Direct Mail answers for PR & Marketing Professionals, Nonprofits, and Small Business

Why Aren’t You Including Video In Your Marketing Mix?

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Many smaller organizations that I work with don’t even consider including video in their marketing mix because they think it’s too expensive and complex. Do you fall into this category?

I recently shot my first marketing video, and I was amazed at how cost-effective it was to add this to my own marketing mix, and how easy it was to incorporate with my other marketing channels.

I want to share tips with you about video, and since I’m not an expert in this area of marketing, I decided to interview someone who is. Hope Daley from Guerilla Media was gracious enough to share her answers to my questions about video marketing for smaller organizations.

Here are my Questions & Answers the corresponding answers from Guerilla Media:

Can you share any data that supports the growth in video consumption on mobile devices and online?
Mobile video viewing was up 41 percent in 2010 versus 2009. If that’s not enough to convince you video is everywhere and gaining popularity, check this out: online video viewing saw a large growth rate with almost half of all U.S. citizens (143.9 million) viewing some video online in January 2011, Nielsen reported.

Why should you use video? Click here for our answer which includes some interesting statistics about how people process information and why that matters for your marketing.

What's the best way for small businesses to incorporate video in their marketing?
Here’s what we believe are the most important ways for smaller organizations to incorporate video into their marketing:

QR Codes: If you have an existing print campaign, you can create (for free) a QR code. You can then link that QR code to a video of your product or your special offer – making your print or direct mail materials interactive too.

Video Testimonials: If that’s a bit too techy for you to start with think about the power of a good referral. Now imagine you can capture that client who can’t live without you and they can tell anyone and everyone about you, that’s a video testimonial.

Post that testimonial on your website and social media sites and potential customers who you may have never gotten to touch have just heard from your best client about how fantastic your services are. But they didn’t just read it, they actually saw the person saying it so they pick up on the emotion and sincerity and they feel like they just heard it from a friend – that’s powerful word of mouth marketing with a digital twist. Immediately below is an example of a simple yet very effective video testimonial.

 

Biographies: You can also easily add a video bio about yourself so that people get to know you and like you which increases the chance of them wanting to do business with you plus it saves you time and money because that first meet & greet meeting is already out of the way. Best of all you can showcase what your business does, whether it’s a unique process you do or a basic product demo, with video easily and inexpensively.

Want to work smarter not harder, cut costs and shave time off your entire sales process? Video is the answer you have been looking for because it lets you SHOW and tell people what you do and why you are the best at it, creating the customer experience right from the start.
 
Smartphone proliferation has caused video to grow exponentially. QR Codes offer a free way for smaller organizations to connect their traditional marketing with Smartphone users via video. Videos provide not only a unique way to share your biography, but also allow your best customers to offer passionate testimonials for working with you. Video marketing is no longer limited to large organizations.

If you found this information helpful, please check back. Hope will be returning for a future guest post where she’ll share secrets for creating a compelling marketing video.

Oh, by the way, in case you want to take a peek at the short video that Hope created for me, here’s a link.

Like what you're reading?  Have you signed up for my weekly e-newsletter yet or are you following my blog's rss feed?

How are you using video in your marketing mix?  Please share your comments below.

About The Author: Hope Daley, Executive Producer of Guerilla Media, LLC, is a seasoned, award winning professional with a sales, marketing and national television broadcast background.  Her clients have ranged from fortune 500 companies to non-profit organizations, on a local, regional, national and international level.  Having run three nationally broadcast satellite and IPTV channels, multiple television production companies and having created innovative television programs makes her knowledge of media and all that it encompasses an unparalleled asset to have in your corner.

She and her husband Matthew Dykes started Guerilla Media in 2011 specifically to serve the local business community, entrepreneurs, inventors and people who have previously not been able to venture into using video to grow their business due to the costs. Having grown up in Naples helped Hope to identify this underserved market and to have a heart to help keep the local, unique businesses going strong by providing an affordable way for them to integrate video into their marketing and advertising – just like all the big guys do.

