Helping Business Reach the Masses

A direct mail company is the business person?s best friend when advertising is involved. This is because a mail marketing company has the departments and employees to design, format, print and mail postcards, fliers and letters and then mail them to target areas.

This helps businesses reach the public in a way they could not any other way in this volume with their specials, sales and discounts. To bring new customers and old customers into their place of business with this advertising.

The direct mail company is also capable of doing a market analysis, which can tell a business where their best customer base is when doing mail marketing. This is an important feature that is able to tell a business what and who they need to concentrate on when doing mail marketing.

One way to reach the public at a reasonable cost that will be returned many times over in profit is the use of the direct mail company, no matter what type of advertising campaign from the new business to the business that is trying to bring customers back because their business has slowed. The use of direct mail is one that has long been known to be effective reaching people in a personal way to offer them a reason to return to a business such as a sale or a percentage off by brining along their post card when they shop. This is a business strategy that is often useful, many people do not like to miss out on a special deal or a sale.

By using the direct mail company it is possible to reach people that could have missed this advertisement if it were on television or the radio. They might also miss an advertisement in the newspaper because not everyone has the newspaper delivered. Using mail ensures that they will receive it and when a person receives something in the mail they often read it just for the fact that it has come out of their mailbox. That is half the battle with an advertising campaign, is to have the person notice the advertisement, because once they read it they become potential customers or repeat customers. This postcard, flier or letter has put it in their mind that a sale or some other event is going on that will entice them to visit the business.

There are not many ways of advertising that reach people a business can be certain of and the mail marketing company has been used for many years by businesses because mail can reach people, this company can also use customer lists for customers have signed up for mailers from a company, this is direct advertising that alerts these customers of special events and sales.

Together a business and a direct mail marketing company can bring a new customer base to a business, repeat customers and have the information at hand of where a customer base should be targeted for the advertising campaign. The design, printing, mailing and analysis can all be done using the direct mail company for any type of business.

Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/direct-mail-articles/helping-business-reach-the-masses-614634.html

How to Use Offline Sources for List Success?

Many Internet Marketers really miss out on opportunity to grow their list because they only market to individuals online. They feel that the internet is the only way for them to market their online business. That is completely not true. The offline world is alive and they are responsive. The mail order business was around before the internet and they are still around today thriving. So if you were to balance your online marketing and offline marketing you will find that you will generate more exposure then just using one or the other.

In my marketing I use simple methods to reach people who I know are candidates for my products that may not be looking for information online yet. They may not even know they want what I have until they see a print add or a business card. After viewing my ad then they may think to themselves ?that sounds interesting Let me take a look?. For more details visit to www.autoresponders-unlimited.com. Marketing offline in this way can give you a jump on your competition because they may only be marketing online. They are missing the prospect that is not yet looking online. So when they see your ad you are the only person they know and they are apt to go to you first.

Another benefit to marketing offline is that some of your current list may not open their email. And if you have a special promotion or a service to offer they may not get to know about it unless you were to use a method of contacting them offline. Many smart marketers do this. For instance one list that I belonged to would send out a voice blast to my phone to remind me of a conference call they were sponsoring and they would leave the message on my voice mail. Now if they would have only sent an email I would not have received it or paid attention to it. So by sending out offline marketing they filled their phone lines and received more listeners then if they would have just emailed their list.

There are many cost effective ways of using offline marketing to build your list. The simplest that has the largest reach is to run tiny classified ads that will point people to how they can get more information either for free or at a cost.

A second way you can and should direct people to your site is to always have business cards with a strong headline directing people to your site with a benefit of why they should go there.

Lets not forget the importance of signage I?ve placed signs that say ?Need extra income? Free report tells how go to www.? The response I get from that is incredible.

The last way I will mention is the real estate on the back of your car. Even if you drive a Mercedes Benz a tactfully small website address will get peoples attention especially if the site tells a little of what it is about in the address.

Using these techniques will drive many offline individuals online sometimes just out of curiosity. Once there it is up to you to convert them through your sales page and or squeeze page. for more information visit to www.email-auto-format.com. Clearly offline marketing is not dead, you can reach a huge segment of subscribers by meeting them offline. If you do not make an effort to marketing both offline and online you are throwing away tons of prospective subscribers and possibly even more money.

So be creative and don?t neglect the benefit that off line marketing has on your List Building endeavors.

Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/direct-mail-articles/how-to-use-offline-sources-for-list-success-614171.html

Starting a Profitable Membership Site

Perhaps you have heard about how profitable membership sites can be. Perhaps you belong to several successful membership sites and would like to join this online business model. You can make a lot of money by owning a paid membership site. You can have steady income for years from just one membership site. Membership sites come in automatically as long as the site is running.

In case you are unsure of what a paid membership site is, let us review:
You may have heard them referred to as member only sites, membership sites, subscription, or even mentorship sites. All of these sites have one thing in common and that is that a member has to pay to have access to the content of the site. These sites all bring in a steady flow of money month after month, year after year and can be on a variety of different topics. Some membership sites provide useful information on a particular topic, some sites mentor members in a particular field while others offer information such as review or articles about a particular product. For more details visit to www.start-ownbiz.com. Other membership sites provide specialized services or act as a meeting place for the members who all have a common interest. No matter what type of site it is the one thing all of these sites have in common is that all of the members are only permitted to the information if they pay for it.

