Direct Mail will never be the same.
Nothing lasts forever. We’ve had a good run but only the strong will now survive. Traditional list management companies are a thing of the past. List management as a stand alone marketing tool will probably not succeed as it once did. Never before have the cards been stacked against the traditional marketer as they are now. The threat of a potential Do Not Mail List, The Do Not Call List, the high cost of printing, paper, postage, high unemployment figures and the threat of five day mail deliveries have made traditional direct mail a great deal more difficult. New product introduction at this time is a most challenging task. ROI now is more vital than ever before. Lists and hotlines continue to grow smaller, marketing expenditures have been slashed and only the very best offers and staple products can count on continued success. All other marketers need to create a strategic marketing plan that will include new techniques never before available to them.

Creating a database of your already existing and potential new customers is a great first step. The cost of acquiring new customers is always substantial so to combat this expense the very best possible plan is to target your already existing customers. Next in line should be people who have inquired to your previous marketing efforts but have not as yet purchased. These are people who need to be contacted to close the deal. A simple phone call, a follow up letter or an email could help turn these inquiries into customers. Up sell/cross sell programs will add precious dollars to your bottom line.

Social networking is a great way to target the masses. The number of viewers is massive and will continue to grow. Web sites need to be interactive so that there is interaction between you and your potential customer. Affiliate marketing, e-mail deployment and SEO/SEM are great avenues in which to model growth to your business. Relevancy, as viewed by the leading search engines is key in determining your future success or failure. Organic search is vital and is one of the very best means in which to grow your “on-line presence”. There are costs associated with SEO/SEM but they are negligible. You will need thirty to sixty days to see the results of your SEO efforts. Paid search brings immediate results at a greater cost. Marketers need to weigh the cost of PPC advertising versus results to determine if it makes sense to “buy” keywords.

Sure it’s easy to say the times are tough. These are also exciting times. Challenges bring opportunities. But there are great opportunities to those with the insight and fortitude to lead us into the future. Explore the possibilities.

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