Expert Tips on How to Use Consistent Communication to Grow Your Business

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So many people today are looking for short cut solutions to generate business quickly.  If you've been reading my blog for any length of time, you'd know that I do not subscribe to "quick fixes" for sales and marketing success.  To further develop this point, I've reached out to wedding planning expert and owner of Bride Attraction, Natalie Bradley, to get her perspective on communication, referrals and sustaining your business over the long haul.  If you're looking for practical tips that you can apply to your own business, then this post is for you.

Ideally, getting married is a once in a lifetime event; is there any value in maintaining a relationship with brides after the fact?

Absolutely! You want to maintain your relationships with past brides for a few reasons. In terms of referrals, it's important to remember that where there is one bride, there's potentially dozens more. And, new brides will be highly likely to hire you if they get a personal referral from one of your past brides (who essentially is selling for you). But if you don't maintain relationships with these past brides to keep you "top of mind," how can you capitalize on this wealth of brides waiting for you?

Plus, another huge benefit in maintaining relationships with your past brides is to get repeat business for those professionals who also do social events. Make sure that they know about other events you do, such as showers, birthday parties, anniversaries, holiday parties and other celebrations!

How important is referral business in the bridal industry, and how could this be applied to other industries?

I often say that referral business is the fastest path to cash, so it's essential to use referrals (also known as word-of-mouth marketing) in your business. Brides will book your services faster and with more trust in your company when they are referred to you by brides or other vendors. Especially in this ultra-technology time, personal referrals are of extreme value in attracting more (paying) brides to your business. Brides can get overwhelmed with the wide variety of choices available to them, so referrals help them clear through the clutter of everyone else to find you!

And this can easily be applied to other industries. In fact, many of our clients who use our relationship-building and referral strategies are not even in the bridal industry. People who don't value referral business simply have not discovered for themselves the incredible benefits of good old word-of-mouth referrals. Because, once you tap into this, you know for a fact how valuable it is to your bottom line!

Do you see traditional marketing like direct mail having any value in your industry?  If so, please provide examples of how it can be used to generate business?

Direct mail absolutely has value in the wedding industry. The key is knowing how to use it to effectively market your services.

The most lucrative way I've found to use direct mail in the wedding industry is to use what I call the "warm and fuzzy letter." The reason why it works so well is that it's the perfect combination of professionalism and your personality - basically think of it as a form of networking and relationship building on paper. But, instead of sending this letter to potential brides, I suggest sending it to past brides, other wedding vendors, as well as personal contacts (like friends and family).

Use the letter to educate others on who your ideal bride is, what services you provide, what makes you different, and what key words they should listen for. And, to really use this well, you must send this quarterly to your contact. Sending this once just doesn't cut it. There's a reason why we call it "stay-in-touch marketing" after all.
 
Another effective direct mail marketing technique is to use postcards as a follow up for your bridal lead lists. But, instead of trying to sell everything about you and get them to setup a complimentary consultation (like every other wedding vendor does), offer them only one thing - a free, juicy, irresistible offer. This will peak their interest and will get brides to opt-in for your email marketing list. Offers can include checklists, reports, audios, DVDs, or e-books. And the title must be effective enough to get brides' attention  (think in terms of Cosmopolitan magazine or other similar publications with attention-grabbing article titles). This particular method works so effectively because you're combing a tried and true marketing method (direct mail) with a proven high-tech marketing method to follow up your direct mail piece (email marketing). It's always, always, always about staying in touch. It's not a once and done form of marketing. (Truly, I don't know any marketing that is once and done.)

On your blog, you talk a lot about keeping your target audience interested and engaged.  What advice do you have for small businesses to do a better job with this?  How important is consistent communication?

My business has been a one-or-two person small business for almost ten years, as is the case for most of our clients. Knowing your target audience (or ideal bride) is instrumental for marketing effectively, especially for super small businesses. This will keep you from wasting literally thousands of advertising and marketing dollars trying desperately to reach brides who do not resonate with what you do or the way you do it.