People gladly pay for information online because the information is easily accessible, can be focused to a particular topic or product or can be about mentoring them in a particular field of interest. The site offers something of special value that is not offered anywhere else. This is why people are willing to pay for membership in these sites, to obtain valuable information that they feel they cannot get anywhere else. People pay for this information because it would be time overriding to gather the information on their own, or because the information is difficult to come by.

Just a few years ago, most people did not have to pay to access information online; it was free for the taking. Membership sites did not become popular until a few years ago, so the field is pretty wide open yet for new membership site owners. For more information visit to www.starting-membership-site.com. Membership sites are springing up that are focused on all sorts of unusual topics and some common topics too. Topics of membership sites can range from business, to hobbies, to products, marketing, fitness and weight loss, dating and other social topics, even cultural websites.

Now that you know a little bit more about membership sites and the need for them it is time to learn a little about how to start a gainful membership site.
Your first step in starting a membership site is to choose a topic. The topic should be something that you are passionate about, have some know-how in, and are viewed by others as having knowledge about the topic. Sit down and make a list of all the things that you have interest in, your hobbies, your vocations, any business training you have had, or even what you do when you have free time. Are you a consultant, speaker, or mentor to others on any topic? Once you have tapering down a topic it is time to set up your member's only site.

Setting up your membership site:
You will find many software programs and tools to help you set up your membership site. Basically, you need a Website, hosting, and 3rd party services to help you with the administrative tasks of running a membership site. You can find all of this in one place by using membership management software systems. These systems automatically do all the administrative tasks involved in running a membership site. Using a system can reduce your workload greatly.

Google the terms "membership site" and discover all the software systems available. Look them over carefully to see what benefits they offer. Choose one that has a good support system, knowledge tools, and a forum for asking questions and getting good advice from knowledgeable individuals who are currently running or who have earlier run successful membership sites.

Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/direct-mail-articles/starting-a-profitable-membership-site-614173.html

The Right Way to Do Postcard Marketing

"

I can?t even begin to recall the amount of times I?ve taken that envelope out of my mailbox, fully aware I?m holding an advertisement, and sent it to the trash without ever opening it up to see what it had to offer. I?m not alone, and I?m guessing you?ve done the same.  Perhaps that envelope contained a good deal, something I really might?ve enjoyed taking a look at had I just bothered to open it. When mailing anything to people this is a barrier all companies want to avoid.  It?s no surprise that postcard marketing has become a prominent alternative to the sealed envelope. After all, just because a person isn?t looking for that good deal, might even say they have no interest in it, that doesn?t mean their interest can?t be piqued if handed the right tidbit of information. Printing postcards offers a company a way of immediately grabbing a person?s attention, and yet, so many companies fail to properly utilize the postcard marketing strategies.

Postcard printing is one of the cheaper methods for mass mailing, and this very lack of cost leads many to underestimate the importance of them. Inexpensive strategies can be just as effective as their pricier alternatives, especially if done right.

When a person picks up a postcard they simply have to give it at least a precursory glance, and that?s where you need to get them. You?ve managed to break through the barrier of the plain envelope so use it as best you can. Full color postcards are going to be a far more effective way of making sure that lingering eye lingers a little longer. Make sure you know your market and know what they have interest in seeing.  Remember, all you?re likely to have is a quick glance to begin with, so you have to ask yourself how to grab them right away. Is a colorful, unique picture the best method, or do you want large, captivating letters informing them about an upcoming sale? Once you know what reaction you want do your best to gear your postcards around the idea.

So now you?ve got them taking their time: what comes next? Be careful about how much you want your postcard to say. Think about the size you have to work with when deciding exactly what the message your sending is. Whatever you say, it should be concise and pertinent to the group you?re targeting. Don?t bog them down with too much information. All you?ll do is increase the odds of that postcard finding its home in the trash.

But let?s say they lingered long enough to read what you had to say, liked what you had to say, and decided to give you a try. Don?t let this lull you into a false sense of security. I mentioned before that postcard printing is a cost-effective marketing strategy. Even full color postcards are a very inexpensive source of advertising. People like to be kept up to date with any possible sales, new products, or changes in the companies they buy from. This is where postcards shine the most. It doesn?t take much money to regularly send out a postcard letting them know what?s going on. The smart business owner is the one who knows to maintain his current customer base as well as bring in the new.

Mailing lists can be acquired through numerous different sources.  Figure out your base, figure out what message you want to send, and figure out the best way of getting them to read it. Once you know all of this, you?ll be all set to start up your postcard marketing. And always remember, no matter how long someone?s been providing you with business, it?s always nice to send your customers an update on how you?re doing. The more a person knows about a business, the more comfortable they?ll feel doing business with them.

"

Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/direct-mail-articles/the-right-way-to-do-postcard-marketing-615487.html

Answering All the Questions

No matter what kind of marketing you?re doing, the primary focus is always going to be focused on answering all of the customer?s questions. You might not even be aware of the fact that this is indeed what you?re doing. I?ve noticed many marketers who have this built into them without really understand exactly what it means.

