Ideas for Direct Mail Campaigns

The QR Code’s Emerging Role in Farming for Prospects

brianna_mckinney — Thu, 15 Feb 2018 21:43:21 +0000

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The QR Code’s Emerging Role in Farming for Prospects

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Feb 15, 2018

Trends

Quick Response Codes (QR codes) -- those machine-readable codes consisting of tiny black and white squares -- have been on the minds of marketers for years. Consumer usage, however, never quite took off in the U.S. in the same way that it has in China and Japan, where the codes were responsible for an estimated $1.65 trillion in mobile payments in 2016. But, according to some, the popularity of QR codes in the U.S. is on the rise.

That’s because in September 2017, Apple released an update with a native QR scanner embedded inside the Camera app. That means that iPhone users no longer have to use a third-party app to scan a QR code -- all they have to do is open up an iPhone camera, making codes scannable in seconds. For agents that consistently farm neighborhoods with real estate postcards, this capability is huge, adding more options than ever to integrate traditional mail with digital marketing.

Direct mail postcards and QR codes work well in tandem with one another -- according to Royal Mail, 92 percent of those that receive direct mail are driven to online or digital activity, and 43 percent download content as a result of direct mail. Agents that already integrate real estate postcards with digital by using strategies like URLs that link to online landing pages know that combining the two mediums makes for a simple and effective way to get leads.

How can agents best incorporate QR codes into their farming campaigns? We’ll dive into three unique ways:

Pull up the location of an open house.

This is a great opportunity when farming leads that are looking to move. Send prospects a QR code that opens the location of an open house in Maps, so the recipients of your mailer can access GPS directions to the property with a quick scan. It’s a fun and engaging way to let potential movers know about a property near them.

Tease a few homes you’ve successfully sold.

Another strategy is to send real estate postcards with a photo or two of homes in the area you’ve successfully listed and sold, including a QR code that sends the scanner to a landing page with more visuals and information. This tactic works to advertise to listing prospects how you market and close a property for sale. Bonus points if the code leads to a YouTube video or video on your website that features a home you’ve closed. According to Inman, 85 percent of buyers and sellers want to work with an agent who uses video, and homes listed with video get four times the inquiries of those listed without video. QR codes connect prospects to your video in seconds -- they won’t even have to type a link into their phone!

Connect hot leads to you immediately.

QR codes can be customized to dial a direct number instantly, getting you immediately in touch with your most interested listing leads.This is invaluable for local farming campaigns, especially if you live near your target geographic area and can meet with leads quickly. Be sure to have a voicemail box set up in case prospects miss you.

A note of best practice: Always remember to provide instructions for scanning the QR code to the recipients of your real estate postcard. Even frequent iPhone users may not be familiar with how to use the technology.

Ready to get started?

There are several sites out there dedicated to designing and generating QR codes. A couple of the most popular include Visualead, QR Stuff, GOQR.me, and Kaywa, all of which can generate a code with just a few simple steps.

Make sure that whichever site you use has tracking and analyzing capabilities so you can keep a pulse on the code’s performance. It’s also important to check that the code is compatible with standard QR code readers, and, if important to you, that you can design a code that’s in line with your brand. Most generators allow you to custom design their codes to incorporate your logo, brand colors and more.

Again, the capability to analyze the QR code’s performance is crucial. You’ll never know if its contributing to the success of your farming campaign if you don’t track it!

QR codes can be invaluable for agents that send real estate postcards as part of their farming campaigns. They make the lead pipeline seamless and intuitive, engaging with prospects in new, interactive ways that include them as a part of the home buying or selling process.

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Two Tactics, One Campaign: Facebook and Direct Mail

brianna_mckinney — Tue, 29 Sep 2015 12:00:00 +0000

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Two Tactics, One Campaign: Facebook and Direct Mail

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Sep 29, 2015

Marketing Ideas

Real Estate

Research shows that customers who interact with a brand across multiple types of media – for example, direct mail and social media – spend 30% more than average.

That’s a significant increase, and one that your business can benefit from by using direct mail and Facebook – two seemingly different marketing methods – together in its next campaign.