To figure this out, start looking over your past brides you loved working with. Create a notebook (or spreadsheet) to identify commonalities these clients have. Answer questions such as how old are they (age range), where do they live, where did they get married, what do they like to do (hobbies and interests), and where do they frequent (other businesses, blogs, websites, publications and more)? Are they in clubs or groups (sororities, Junior League, churches and the like)? Do they all seem to have pets (what kind)? Do they drive similar cars? How much money do they make? Who pays for the wedding (hint: if it's mom and dad, also discover where do they hang out and how much money do they make, etc...)? And on, and on and on...

The more commonalities you can find, the better, because once you find out who "they" are, where "they" hang out in large numbers, and what type of people can afford your services, you'll know where to advertise and who to market to (and also where not to advertise and who not to market to).

So what about the rest of the brides? Let them go in terms of advertising and marketing. Some of them will still come to you in small numbers and pay for your services, but the people who do want to work with you, who enjoy working with you, and can afford to work with you, are the ones who will buy from you. So, focus on them and your marketing dollars will go so much farther!

When it comes to communication, it's essential to know that it must be consistent. Everything I teach centers around stay-in-touch marketing. Brides will buy from you when they're ready to, but remember that they might be looking and shopping around much earlier than that. So if you don't reach out to potential brides repeatedly (and capture their information on your website), you're essentially saying "no thank you" to thousands and thousands of dollars. And that's just plain crazy!

Knowing these key marketing elements helps brides to pre-qualify and pre-sell themselves on your services before you even talk to them. It's the ultimate form of leveraging your time, money and effort!

-Natalie Bradley, Your Bride Attraction Mentor, 888.815.7696 toll free

Wow, Natalie made some great points here that apply to almost any business!  To start with, it's critical to do your homework and really take a look at the data so you can truly understand your target audience.  No one can afford to market to everyone, so it makes sense to focus your limited marketing dollars on the absolute best target audience. 

Additionally, marketing cannot be limited to just prospects; you also need to include past clients, family and friends.  Your marketing should focus on training influencers how to be referral super stars for you.

Finally, successful marketing is a process; there is no successful marketing model that involves a one and done approach.

*Follow Natalie Bradley on Twitter visit her website or read her blog

Natalie Bradley BIO:

After owning and operating one of the most successful wedding planning businesses for 6 years at a very young age, Natalie was asked by hundreds of wedding professionals to teach them how she rose to success so quickly and easily. From that, the “Bride Attraction System” was created, and Natalie has now become known as the “Bride Attraction Expert,” educating wedding professionals all over the world on how to attract more brides, make more money and have more freedom in the process!

Get your F R E E Audio Course, “5 Ways to Recession-Proof Your Wedding Business...Starting Today,” plus more F R E E Tips and Techniques on how to attract all the brides you need at www.BrideAttraction.com. Natalie also has hundreds of marketing and mindset articles on her blog.

You Sell Luxury Products, But does Your Online Image Scream "Low Budget?"

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Guest Post by Michelle Salater

Do you offer luxury services to clients but can’t seem to attract and convert enough prospects? The root of the problem might lie in your ability to project an accurate brand message through web copy or website design.

When companies offer high-end services that are in line with the industry’s pricing norms but can’t get prospects to bite, there’s one of two things occurring. Either your services aren’t conducive to your high prices, or you’re losing prospects at the door—or in other words, you’re losing them through your marketing materials. More often than not, it’s the latter of the two.

If you want to project an accurate brand message and, in turn, convert prospects into paying customers, you must take your readers through an opulent experience on your website, blog, and other online marketing materials to give them a taste of what you have to offer.

For example, if you own a high-end travel company that offers clients exclusive VIP services and packages that almost no other travel agent in the world can offer, then you need to project this image. If your website is low budget, it’s going to reflect that you offer low-budget services.