You see, as a consumer I have a whole slew of question about a product that I need to have answered before I?m going to bother buying anything. Some of these are easy to recognize. What is the product? How much does the product cost?

Others are more details, such as how does this product apply to me and how is it going to help me in everyday life? That?s where things can get tricky for you, because often a company fails to think about those specific questions. They give details, knowing that a person is going to want to know the details, but that doesn?t mean that they?re going to realize that they have to then take those details and apply them direct to their customers.

Whenever you do any marketing, such as full color brochure printing, you have to be sure that you?re asking yourself what the question are that a person is going to ask? Start out your brainstorming session before you ever start those color brochures by asking yourself what your customers are going to ask.

Write down a long list of everything you would want to know about the product before you bought it. Try to ask yourself how this will improve a person?s life or how they would make use of it in everyday life.

This is what your brochures are going to focus on answering. Go through each major question and dedicate a section of your brochures to answering them as best as you can. The more questions you fail to answer the greater the chances are that a person isn?t going to buy your product because of it.

This form of marketing works quite well with full color brochure printing because you naturally have a decent amount of room to work with. You can cover as many question as you want to, and with strong headlines for each, you can be sure that people know when glancing at your brochures exactly what you plan on covering. Just seeing their questions laid out before them in your brochure will do wonders to ease their concerns and help them come to realize why your product is right for them.

It can be difficult keeping all those questions straight, and figuring out exactly what a person is going to want to know. Only good research is going to provide you with those kinds of answers. But it is possible to hand people a color brochure that answers every question they have if you know who you?re writing for.

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Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/direct-mail-articles/answering-all-the-questions-614282.html

Use Simple Tests to Improve Direct Mail Response Rates

Take the guess-work out of your direct mail response rates. Start with a few simple tests to determine the best approach for your audience and then roll-out your results to larger campaigns.

There are many ways to test your direct mail, but one tried and true approach is to keep it simple. Choose just one variable. Test the variable. Variables include things like your offer, content, list source, and package design.

An Example

Testing the type of direct mail package answers the following questions:What type of direct mail package provides responses at the most efficient cost? Should it be a letter package or self-mailer?

Lets assume you are a nonprofit organization attempting to increase donations. The letter package is typically more expensive, the self-mailer, usually lower in cost. Can you spend less and acquire the same or higher level of donations with a self-mailer? To find out, initiate your test with these steps:

First, a few assumptions for this example - you have a test list of 10,000 names and addresses. Contents of your Letter Package include:

8-1/2 x 14" personalized letter with a tear-off coupon


Brochure


Reply Envelope


Outer Envelope

Contents of your Selfmailer include:

A trifold brochure with tear-off reply card.

Step 1 - Calculate the costs of each package.

We're going to produce both packages at a quantity of 5,000. Each package will have the same expense categories. List the category and calculate the costs:

Design and writing


List


Printing


Lettershop/Mailing


Postage

For this example, assume a cost of $6,000 for the letter package, $4,000 for the self-mailer.

Step 2 - Develop the creative/offer.

Write your content


Work with your designer to develop the creative approach


Apply the creative to both packages, keeping the message the same on both packages. Yes, of course you'll be able to expand the message on the letter package since you'll have lots more space to add content, that's okay.

Step 3 - Include ways to track responses

The most simplistic tracking method is to use a small preprinted code on the reply device of each piece. For our example the letter package will have a code LTR-1, the selfmailer will be SLF-1.

Insure that your list is divided into equal segments. It's not just the quantity that should be equal - the quality of the names on the list should be equal too. In other words, don't pull 5,000 known high-end donors for the letter and 5,000 average donors to the selfmailer. Mix them up to make a homogenous group and then divide them into 2 files.


Mail the 2 packages at the same time. No delays between the mailings.


Count all of the returns. Quantify the number of returns segmented by the letter package and selfmailer code. Responses received via mail are easy to count, if you accept phone donations, have your phone reps ask for the code on their mailer. If you direct donors to your website, ask for the code on the web form.

Step 4 - Analyze costs and returns

Quantify the total return for each campaign in dollars - Call this "Income."


Quantify the number of responses for each campaign - Call this "Donors"


We know the quantity of pieces mailed, 5,000 each campaign - call this "Quantity."


We also know the cost for each mailing. We'll call them "Letter Cost" ($6,000) and "Selfmailer Cost" ($4,000).

More assumptions. Your responses will certainly vary from these, but it's common to receive fewer responses from a selfmailer, so I've used the following:

You've received 250 Donors from the letter package. Income $12,500.


You've received 200 Donors from the selfmailer.Income $10,000

Income minus Cost = Net income.

Net income from the letter package is $6,500 ($12,500 - $6,000)


Net income from the selfmailer package is $6,000 ($10,000 - $4,000)

In this example, even though the cost of the letter package is 50% higher, the return pays for the higher expense. In the roll-out stage, using the numbers above, you could estimate that a mailing of 50,000 pieces, as a letter package, would return $5,000 more Net Income than the selfmailer. As a side note, the income would be even higher since the roll-out costs per thousand pieces mailed would be far lower than the test mailing.

