In these cash-strapped times, all businesses are trying to find the most efficient way to win new customers and to retain their existing customer base. Many are turning to direct marketing, which has many benefits particularly in this kind of financial climate. Most notably, it is targeted at individuals or businesses who are likely to be interested in what you have to say, and it has results that you can track and measure, meaning you can determine whether your resources are being well used or if further refinements need to be made.

If you're reading this article, chances are you're new to direct marketing. Maybe a colleague suggested you give it a go, or you read an article online outlining its advantages. Realistically, you will probably achieve the best results by calling in a direct marketing professional, but if this isn't an option for you, or you'd rather go it alone, the most important thing is, don't panic! If you use common sense and go about creating your campaign in a logical, step-by-step manner, then you should see big returns on your effort. Here's a handy guide to get you started.

Figure out exactly who you want to reach. The major advantage of direct marketing over other forms of advertising is that it is targeted. It's not an aspirational billboard on the motorway verge or a catalogue jammed into every letterbox in the neighbourhood, it's a way of communicating with people who are predisposed to listen to what you have to say. This may be because they're existing customers, or have shown an interest in similar products in the past; it may be because they fit the right demographic; or maybe they work in a particular niche industry.

Telemarketing is only effective when you have a great script and a list of numbers that lead to interested parties. Mailing list companies are the most valuable telemarketing tools on the market. You need to have a complete list of numbers that matter in order to have a chance at making a sale. This type of business model works better when you work with companies like mailinglist.com.au, where you will be provided phone numbers specific to your company’s goals. You will no longer be wasting calls on numbers that don’t matter but rather be targeting people who may have an interest in your product.

Narrow Down the List

Mailing list companies help you narrow down the list. If you are selling a widget that works with a cog, you can sort the mailing list so you are only calling people who already have that cog. There is no reason to call the other people as your product is not useful to them. This saves you a number of cold calls that can’t result in a sale and make you frustrating to the customer. As the mailing list adjusts you will get updates. You can then call new cog owners who have not heard your pitch before.

It can be a long and arduous process to generate a mailing list worth marketing to. While you always want to work on building your personal list from those you work with, there are companies out there working as list brokers. These companies put together topic oriented lists so that your business database grows with addresses likely to be interested in your product; it is not blind marketing but rather targeted marketing that tends to elicit a better overall response.

Targeted Business Database

A list broker can help you build a targeted business database. This means using data available to put together a business list of companies or people who have purchased similar services or products to yours. It can also work with searches people and companies do so you know you are getting a list that is relevant to your products and services. It does no good to buy a list that has thousands of random addresses, especially if your products are out of the price range or interest of those you are emailing. This is a proven method to help you turn a greater profit and get a better response from your mailings.

A fax marketing list could be just the marketing tool you need on your latest campaign. Faxes are given less consideration these days as emails are free and instantaneous. But a fax campaign has several benefits over all other communication, and overlooking it could be a great mistake.

Most marketing emails are simply not opened, so while your super fabulous offer may have been just the thing your end consumer needed, busy office types are click happy on the delete button. Mail could be an effective way to send your offer, but often it ends up unopened in the bin. If only there was a way you could send your offer on paper, but it didn’t need to be opened. Enter the fax marketing campaign!

Fax marketing campaigns are the ideal way to communicate campaigns based on images. If your campaign is targeting administration staff, all the better. Faxes are the ideal way of getting your message into the hands of administrative staff. A fax must be handled by a company representative, giving you precious moments not many other communication mediums can deliver. In fact, studies show that having a customer physically handle anything will increase the likeliness to purchase. That’s something an email campaign could never deliver.