Inexpensive direct mail marketing for website promotion
I frequently use direct mail for sending special offers, coupons, and sales notices whenever I'd like to make sure the right people get my message. Finding well targeted mailing lists is easy, and sending direct mail "spam" will always be legal :) Moreover, postcards are as easy to send as email these days. The US Postal Service has arrangements with various printers that allow you to design a postcard online, upload a mailing list, and launch a direct mail campaign -- all without ever leaving your computer. While large mailings can get expensive, here are some ideas that should help out:
- The best way to save money on website promotion via direct mail marketing is by being resourceful when compiling your mailing list. After postage, address lists are usually the major cost involved with direct mail. I live in the San Francisco Bay Area, and whenever I'm looking for a mailing list, I head to my local library, where they subscribe to Reference USA (InfoUSA.com). I take my laptop into the library and download unlimited mailing lists for FREE. If you've seen what a high quality (accurate) mailing list costs, you know that's like pure gold. Check with your local libraries for resources they might offer. I know my library isn't unique -- I did a Google for "library 'reference usa' free access" and it seems there are libraries all over the country offering the same.
- To reduce postage costs, consider sharing a mailer with other advertisers.
Start by finding businesses that offer complementary products/services, and
then split a postcard or brochure into 4+ sections with them. For example,
suppose you're an Italian restaurant; find a local pizza parlor, Mexican and
Chinese restaurant that are interested in putting their "menu flyers"
into a brochure mailer. Even a postcard can be segmented into multiple "mini
coupons". I was once doing a large neighborhood mailing, and split a
postcard face into 4 sections. I sold 3 sections to other local advertisers,
and kept the 4th for my ad space. This allowed me to cut my postage costs
by 75%, and mail to 4 times as many addresses. To compensate for your time
and trouble, it wouldn't be unreasonable to charge the other advertisers 1/3
of the costs, resulting in free website promotion for you! That's actually
quite a deal for them if you consider that companies such as ValPack do essentially
the same thing when they stuff dozens of ads into one envelope and then charge
the advertiser about 1/4 of what independent postage would be.
Here's a sample shared postcard that was put together for website promotion. I'm sure you can do a better design:
- Rather than printing professional brochures, try writing "personal" letters to market your service. Direct marketing pieces are more likely to be noticed if they don't look like bulk mail. I use these free computer generated handwriting fonts to address any letters that I send out, along with a real stamp. I then use a standard letter-writing format on plain white paper for expressing my short marketing message. Not only do I get more responses when doing this, but I also avoid professional/color printing costs.
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| July 30, 2010 Dear Mr. Biz, My name is Babu Baht, and I noticed your restaurant is not doing so well. I recently started a new service that specializes in website promotion for businesses such as yours. Please contact me at your convenience. I look forward to working with you. Sincerely, Babu Clicktropolis.com |