While Facebook and direct mail may seem worlds apart, they share a major common benefit for marketers: they’re both perfect for keeping in touch with a very specific market as part of a long-term campaign.

In short, they’re two tactics that can be used alongside each other in one campaign and can share similar demographic settings like zip code, gender, and age.

By delivering the same message using direct mail postcards and Facebook, you can strengthen your campaign and improve your results. A well orchestrated campaign that uses both tactics can generate stronger brand recognition and better sales.

You can also use each marketing tactic to strengthen the other. Want to expand your business’s Facebook audience? Try marketing your Facebook page using direct mail postcards to attract likes, fans and digital impressions.

The strongest brands are built by interacting with customers on a large variety of mediums over time. Facebook and direct mail might seem very different, but they can be used together very effectively to achieve your marketing objectives.

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Increase Your Web and Social Media Traffic Using Direct Mail

brianna_mckinney — Tue, 01 Sep 2015 12:00:00 +0000

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Increase Your Web and Social Media Traffic Using Direct Mail

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Post date

Sep 1, 2015

Marketing Ideas

Real Estate

Did you know that consumers are more web active when they receive direct mail first? While direct mail and online marketing may seem very different, using both marketing channels together can create powerful synergy.

Customers that receive a direct mail communication before visiting your website:

Spend 15% more time on site
Generate 22% more pageviews
Account for 16% more website visits in total

They’re also more likely to have larger purchases on your website. According to research, online shoppers that interact with brands across multiple media types spend 30% more than those who only use one medium.

That’s a significant difference – one that your business can benefit from by using direct mail as a marketing channel for its website.

Better yet, consumers respond extremely positively to direct mail.

98% bring in their mail the same day it’s delivered
77% sort through it immediately
Average spend 30 minutes reading through the mail they receive
67% feel direct mail is more personal than the Internet
64% order products using mail they’ve received within the month

Direct mail’s immense response rate and low costs make it a great medium for promoting your business’s web presence.

If your goal is to increase website or social media traffic and generate more revenue online, direct mail could very well be a more cost-effective option than advertising your business online.

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Tips on Putting Direct Mail to Work in Small Towns and Suburbs

brianna_mckinney — Fri, 01 May 2015 05:00:00 +0000

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Tips on Putting Direct Mail to Work in Small Towns and Suburbs

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May 1, 2015

Marketing Ideas

Who says you need a huge audience to run a successful direct mail campaign? While many people might associate direct mail with mass marketing, direct mail is actually most effective when used in small towns, suburbs, and communities.

Imagine waking up to a list of sellers interested in you marketing their homes every single morning. Imagine being able to get in touch with everyone in your town that’s interested in investing in property.

Small town direct mail is a great way to generate leads and close sales as a realtor or real estate broker. Discover the four ways that you can put direct mail to work to promote your real estate agency in your town.

Focus on one suburb to build trust with your target audience

Do you live in a town of 50,000 people? Targeting 50,000 people as part of a long-term direct mail campaign is time consuming, expensive and – if your business has limited resources – often more than you can handle.

Instead of targeting a broad audience, focus on one suburb or community and build trust and influence. Mailing 4,000 people every month will cost you about the same amount as mailing 50,000 once and produce a far better response rate.

Real estate postcard marketing is all about establishing trust and familiarity. Even in a small town, focusing on one part of your audience – in this case, homeowners – is a great way to establish a powerful connection and earn their trust.

Give recipients a reason to keep your postcard in their home

Unlike telemarketing or TV advertising, which delivers instant results that don’t last after the end of the campaign, direct mail campaigns often keep producing leads and sales weeks, and even months, after they come to an end.

The reason for this is simple – with the right incentive to keep your postcard, many of your recipients will file it in their desk, stick it to their fridge or keep it on hand to use in the future.

Give people a reason to keep your postcard at home and you’ll become their go-to choice when they need to sell their home. A great way to do this is to include a free voucher – for example, for a free consultation – as part of your real estate postcard.

Show prospects your history of success in their community

Focusing on one specific neighborhood not only lets you mail people frequently and build a powerful connection. It also lets you show prospects your history of success as a realtor or real estate broker in their community.