There are many other ways to test your direct mail variables and to quantify response rates. For answers about testing other variables, contact dano@direct-axis.net or phone toll-free, 800-849-3056. Written by Dan ODonnellCreative Director,Direct Axis www.direct-axis.net

Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/direct-mail-articles/use-simple-tests-to-improve-direct-mail-response-rates-613129.html

Go Beyond Information

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The more connected I am with a company the more I trust them and the more I?m going to be willing to devote my time to them.

The purpose of newsletter printing is to help develop that very kind of bond with your customers, and I applaud all of the companies who are making good use of this effective form of marketing. Something to remember though is that not all newsletters are made equal, and too often I see a lot of wasted opportunities because a company doesn?t use newsletter printing as best they could.

What I see the most in newsletters is a variety of different articles dealing aspects of what the company is planning. It will list upcoming sales and new products the company is pursuing. Often it deals with how good sales were on a particular month, and other innovations in the industry as a whole.

Now, all of this information is good. I?m not saying you shouldn?t write anything dealing with topics like this. What I do think though is that you can go beyond just a bit of information on your company.

The first thing to do is put a strong face on your company. Talk about your employees as well and what they?re doing. Have your employee of the month featured on the newsletter where you talk about who they are and how they came to work at your company.

This helps people connect with your company in a way beyond just a place to shop. You?re helping them learn who you are as people and get to know you better.

Secondly, talk about your customers as well. Ask them to send in letters for you to publish or have a regular survey they can write in to give their input to.

People like to know that they?re opinions and their thoughts are being heard by a company. Newsletter printing gives you just such an opportunity to let them know that you hear what they?re saying and you care about keeping their business.

This is about developing a strong bond with your customers going beyond just you selling them products and them buying them. You?re creating a community with your newsletter that shows people who you are and helps your customers get to know each other.

None of this is particularly hard to implement, which is why if you?re going to be using newsletters anyways you might as well consider how to use them as effectively as you can.

Deciding that you?re going to be using newsletters at all is the first and hardest step. If you already have the system set up for sending out your newsletter there?s no good reason to avoid these effective ways of fostering a strong bond with your customers. I have a feeling that if you reach out your hand to them, you?ll find a lot of customers very willing to give you a chance.

"

Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/direct-mail-articles/go-beyond-information-613219.html

It’s the Little Things That Add Up the Most

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Marketing is a very large concept. People attempt to push it down into a small category all the time, but true marketing is so broad you can?t really define it as a single thing.

The true purpose of marketing is to increase the likelihood of a person shopping at your store. This is the real reason every company is going to get marketing done.

Now, what all goes into improving the chances of a person shopping with you? The obvious methods are the most well-known ones as well. Turn on a TV and you?ll be confronted with a whole slew of ways companies have chosen to promote themselves. Each time you see a commercial the potential exists for you to be more interested in shopping at that store.

Every magazine is filled with ways of marketing, just like newspapers are. Walk into a store or even down the street and there will be all sorts of marketing attempts all around you at all times.

These are certainly the obvious forms of advertising that everyone is aware of, but even small subtle ways are just as much a part of what marketing is.

Take envelope printing, for example. Now, when you get a letter from a company what are you likely to see on the envelope? If the company knows what they?re doing you?ll see the company logo. Often this logo will have a slogan right underneath it along with the company?s name. This isn?t a major piece of information, but having that logo there is important, and an important example of the marketing that often gets overlooked.

You see, for people to remember a company they have to see the name and logo often enough. I usually have to look at a logo quite a few times before it finally sticks in my mind. Getting people to remember you at all is important if you want them to think of your store when it comes time to go shopping.

With envelope printing you?re making sure that every time they get a letter from your company they?re going to see your logo and get it to stick just a little more in their mind. Even if you?re sending them an advertisement that ends up getting thrown in the trash, they?ll still see that logo on the envelope and they?ll still be more likely to remember you later on.

This is why buildings have a logo on the side of them, and why companies make sure to get their name on everything that they can?t. They don?t have to be directly telling you to buy something from them for it to be effective marketing. Just getting their name close to you is a means of marketing themselves.

So how much are you taking advantage of the smaller forms of marketing? If you aren?t sure, I?d wager that means you aren?t doing enough.

"

Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/direct-mail-articles/its-the-little-things-that-add-up-the-most-606522.html

Brochures in a Glance

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The basic brochure is going to say quite a bit. This is why companies get brochures, because they know that this format is geared towards a lengthier message meant to give people more information about a subject.

Sometimes you just can?t fit everything you want to say into a postcard or poster, and so you go for the long advertisement like brochure printing.

Here?s the issue that often comes up, and many companies don?t stop to consider.

Now, something the majority of companies already know about a postcard is that you need to grab a person?s attention fast. The same could be said of posters as well. If you don?t grab and hold their attention then you won?t be able to get your message across to them.

These are both very short forms of advertising, which means you need less attention in order to get your message across. The thing about brochures is that you still need to grab their attention in a similar fashion. But because a brochure is that much longer you have to do that much more in order to grab and hold them.

A solid headline will usually be enough to get someone to take the time to look over a postcard. Even a flashy enough image could accomplish that much, but with a brochure you need more than just a single hook.

The first hook is what makes someone glance over your brochure, but that doesn?t mean by default they?re going to read everything else it has to say.

