If you’re going to survive in business today, you’re going to have to do it online. There’s no way around it. That’s where people go to get information about the things they want and the things they need. But just how are you supposed to get people to your website?
One powerful way to do that employs a surprisingly old school method: direct mail. Some people may say that direct mail is dead. They may talk about it being too expensive. Some say it’s not effective. There’s actually some validity to those objections because direct mail that’s done the way a lot of businesses did it years ago isn’t going to cut it.
Most consumers won’t wade through a long direct mail letter—especially if it’s not something they’re really interested in. But if you can tease people with just the right amount of intrigue and the promise of interesting information that will actually help them—you might be able to get them to your website for “the rest of the story.”
Here’s an example. Let’s say you’re a home remodeling company targeting an area of town with a high density of older homes. You could do a simple card mailing with a striking graphic and a “can’t-miss-it” offer such as: Fall in love with your home again—and save 20% on your heating bill! The back of the card could say something as simple as: Discover 5 ways you can turn your house into a comfortable dream home—and save 20% on your heating bill by visiting builderbob.com/dreamhome.
The card doesn’t give a lengthy explanation. It simply teases—and offers a way to get more information. Of course, you still have to deliver once you get them to your website. So you won’t want to dump responders onto your home page. You’ll want to send them to a landing page that talks a bit about the “5 ways” and then offers them a free report that talks about energy-efficient solutions for remodeling different rooms in their home.
Here’s why this can work. It’s not a massive “shotgun” mailing. You’re targeting a specific audience that has a good chance of responding. That makes it less expensive—and likelier to succeed. It’s quick and to the point. You’re not asking people to wade through a lot of reading. It points people back to your website where they can get as much information about you as they want. And it gives you a way to follow up with potential clients, because they give you their email address in exchange for the special report.
The days of big blanketing direct mailings is gone for most of us. But specifically targeted mailings that tease and direct readers can still be very effective.