Whenever you mail a neighborhood or suburb, make examples of homes you’ve sold a core component of your postcard. Prospects respond to results, especially if these results come from their own community.

Listing different homes in your first, second, third and other mail campaigns shows prospects that you’re continually achieving success for your local clients, making it more likely that you’ll be the realtor they call when it’s time to list their property.

Target carefully to maximize your campaign’s response rate

Targeting is the key to direct mail success, whether you’re mailing in a big city or a small town. Before you launch your campaign, segment your list into sections based on the prospects you’re targeting so that you can refine your message.

Obviously, you’ll want to target homeowners rather than renters if you’re running a seller lead generation campaign. Beyond this, you’ll want to target absentee owners, probate owners, FSBOs, and other seller types separately with a different message.

The more closely you target, the more relevant your marketing message. While it’s additional work splitting your audience into different segments, doing so lets you maximize your response rate and seriously increase your return on investment.

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Effective Integrated Marketing: Direct Mail & Social Media

brianna_mckinney — Tue, 17 Mar 2015 13:00:00 +0000

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Effective Integrated Marketing: Direct Mail & Social Media

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Mar 17, 2015

Marketing Ideas

You’ve sent direct mail postcards to your sphere of influence and farming list but haven’t received the response you expected. What went wrong? It’s possible that you could be lacking the necessary tools to engage with your recipients. Today, consumers want genuine, reciprocated conversation and want to build relationships with the brands they are supporting. Social media is a great way to start conversations with your clients and prospects and build long-lasting beneficial relationships. Watch this video to find out which social media platforms you should be on, and why.

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Postcard Ideas: Why Send Business Direct Mail in February?

Anonymous — Thu, 29 Jan 2015 18:55:36 +0000

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Postcard Ideas: Why Send Business Direct Mail in February?

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Jan 29, 2015

Marketing Ideas

February might be the shortest month of the year, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t an excellent time for marketers to expand their reach, connect with customers, and put their business on track for a successful first quarter.

From romantic holidays to commemorations of our country’s past leaders, February has several great dates for marketers. In this guide, we’ll share three reasons to send your direct mail postcards for lead generation or customer acquisition in February.

Sell flowers, gifts and romantic dinners on Valentine’s Day

Every year, couples around the world spend the second week of February searching for the perfect gifts for each other. Although most people associate Valentine’s Day with flowers, it’s a great marketing opportunity for far more than just florists.

Do you own a romantic restaurant or café? Launch a direct mail postcard campaign in the first week of February advertising your Valentine’s Day offers. By encouraging recipients to book ahead, you could fill your restaurant weeks in advance.

Jewelers and sellers of luxury goods can also capitalize on the immense popularity of Valentine’s Day for couples. Send out a His and Hers brochure or postcard with a selection of products to encourage your target audience to visit your store.

Run a spa? Offer a romantic package deal for couples to make Valentine’s Day the ultimate luxurious pampering experience. Of course, it goes without saying that if you are a florist, February is the perfect time to start advertising.

Market hotels and travel deals for Presidents Day weekend

The 16th of February is Presidents Day (officially known as Washington’s Birthday) – a public holiday and a long weekend that’s a popular travel opportunity for families across the country.

If you own a hotel or resort located within driving distance of a major city, the start of February is a great time to start marketing your long weekend vacation offers to families and professionals.

Likewise, if you own a travel agency, the long Presidents Day weekend presents an excellent opportunity to market three-day getaways and other offers. People like to travel on long weekends – with great marketing, your business can capitalize on it.

Remember that most people will plan their long weekend at least a week or two in advance, so it’s best to start your Presidents Day campaign early. Start your direct mail campaign at the beginning of February so people have plenty of time to book.

Run a B2B services company? Capitalize on the desire for Q1 growth

For many small businesses, January is a month dominated by administrative issues and back-to-the-office work. February, as the second month of the year, is when the real drive for first quarter growth begins.

If you run a business to business (B2B) services firm – for example, an accounting firm or marketing agency – February is a great month to reach out to local businesses and offer to help them meet their first quarter sales and earnings goals.

From helping small businesses with direct sales to proposing accounting services to leading local companies before tax season begins, February is packed with fantastic opportunities to get ahead of the crowd and fuel business growth.