You need to have headlines that let a person know what each section is talking about. You need a good index that covers each point you plan on going over. You need all of these different cues so that when a person just glances across your brochure they?ll understand what it?s about and what the various points are.

They might not know all the details of those points, but that isn?t as important, because you?re just trying to get them interested.

And even if they don?t end up reading the entire thing your brochure printing hardly went to waste, because they still know what each point is you were talking about. The details aren?t always the most pressing concern.

Every brochure you make needs to be designed from the perspective of a person who is only going to give it a passing glance. Do a test. Have people who don?t know anything about your brochure glance over it and see what they come away with.

If they don?t know anything that your brochure was talking about, you know you need to give it a little more work.

A brochure might be meant for a longer message, but that doesn?t mean you don?t have to hook someone?s attention, and that doesn?t mean you shouldn?t get right to the point.

"

Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/direct-mail-articles/brochures-in-a-glance-606622.html

Do You Know About Website Navigation Tips?

Everyone loves to hear praise about what they are doing. It let's you know that you are on the right track and moving forward. Such is indeed the case as it relates to Internet Marketing. Thus after reading the following website visitor response I set out to write an article on website navigation tips." Sorry but your web site is very confusing; I can't seem get a straight answer or article. There are too many options, with too many obstacles. Do you have a simplified page, or a way to make this visit less challenging and time consuming?" - Yetis reader has taken the time to respond. That tells me that they see hope and potential where disappoint currently resides. The reader has shared critical feelings on the frustrations of visitors. Thus if I correct there website navigation problems there is a tremendous likelihood that I will be helping out countless other people at the same time. Even with the bad report on my navigation YV took the time to join my newsletter list. Yet another vote in my favor with a plea to make navigation easier to, well for lack of better words, navigates or go to www.google-friendly-page.com
So my obvious task was to make my website easier for YV (and who knows how many other people) to navigate, Here's good advice to follow when putting together your own website navigation. Prepare your site navigation before designing in my case it's to late. Fortunately I have prepared the navigation as people get into the heart of the site. But that's not going to do much for those who enter through my front page. My only option is to redesign part of my site. A mission I will indeed be embarking upon right after I write this article. Keep your navigation bar clean cut & uniform fortunately, this I have already done. So building it into the front pages will be relatively painless. There's nothing worse than a navigation bar that keeps changing what's where. That confusion will lead to people leaving your website fast. Be flexible in your navigation design Plan for the future or it will take time to bring your site back from the past. Especially if your website is content intensive like the one I'm building you can visit www.magic-mini-site.com
If "content is king" on the Internet (and it is) then "navigation must be queen" since a poor navigation system will not bring you many return visitors. Use utilities that help beef up your websites navigationOddCast Characters: There is an expense though it is nominal considering the value of this software. It's interactive and entertaining. Odd Cast provides people the ability to search for things directly from your website. And, if you become an affiliate partner (no charge) you can earn money by referring other people to their resources. OddCast is definitely at the top of my own wish list, and if you are serious about making a living on the Internet it should be at the top of yours also. Google Search: It's free. You can add the code relatively painlessly. People are provided with the ability of searching for information directly from your website. And, you can make money from your visitors using Google Search from your website

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UK Direct Marketing Triumph at Golf Event After President Lands Buggy in Bunker

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
PRESS RELEASE
October 9th 2008

 

Fareham, United Kingdom: DQ Global, the experts in data quality improvement today announced the UK triumph at the annual Direct Marketing Association Golf Society match and also how pleased they are to have their CEO back in one piece after a golf buggy accident.

 

Martin Doyle, keen golfer and this years' president of DMIGS (Direct Marketing Industry Golf Society), came up with the idea for the first international trip in the society's history.  This culminated in the DMIGS playing a Ryder Cup style match against the Irish Direct Marketing Association on the 29th September in Ireland.

 

After a tense last few holes the UK team were crowned the winner with Martin accepting the cup on the team's behalf. The event was not without its troubles however as CEO of DQ, Martin Doyle explains......

 

Whilst warming up for the event, my buggy buddy and errant Driver, Mr David Castle, Managing Director of TNT Lifecycle Marketing, accidentally reversed us to alongside a 7 foot deep bunker!! Unfortunately, so alongside that we ended up tipping over into the bunker rolling our golf buggy upside down.

 

Pictures can be seen here - http://www.dqglobal.com/golfbuggy.html

 

Not an experience I'm rushing to repeat I assure you. Thankfully we came out relatively unscathed, a couple of bruises - including the ego. Thanks to Colin Lloyd, former president of the DMA for coming to our rescue as seen in one of our pictures. A couple of trips the Osteopath seem to have sorted my back out, not sure how successful he's been with improving my golf swing though. 

 

The good news was that I had birdied the hole before taking a detailed look at where my ball might have ordinarily landed.

 

About The Direct Marketing Golf Society
The Direct Marketing Industry Golf Society is a voluntarily run organisation, providing quality competition and friendship through golf for people working within the direct marketing industry. Since its humble beginnings, the "DMIGS" has now developed into a well respected golfing society that organises three/four golf days per year throughout the country including a competition against the IPA in June. 

 

About The Irish Direct Marketing Association
The IDMA is the trade association of the direct marketing industry in Ireland. Membership is made up of companies engaged in direct marketing activities, as well as suppliers of products and services to the industry.