With that said, consider the types of accommodations your clients stay in while on vacation. Imagine the interior of those accommodations and how they make visitors feel. This is how you want your prospects to feel when they visit your website or blog. When you’re able to convey to your site visitors, “This is what you could have and experience,” they’ll be more willing to make the effort to book with you or contact you.

The entire design of your website and blog should take visitors through an enriching experience where they feel as though they have just stepped into a place of sheer luxury. In order to accomplish this tone, your navigation, color scheme, layout, images, and web copy need to reflect an essence of lavishness. If even one of these elements isn’t reflective of your brand image, you run the risk of losing prospects at your virtual-store front door.

Below are a few aspects of online marketing materials that could either make or break your brand image, depending on how you use them:

Images: You can make a huge impression on your prospects through high-resolution, aesthetically pleasing photographs. If you put any image on your website that is less than perfect—whether the resolution is poor or the subject of the image is inaccurate to your brand image—you may convey to prospects that your services are less than perfect as well. If you’re not confident in your photography skills or camera and you want to ensure that you have the best photographs and graphics on your website or blog, get a professional photographer to take images for your site.

To the right is an image I found on a spa's website home page. The image does nothing to illustrate a luxurious spa experience and works to invoke the opposite feelings of luxury. When I think of a lavish spa experience I don't want to envision an "average Joe" receiving some sort of consultation in an office. I want to see an image that captivates me and inspires me to book a treatment at that spa.

Below is an image of a Spa company that used images correctly on their website in order to evoke a sense of opulence:

Web copy: Long paragraphs of web copy, strewn with run-on sentences and grammatical errors do not constitute luxury. When your website copy doesn’t flow properly and lacks sophistication in word choice and sentence formation, you’re not projecting a graceful or elegant image. Rather, you’re showing prospects that your services are unorganized, unsophisticated, and haphazard.

In order to avoid this situation, find a professional web copywriter who has the writing talent to take your brand message and accurately illustrate it in your web copy.

Navigation: Consumers who purchase from high-end companies expect to spend more and get more in return. They also expect to be treated with VIP status and respect. When your website or blog navigation resembles a confusing maze, your prospects feel as though you do not respect their time. Think of how many prospect conversions you could be losing due primarily to a lack of smooth navigation.

When website or blog visitors can’t navigate through your site easily, they will most likely get frustrated and move on to your competitors.

Color scheme: Hot pinks, purples, and black don’t reflect a sense of luxury. You may see those colors for a young and trendy club or bar but not for a luxury hotel, spa, travel company, or other company offering high-end services. Therefore, choose colors that evoke a sense of sophistication and opulence. Remember, your website and blog color schemes work to give your audience a sense of what kind of services you offer.

In the end, be honest with yourself. If you don’t have a programming, graphic design, copywriting, or photography background, you’ll need to put your brand image in the hands of the professionals. It might cost you a chunk of change, but the rewards, in the end, will be much greater.

Reprinted with permsisson of Michelle Salater

About Michelle Salater:

Michelle Salater is the president of Sūmèr, LLC, a company that specializes in web copy writing, SEO copywriting, and the promotion and marketing of websites after they launch. As an avid business blogger, Michelle has grown her marketing blog, Copy Doodle, to be a powerful lead generation and client education tool, and frequently guest blogs and lectures on blogging and online marketing. Also, she publishes a free, biweekly ezine packed full of free marketing tips for small business owners.

Integrated Direct Marketing: 4 Tactics to Enhance any Direct Mail Campaign

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Guest Post from MaKenzie Birchell

What can you do to make your next direct mail campaign even more successful?  Integrate direct marketing options to boost the impact of your direct mail piece.  In this post, I’ve listed some of the best (and most budget-friendly!) options to help you work wonders with your limited direct mail investment.  These low to no-cost tactics will help you to plan and execute an entire integrated campaign:

E-Mail E-mail is one of today’s least expensive ways to reach a potential customer.  If you’ve already set up an opt-in list, keep up the good work—building a list is half the battle!  If you want to reach potential customers who have not opted in, you can work with a vendor to have e-mail addresses appended to your existing customer list or consider renting e-mail addresses from a direct marketing company that offers list rental services. 