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4 Ideas for Postcards in January

Anonymous — Sat, 20 Dec 2014 18:53:00 +0000

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4 Ideas for Postcards in January

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Dec 20, 2014

Marketing Ideas

January is a month of growth and progress. For marketers, it’s also a month that’s full of opportunities. From helping people achieve their New Year’s resolutions to marketing your B2B services, there are numerous ways to stand out in January.

In this guide, we’ve shared four reasons to send direct mail postcards to promote your business in January. Whether you’re a personal trainer, a B2B firm or a local bookstore, read on to learn how you can make January a mega-successful month.

Help people achieve their New Year’s resolutions

For many people, the first month of the year is a great opportunity to improve their personal habits and transform their lives. January is when people start taking action on their New Year’s resolutions – something your business can help them with.

One of the most common New Year’s resolutions is to slim down, shape up and get healthier. From personal trainers to nutritional supplement companies, this super-common New Year’s resolution is a great marketing direct mail opportunity.

Other common New Year’s resolutions revolve around personal finances, careers, productivity and more. If your business helps people improve themselves, the first few days of January are a great window of opportunity for your direct mail efforts.

An ideal marketing opportunity for:

Health food and supplement retailers
Fitness centers and personal trainers
Financial advisors and career coaches

Capitalize on the desire for businesses to grow

It’s not just individuals that want to improve in the new year – businesses, from big brands to local companies, also want to develop and grow. If you offer a professional service that’s valuable to business, January is a great time to start your marketing.

From local businesses to Fortune 500 brands, choose your direct mail targets wisely and you could gain lucrative new clients in January. The key to effective direct mail marketing in January is to tap into the universal desire for growth in the new year.

Focus on how your service – whether it’s marketing consultancy or accounting – is a vital component of growth and professional development. The right combination of service and message can strike a chord with your audience and grow your client list.

An ideal marketing opportunity for:

Marketing and management consultants
Accountants and outsourcing agencies
Business coaches and professional mentors

Help people refresh their style and personality

For many people, a new year means a new wardrobe. Whether you operate a local boutique or an expansive department store, January is a great time to deliver your latest catalog to both existing customers and new prospects.

With a focus on personal change and growth, you can tap into people’s desire for a successful start to the year. Image matters, and many people think of updating their look as a great way to update their career, style and personality.

From the latest international arrivals to eye-catching local designs, make January a month to showcase everything new in the world of fashion and design. With a great message behind your campaign, you’ll attract a powerful wave of new business.

An ideal marketing opportunity for:

Fashion boutiques and retail stores
Department stores and mail order shops
Tailors and personal stylists/image consultants

Offer big discounts to sell leftover December stock

Not only is January a great time to promote new products – it’s also a great time to offer big discounts on products left over from the pre-Christmas retail rush. If your business has excess inventory, now’s a great time to discount and promote it.

From big discounts on consumer electronics to buy-one-get-one-free deals on your most popular leftover Christmas gifts, use January as an opportunity to clear away existing stock and make room for the new year’s hottest products.

An ideal marketing opportunity for:

Big-box retailers and supermarkets
Local retail stores and brands
Online and mail order stores

How will you market your business this January?

Some marketers think of January as a “month off” – a slow, relaxing month after the massive retail surge that occurs in late November and throughout the entire month of December.

Smart marketers, on the other hand, view it as a great opportunity to start the new year on a high note – one that, with the right marketing, can be sustained with ease into February. How will you market your business this January?

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Using Direct Mail Postcard Printing to Promote Your Daycare

Anonymous — Sat, 15 Nov 2014 18:44:17 +0000

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Using Direct Mail Postcard Printing to Promote Your Daycare

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Nov 15, 2014

Marketing Ideas

Day care facilities face a rather unique set of circumstances when it comes to marketing themselves to prospective clients. Like any business, they need to present themselves in a positive light, in a way which appeals to the needs of customers. However there are also extra challenges which have to be overcome if the center is to succeed.