 

About DQ Global
With over 10 years' experience in data quality improvement, DQ Global specialises in easy to use, database-independent, data cleansing software which saves money and provides a platform for better informed decisions. Solutions range from simple desktop, through larger departmental databases to complex enterprise-wide single customer view and master data management initiatives. Head Quartered in Fareham, Hampshire, UK; DQ Global also has regional offices in North America and South Africa serving over 500 clients worldwide, including: Toshiba, Harvey Nichols, Standard Charter Bank, Pfizer and Siemens. www.dqglobal.com

 

 

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With over 10 years' experience in data quality management, we understand the data quality issues busy marketing and IT professionals face ensuring CRM and marketing databases support your business.

The DQ Suite delivers a platform for success, creating data you can trust for better informed decision making, whilst reducing the costs associated with information waste. Accurate, correctly formatted and duplicate free data forms the foundation for knowing and better serving your clients.

Whether you buy our software to carry out your own data cleansing and data integration or utilise our data bureau service, we're always on hand to work with you to make your information quality fit for your business.

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Break Out of the Envelope

"

Just the other day I received one of many advertisements in the mail. It came in a largely blank envelope, all white except for the name of the company along with a single message in the upper corner of the envelope that said something to the effect of Great Offer Inside.

Was there really a great offer inside? I don?t know, because I threw it in the trash before I had a chance to look. Why did I throw it in the trash? I didn?t trust that there was a great offer, or that I?d care about what the offer is.

The fact is, any company sending me an advertisement is going to make it sound like what they?re offering is the best thing in the world for me. Them telling me I?m going to love something isn?t enough to make me care.

This is where postcard printing comes in as the best alternative to the sealed envelope, and a great way of ensuring you get more people to read your ads.

Why do postcards work so well?

As I said earlier, them telling me they have a great offer for me doesn?t move me to find out more, but if I?m shown that great offer right from the beginning things change. Don?t tell me you have a good sale, but tell me what that sale is.

Because an envelope doesn?t cover a postcard I?m able to see right away exactly what their sale is merely by looking down at the postcard. I don?t need to rip open an outer layer to find out what the thing has to say to me, which increases the odds of me taking interest.

Advertising needs to get directly to the point or you won?t be able to get people interested. Don?t make them go to the additional effort of opening up an envelope. You saying you can give someone a good deal doesn?t really mean that much, because let?s be honest, a company?s opinion on what is a good deal is a little biased.

The more up front you are about the information and the less effort I need to go to in order to find that information out, the better the chances are you?ll get my interest enough to come in.

Remember that most people just glance across advertisements in the mail before deciding to keep them or throw them away. You need to get their attention in those few seconds or you?ll never get their business. Don?t block your message with an envelope when you have postcard printing open to you as an option.

Anyone sending anything through the mail has stiff competition to deal with. You not only have to get my attention, but get it before anyone else does. If you?re hiding your message from me behind an envelope, I can assure you I won?t be reading what you have to say.

"

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Do not Stand in the Way of Change

Life will change whether you want it to or not.

All around us things are changing on a regular basis. Each month might bring with it various different new elements to the marketplace, and large changes can happen in a very short period of time.

What exactly these changes are vary so greatly I couldn't even begin to list off all of them. All one needs to do is look over history to see how much our society has changed in just the last twenty years alone. Even the last ten years.

You need to ask yourself how this is going to affect your marketing.

The best marketing is the type that understand the marketplace and provides people exactly what they're looking for. You have to know the right kind of language to use, the right kinds of images to create, and the right types of themes to emphasize if you want to stay on top of things.

Your customers aren't always going to be the same. They'll be changing along with everything else in life, whether that change is growing older or completely changing who the people are. The way you were using poster printing before might not work with the new types of customers you have.

Many companies end up changing a little too slowly to stave off a drop in business. They get too preoccupied with what they were doing before until their business is sliding and they never even saw it coming.

A company that appears outdated is a company people will begin to walk away from. You need to be sure that every kind of advertising you create is perfect for the market you're releasing it into.

Your poster printing needs to be up with the times, the images the best to attract someone's attention. You're brochures need to cover topics that are important to people and offer services they're looking for. You need to make sure those postcards you're sending to people have a strong central message that will best appeal to them.

To accomplish all of this you have to know what a person's wants and needs are, and to know that you have to keep up with the times, because those needs are often going to change.

All of this means that research needs to be a constant part of your advertising. Don't let yourself begin to think that you know what people want, and so you don't have to look into it anymore. Never allow that assumption to hinder you're ability to keep researching.

The good news is, if you keep your ear to the ground and you never relent on your marketing research, you'll never have to worry about something like this. If your eyes are wide open, you'll see that change long before it happens, and you might even be in a good position to guide it.

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Kaye Z. Marks is an avid writer and follower of the developments in the poster printing industry and its benefits for small to medium-scale businesses.

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View it Through Their Eyes

"

How can you give a person what you want if you don?t know what it is that they want?

This doesn?t just apply to the type of items that you sell, but the way in which you try to sell them. Look at catalog printing as a good way of understanding this.

Now, the standard catalog is going to be filled with various different explanations of what a product is. This is the basic way catalogs work because this is how they pretty much have to work. You have a picture of the product along with a description of what the product is.

