there is interest and to find out the contact person/decision maker. This way, the information I send is not a surprise and I can mention on the envelope or subject line "Information you requested that I send". The first thing they see when they open what I send are referrals or acolades from my happy clients. Next I provide an overview letter outlining the benefits to them for booking my show. In a reasonable time I will then follow up with a phone call to make sure they received the material and to see if they have any questions---and to possibly book the show
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Mindpro Eternal Order 10587 Posts |
That's quite a broad question for which you're more than likely only receive a broad answer - Yes it works if it's done properly, No, it doesn't work if not done properly.
There are many variables that need to be determined and focused before you try this or you will most surely be disappointed with your results. What is your target market? Are you doing a generic, blanket mailing or do you have a list of personal direct contacts? Any mailing is only as good as these determinations, your contacts and the strength of your list. |
magicmaninsd Regular user San Diego, CA 199 Posts |
Mindpro is spoton. Mailings do work, but your return is better for different markets. Corporate mailing do better than family show mailings. But, here's the trick to mailing, be consitent and don't change much. By that I mean, keep your message/letter/postcard the same for 3 or 4 times. You've got to remember what your goal is of mailings. Your goal should be to create leads. Then when someone raises their hand to say they are interested you start the sales process.
I think a lot of people overthink mailings. Shouldn't be over thought so much. Find a market that can pay for the mailing campaign with 1 show booked (you want to cover your expenses) then find a good list (either buy or make one), get your mailing together and send. Then do it again and again and again. Josh |
Mindpro Eternal Order 10587 Posts |
To add to what Josh has said, you must remember that the whole direct mailing process should really only come into play once you have the well-worked, well-created mailing piece. One mistake many new to direct mailings make in my opinion is that they try to sell directly from the mailing piece (or first mailing piece), rather than as stated above to get them to "raise their hand" as interested or qualified, then try to sell them.
Spend serious time and effort on your headline, clearly stating your message, your call to action, and create the best mailing piece possible for what you are trying to achieve. Make sure your message and desired response is clear. Then, once you have this accomplished you should get to the actual mailing process. And then even there, you may have to do some testing and tweaking to see what renders the greatest results. It really can be the hardest simple thing to do. Once you have it in place it can be quite lucrative and as Josh said, then just repeat over and over again. Direct mailing can be quite basic or can be a multi-tiered, multi-message campaign that can be the primary means of your marketing success. |
magicmaninsd Regular user San Diego, CA 199 Posts |
Mindpro is right again. So many people seem to think that if you send out a letter or direct mail piece the prospect will call with credit card in hand. That's not the point. Direct mail is a lead generation tactic just as google adwords is.
I'm of the opinion to not stress so terrible much about the actual piece you're sending. I'd rather something go out than nothing. Does that mean I don't brand the piece properly and take a long time testing and revising? Quite the opposite. But from what other guys tell me who've tried mailing before, they are still looking at the box of letters in their garage. The above posts are extremely valuable and I am quite surprised at the information given above, thanks Mindpro! Josh |
magic4u02 Eternal Order Philadelphia, PA 15110 Posts |
Great discussion here.
I work for a direct mail marketing company and so this topic is dear to my heart in regards to what I do every day. It certainly (as others have said) not an easy question to answer. There are many variables. I would like to talk about just one of them if I could. The power of any direct mail marketing is in the R.O.I. You receive back. This simply stands for Return On Investment. If direct mail marketing, if you can get even a 3% return rate (those responding or showing interest to your product or service) then you have succeeded. Now how do we go about achieving a higher ROI from any direct mail we send out? The key is in the contact list you develop. You contact or mailing list is the heart of any successful campaign. You could have the best marketing piece in the world. But if it does not get directly to the decision maker, you are wasting postage and time. So having any old contact or lead list is not good enough. If you really want to see the power and effectiveness of a direct mail mailing, then you need to find the power in a qualified lead list. What I do is always start to locate leads and contact information form different sources. Contacts can come from Google searches to a business card you received and just about anywhere. But having that list as is, is not going to serve you nearly as well as if that list was a qualified list. To qualify any list, I do a simple cold call approach. It is easy, takes little time and I am NOT selling to the person. That is the beauty behind it. I am not calling to sell. Instead I am calling to confirm contact info. It works much better to 1) get around the gatekeepers and 2) get the decision makers direct information. My phone call may go something like this: “Hi Mary. Hope your day is going well. I am calling about the such and such festival. I am an entertainer looking to get my information in the hands of the entertainment decision maker for possible consideration this year. The contact information that I have is (such and such). Can you tell me if that is correct? Thank you so very much for your help.” That is pretty much it. It is direct and too the point and I am not selling to them at all. The goal is I am being kind and I am asking to confirm information I already have in part. This works well and you usually will always get them helping you back. It is not long winded and you speak for less then a min. Now what ends up happening is that your list becomes qualified. That means you now have a list of contacts where by you KNOW that the decision maker has been confirmed. The other thing I do by qualifying the list is ask for the person’s name whom I talked to. Why do I ask for their name? 1) I want to be friendly and 2) I can now use their name in my marketing. I can now state something like “I Talked with Mary and she stated that you might be interested in receiving information on my shows for possible consideration for this years event.” By listing a person’s name that they already know, you are taken much more seriosuly and get better results from your direct mail mailing. I hope this is helpful and gets you to start thinking about effective lead lists. Kyle
Kyle Peron
http://www.kylekellymagic.com Entertainers Product Site http://kpmagicproducts.com Join Our Facebook Fan Page at http://facebook.com/perondesign |
ferrismagic Regular user 116 Posts |
Hi all,
Thanks for all the precious information Much appreciated |
ttorres Special user Rock Hill, SC 513 Posts |
Wow! This is a great thread. What are some of the perimeters for a goole search when creating a list?
...the magic that creates Memories!
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magicmaninsd Regular user San Diego, CA 199 Posts |
Ttorres, that all depends upon who you're trying to send a mailing to. If I want to send a mailing to schools in California I look up school districts in CA, then, schools in the district, then the Principal/VP/PTA President and make a spreadsheet of that info, import it to my CRM and Mail Chimp.
Once you get the process down it is fairly easy. If looking to start a campaign my advice would be to start small, say 100 or so. Print up about 500 letters, postcards, what ever, then practice how to look for prospects and how you'll organize it. Josh |
ttorres Special user Rock Hill, SC 513 Posts |
Thank you Josh. That makes perfect since. I am looking for companies with a minimum fifty employees that has at least one banquet a year for their employees. T
...the magic that creates Memories!
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