Because day care centers are childcare facilities, parents need to truly believe that the center and the staff can be trusted with their precious children. The ability to build a personal relationship with the staff members at the center is a vital part of this trust, and so personalizing the marketing approach can be particularly effective. Using direct mail, each postcard promoting the day care center can be individualized to a particular family. Not only can the card include their name and address, it can even include a personalized map showing the route from their home to the center in question. This is a useful way to break down the barriers that parents may hold, because it shows the center to be thoughtful, adaptable, and helpful.

Because day care centers exist in specific neighborhood locations, they need the ability to target their marketing to prospective clients who live nearby. Using a combination of direct mail and custom homeowner lists to achieve this kind of demographic targeting will help the center to reduce the costs of their postcard marketing campaign because the cards will only be sent to suitable, pre-identified prospects, rather than as a blanket mailer out to anybody and everybody. The personalization on the cards will impress parents who are concerned that their children are entrusted to the best of facilities, and the individualized maps demonstrate at a glance how easily accessible the center is.

For day care centers, direct mail marketing is a viable and effective strategy for promoting their business, boosting their reputation, and gaining new clients. It is an approach which should be seriously considered when such organizations are looking to increase their client numbers and grow their residual revenue.

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4 Direct Mail Marketing Ideas for Home Improvement Contractors

Anonymous — Sat, 09 Aug 2014 16:36:50 +0000

Title

4 Direct Mail Marketing Ideas for Home Improvement Contractors

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Aug 9, 2014

Marketing Ideas

For home improvement service professionals that conduct most of their business away from the office and out in the field, finding the time for marketing and lead generation can be difficult. However, there are some simple things home services professionals can do in order to kill two birds with one stone, so to speak, and effectively attract new business while working on existing job sites.

1) Make your service trucks and trailers advertise for you.

Vehicle wraps and truck-side billboard advertising isn’t a new concept but it is amazing to see how many service vehicles lack signage of any kind. Those that do often include the bare minimum of information and do little to address why prospects should consider one company over another. It’s no longer enough to slap the company name and a phone number on the car door and expect the phone to ring off the hook.

Use the same communication principles when designing your vehicle artwork as you would for any other advertising or marketing piece.

Use a creative, captivating headline
Feature bold, colorful images that elicit an emotional response or reaction
Provide a clear call to action and even consider including an enticing offer
Make it easy for prospects to access your contact information

In addition, remember that your vehicle is an extension and reflection of your brand. Keep your fleets looking as neat and clean as possible. Refresh decals if they become damaged, worn or faded.

2) Introduce your company to the neighborhood whenever you start a job.

As the saying goes, “birds of a feather tend to flock together.” The same is true regarding homes in a neighborhood; clusters of them are usually constructed within the same time frame, share similar features, and potentially have the same repair/remodeling needs. Hunt for those additional opportunities by letting local prospects know you’re in the area and working on a neighbor’s home. You can do this within minutes by utilizing various marketing tools.

By using marketing tools, busy, constantly-on-the-go professionals no longer have to wait to get back to the office to launch their home improvement marketing campaigns, rely on slow-moving word of mouth or invest in untargeted marketing channels to advertise their service offering. The result is timelier communications to a hyper-local target audience that helps to increase revenue-generating opportunities.

3) Be prepared with a ‘mobile showroom’ to shorten the sales cycle.

Keep a travel-friendly version of your showroom with your crew at all times. It can include before-and-after photos of your best work, hardware and/or substrate samples, an up-to-date pricing list, and a collection of customer testimonials. If a local prospect walks up to you at a job site or if you get an immediate response from one of the marketing efforts mentioned above, you’ll be ready to start the conversation and jump straight into the sales process.

4) Show off your stellar work and continue consistent communication.

After a job is completed, repeat tip #2. Send a direct mail campaign to prospects surrounding the job site and show off your gorgeous work in its finished state. Then, coordinate at least 3 to 5 more marketing touches targeted at that same audience over a 4 to 6 month time frame. In some cases, it takes multiple touches before a prospect will commit your name to memory and take action. (Need a direct marketing service provider? Check out QuantumDigital's free direct marketing website designed for business owners and marketing professionals.)

What other local marketing efforts do you think are 'no-brainer' home remodeler marketing tips? Leave a comment if you care to share.

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