But these descriptions aren?t just about what the product does or what it is. Really good writing is going to go over the ways this can help improve a person?s life. It will detail the different ways that things will be easier for you if you get this product.

And this is where it becomes particularly important to be able to see through your customer?s eyes. You need to know what kind of troubles they have and what will best suit their needs.

Part of this also has to do with what type of products you use with your catalog printing as well. If you don?t know your audience you won?t be able to even provide them with a type of product they would look. Many large companies have a wide variety of different things that they sell, and they might target multiple markets with them.

This leads to the problem of trying to target the wrong kind of market with the wrong kind of products, leading to trouble and a lack of sales. Because you?re sending these catalogs directly to people you need to be even more sure than with other advertising that you know you?re sending them to the right type of people.

You can only know this if you?ve done all the right kind of research to know exactly what type of things your customers will want.

Instead many companies decide to make assumptions instead. They don?t actually consider their customers at all, and decide they know what people will want, or they can convince people that they need a certain product.

This approach can easily backfire on you if people recoil from being told what to do. I don?t particularly like it myself when it feels as if a company is telling me I should want this product even though I don?t have any interest in buying it.

You need to make sure that you never slip into a mindset like this. It isn?t always intentional either, and can happen by accident quite a bit if you aren?t being careful. The best thing you can do is ask yourself before beginning on your catalog whether or not you know exactly what your customers are looking for. Don?t just assume you know the answer.

"

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Meat and Potatoes for Your Affiliate Diet

Think of banner ads as the spice in your affiliate diet. Sprinkle them around, but for a heartier helping of sales, you'll need something more solid! Learn to give your visitors longer, more descriptive pre-sales text. Revamp your affiliate advertising using these simple steps:

Pull the Reader in Introduce the Product Explain the Product's Significance Tell the Reader to Make a Purchase

Pull the Reader in

To convince your audience that your text is worth reading, make your first sentence or two very interesting. Make a bold statement, say something seemingly ridiculous, or appeal to your prospect's emotional side. Then, tie this grabber in with the rest of your copy.

Introduce the Product

What is the product you're advertising? What does it do? Directly after your grabber, give a compact explanation of your product. Keep this explanation short, while still being very clear. This should still be a very short section of your text.

Explain the Product's Significance

What will it do for me?

By writing your own copy, you can directly target your unique audience. Make the most of this opportunity! Clearly explain how your readers will benefit from this product.

No one knows your audience like you do. Suggest a variety of product uses just for them, and give examples. This is the time for details - make this section long and rich.

Tell the Reader to Make a Purchase

You've come so far - you've laid out exactly what the product is and how it will help your unique audience. Now, seal the deal - tell your readers to purchase the product! Include your affiliate link in this section.

This step may sound strange, but it's necessary. Often, people hear about a product and are genuinely interested, but fail to actually make a purchase. A clear call to a simple action cuts down on buyer ambivalence. Don't be pushy - just change your verb tenses to the imperative. Instead of:

"If you think that you fit this profile, you might want to think about buying this product."

Say: "Click here to order an account today."

http://www.aweber.com/?300320

Drive Sales - Use Long Copy

If you don't feel ready to write long copy yourself, ask your affiliate program manager for help! Many companies release well-written articles by respected authors that you can reprint free of charge.

The novelty of the Web is wearing off. People online now are busy. Surfers won't make a purchase unless you make a great case for what they'll get out of it. And you're not going to do that with just a banner ad.

 

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Posted by Tom Kulzer (AWeber CEO)

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How To Do Great Pharmaceutical Print Advertising

Gaining market share is of utmost importance for pharmaceutical companies as they promote their products and services.

Having doctors and health care providers recommend their products is an integral part of market share building strategies. Direct mail is one way that Pharma companies inform doctors and health care providers about their products and services.

Direct mail using variable data printing is proving to be the most effective way to market. Variable data printing is defined as printing of any type that contains unique information to the intended recipient.

The medical field is about as specialized as any industry in our economy. Sending a sales kit to an orthopedic physician about a drug that helps constipation, would hardly be considered effective use of a marketing budget. The ability to use data to target specific potential purchasing behavior allows Pharmaceuticals the most efficient use of their direct mail dollar.

Variable data printing also allows for personalization of a mail piece. A common practice of pharmaceutical companies is to hold dinner seminars to explain the benefits of a given product. With variable data printing the invitations can be personalized for each Physician or Health Care Provider. An invitation that is personalized is much more likely to be read, which in turn increased the chances of attendance. Variable data printing can be used to follow up after the meeting as well. Other data can also be personalized to allow for cost savings.

You can print an entire nationwide campaign together with unique entries for data such as meeting dates, times and locations. This allows companies to receive bulk discounts on printing without having to sacrifice customization. Bulk postage discounts can be as much 40%. It is easy to see why variable data printing is an easy sell for printing companies that work with the Pharmaceutical Industry.

Variable data printing can be used on any print piece you can think of; sell sheets, postcards, invitations, business cards, fliers, brochures, presentations. Combining full color printing and variable data technology we can even customize the images that appear on a print piece. For example, if data shows that a certain doctor has a large senior citizen clientele, the print piece can be customized to contain images that would appeal to an aging audience.