To tie your e-mail to your direct mail campaign, be sure to use the same images, color scheme, etc.  If your direct mail and e-mail mirror one another, it’s easier for recipients to recognize your brand.  Try preparing recipients with an e-mail stating, “Watch for a special offer mailed to your home!”  If you’ve included an expiration date on the offer, you can also send a message after the mailing date to confirm its receipt and remind customers to redeem it.  Sending multiple messages can increase impact, but be sure to keep them short and courteous; this will decrease your chances prospects unsubscribing or worse yet, labeling your marketing communication as spam.

Social Media Whether you’ve already created profiles for your business at every social media outlet available, or you’ve only just added a profile picture to your Facebook page, social media can be a great tool to stay connected—especially to current customers.  You can utilize your social media profiles in a similar manner as we discussed with E-mail marketing--boosting awareness of your direct mail campaign before and after its execution to improve response rates.  The nice thing about social media is that some platforms or audiences accept repeating announcements.  For example, on Twitter it won’t be frowned upon to reiterate a tweet two to three times a day with proper spacing.  You can also expand your online following by including recognizable social media logos (like Facebook and Twitter) in the design of your direct mail piece, or better yet include an offer for a free gift or a discount to incentivize recipients to “follow” or “friend” your business!

Telemarketing  Though the practice of telemarketing has not always been looked upon as the most favorable of marketing tactics, it is effective when executed correctly.  The best strategy for well accepted calls is strictly contacting current customers or warm leads, and think of it as a courtesy call.  Start with the “heads-up” call before your campaign is executed.  (We’ll talk about making the confirmation/reminder call in just a bit.) 

Before you call, write a script, so you have guidelines to stick to that will keep your conversation on track.  The script should always include asking if this is a good time to call, thanking customers for their current or past business, and informing them that this is simply a courtesy call to alert them of the special offer they’ll be receiving in the mail, should they wish to take advantage of it. 

If, unfortunately, your call recipient does not offer a positive response, this is still a constructive opportunity for two reasons:  One, you can make your offer transferrable!  Politely tell them that if they do not wish to use the offer when it arrives, they’re more than welcome to pass it on to a friend or family member.  The second is that this will also tell you who you can leave off your list, should you choose to move forward with confirmation/reminder calls after your mail piece is sent!  Small business owners have a great advantage with this tactic, as they’re more apt to have personal contact with their customers on a daily basis.

Blogging This fourth and final tip may sound unorthodox to an overwhelmed business owner, but if--like many business owners--you are a passionate, seasoned professional in your industry, your wealth of knowledge may be one of the best marketing outlets at your disposal.  If you already utilize a blog to reach your customers, it’s simple to use that same influence to help boost your direct mail campaign by adding a short post to give your readers a “heads-up” about your mail piece and express your enthusiasm about your offer. 

If your blog is known for its informational or entertaining content, your audience will likely tolerate a brief promotional mention here or there.  (In fact, you may be doing them a favor by alerting them to your offer, should they happen to miss your direct mail piece.) You can also include the URL to your blog on your direct mail piece to gain even more followers! 

If the link to your blog seems too long to include in your mailing, consider purchasing a shorter URL and pointing it to your blog, or at the very least, include your website URL (that hopefully includes an easily spotted link to your blog!).  You may also want to include a QR Code on your direct mail piece that will deliver smart phone users directly to your blog.

If you don’t have a blog, consider surveying current clients to get their feedback about the potential value of blogging and to ask them for topics of interest.  Even if you can only commit to one or two posts per month, you may be helping your customers more than you realize, in addition to providing yourself with a new marketing channel!
 