You may have seen this type of variable printing if you have ever received a postcard from a car dealership service department with a picture of your model car and exact color.

You may also have received such a piece on a car that you no longer own. It is easy to see that variable data printing will only take you as far as the quality of the data. Companies who make a commitment to using variable data must also make an investment in quality data accumulation. Not surprisingly variable data printing is very popular with many other industries including: Retail clothing, Restaurants, Automotive, House wares, Health Care, and Construction.

Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/direct-mail-articles/how-to-do-great-pharmaceutical-print-advertising-587144.html
internet home business

A Formal Invitation

What sounds better to you?

On the one hand you have a postcard sent to a person?s home that asks, ?Want to save money? Come on in today and start saving money by switching over to our business.? It might not be those exact words, but you get the picture, and I?m sure you?ve probably received something similar to it.

Or think instead about getting a formal greeting card in the mail that says instead, ?We humbly request your presence in order to help you find better savings and a better place to shop. We?re sure we?ll be able to provide you with service exceeding what you?re currently able to get at other stores.?

The second one is less forceful, more humble, and requests something rather than specifically telling someone to do something. Furthermore, you don?t see something like that as often. I get so many postcards in the mail, but I rarely receive greeting cards.

If you get custom greeting cards you can add an additional touch to make the cards uniquely yours. You?ll of course have your company name and logo on them, but you don?t need to shout your company name. Simply having them there will be all that you?ll likely need.

Keeping your tone formal draws a stark contrast between what people are used to getting in the mail, and increases the odds of you being remembered long after you?ve handed them those custom greeting cards.

Now, before anyone gets the wrong idea, my point here isn?t to say that postcards don?t work, or that a direct message is counter productive. This isn?t true at all, and postcards still remain as a wonderful and powerful marketing device.

However, doing something unique will always help you stand out, and since so many companies don?t bother with greeting cards, you automatically stand out from the crowd.

But given the importance of postcards as well, your best bet is to make use of both of them. Don?t use just greeting cards or just postcards, but a combination of the two.

One tact is to make a list of all the people who have shopped with you before to send postcards to while making a separate list of all new customers you?re targeting and send your custom greeting cards to them.

Now you get the benefit of both to target the largest audience possible and gain the biggest benefit.

My real point here is to say that doing something unique will help you to stand out, but that doesn?t mean you should also discard methods of advertising that you know are effective.

The best kind of marketing is the type that can find a good balance between the unique marketing tactics and the staples of the industry. Find a combination that suits your business well.

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atlanta georgia real estate

#1 Direct Marketing Mistake: Poor Mailing List Selection

The Wrong List can Jeopardize a Great Offer

When most people are planning a direct mail campaign, they spend a lot of time and effort on getting the perfect layout. They usually end up wasting a lot of money because they don?t get the response rates they had expected and hoped for, originally. Most amateur direct mail marketers think ?if I have a good looking mail piece, people will respond.? But unfortunately, that is not true.

If they would spend their time and effort on the most important thing; which is targeting their audience by choosing the right direct mailing list, it doesn?t matter what their layout looks like. That is because if they target the right people at the right time with the right offer, they will have great response rates.

So what ends up happening when you focus on just the layout and look of direct mail? You waste your money. Then you may also think that direct mail is not the right media for you. But really, it is the most powerful marketing media. This is because you get to choose your targeted selections. That is the key to direct marketing. You are not just mass marketing; you are targeting your perfect prospect. These are the consumers that will spend thousands, even tens of thousands of dollars. Depending on your product or service, it could even be hundreds of thousands. So, how do you do it right?

Start with a Checklist:

· Know what area you want to target

· Know who you are targeting

· Strategically plan when you want to send out your message

· Use the selections to pinpoint your prospective customer

· Find the right list broker for you

· Join your list provider?s newsletter/ezine/blog (if available)

· Look for discounts offered by the list provider

· Look for quality, not quantity

· Use a list provider that has up-to-date information

Now you have a targeted plan. Test different layouts, formats, and offers at different times. You will end up finding what works. You may even have to change your criteria selections of your lists. So how do you do this the best way?

The Right List Broker

You should develop a relationship with a list broker. They will know what response and compiled lists are available. Don?t treat them as a supplier or vendor, treat them as a partner. If they provide you with a successful marketing list, you will end up forming a trusting relationship with them. It is always nice to work with someone you trust.

Sometimes, all you have to do is tell the list broker what type of business you have and who you would like to market. They can suggest different criteria selections and maybe different target audiences that have been successful for other businesses like yours. They also know which lists do not yield high response rates. List brokers are only successful if you are successful.

Final Steps

How often should you mail out a list? It usually takes three to seven times for a potential prospect to be marketed before you are recognized or remembered. So you may want to choose the option of multiple use when purchasing a mailing list.

Make sure to ask your list broker for discounts, as well as how often their databases are updated. Discuss your budget. You want to make sure that you and your broker are on the same page. Finally, track the results, analyze them, and make adjustments.

Don?t waste your money or time by using the wrong mailing list for your marketing campaign. Make the most of your offer by sending it to the right people.

Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/direct-mail-articles/1-direct-marketing-mistake-poor-mailing-list-selection-582805.html
relationship