It’s easy to get caught up in the day to day operations of running a small business, but remember that marketing efforts should be consistently planned and evaluated, not treated as intermittent events occurring only when business is slow.  Choosing marketing methods that are direct, targeted, and work well together will strengthen your brand, as well as reinforce the image you want to portray to customers.  If your business could use a boost, research more tips on integrated direct marketing tactics and explore which combinations are right for you and your audience!

Thank you in advance for sharing your recommendations for integrated marketing success in the comments section below.

About the Author: MaKenzie Birchell
MaKenzie Birchell is a blogger, social media strategist, and the Marketing Coordinator for Bluewater, provider of software and integrated direct marketing solutions for multi-unit corporations.  MaKenzie has over seven years of experience in the creation, implementation, and execution of direct marketing campaigns. Spending much of her career in sales and marketing roles at a franchise level, she has a unique appreciation for campaigns with local connections.  For more marketing tips and tricks, check out MaKenzie on the Bluewater Blog.

Give a “Lift” to your Nonprofit Direct Mail Program

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Guest Post from Karen Zapp

Have you been struggling to acquire more donors?  Has your retention rate declined?  Direct mail is still the best and most reliable source of fundraising for charitable nonprofits.  Therefore it’s also one of the best methods for acquisition and boosting retention.  Yet it demands your best efforts in order to be cost effective.

What can you do to give your direct mail program a lift . . . a shot in the arm . . . a boost in response? 

Here’s a collection of tips to revitalize your direct mail campaign:

The copy
Make your mission memorable.  Move donors to action.  Tell donors WHY you do what you do.  Don’t tell them WHAT . . . tell them WHY.  What difference would it make if you didn’t exist?

When you answer this you start to get at the stuff donors care about.

Also as you write, remember that donors want to feel special.  They want more attention than the person sitting next to them.  They want to feel appreciated.  To know they’re important to you.

That’s not all.  Donors want to know HOW they made a difference.  And to know they made the right decision by supporting your charity.

Convey all that in your copy and you will see better response.

Double postcards
They’re worth testing.  Now some folks love ‘em; and others hate ‘em.  As fundraisers and marketers our feelings don’t matter.  What matters is how they work for you in the marketplace.  How do donors respond? 
 
They can stretch your budget because of their lower cost to mail and print (as compared to a complete direct mail package).  Also, there’s no concern over whether the envelope will be opened. 
 
You can have a reply card as part of the postcard.  Or you could direct donors to your website for the desired action.  Some organizations have enjoyed impressive results with postcards – even raising more funds.

Use them as …
- a reminder to give; follow-up to a direct mail letter
- updates on an appeal the donor responded to; progress reports
- a way to help promote a special event
- pure cultivation (zero ask); share a success story
- the complete “letter” for a very simple appeal

Double postcards often prove to be a comparatively inexpensive way to keep in frequent touch with donors.  They have the potential to give your direct mail program a lift.

Test, test, test, and test even more
It’s always a good time to test.  But while we’re still recovering from the recession, it remains paramount.  Make time through testing to hone in on what works best right now so you can maximize results in your direct mail program. 
 
And remember, testing doesn’t always have to be elaborate.  Even if you’re a smaller nonprofit, or you don’t have the luxury of outsourcing your testing strategies . . . testing is still possible. 
 
For example:  You’ll get statistical validity if you use the “nth” select process.  Choose every fourth, sixth, tenth (or nth) name.  Don’t choose names for your test panel based on alphabet, zip code, or any thing like it.

Here are a few other guidelines for testing:

•    Always test against a control.
•    Have test panel sizes great enough to ensure that you get at least 100 responses from each panel.  (Do the best you can to predict results when generating test panels.)
•    Just because it worked for the other guy, does NOT mean it will work for you.  Test for your organization before launching a new campaign out to everyone in your file.
•    Testing lists is very important.  Rule of thumb is to devote 20% of a mailing to testing new lists.  Remember, the list is the single most important variable in a fundraising mailing.
•    After lists, the next two most important elements to test are . . .

• completely new packages (not individual package components)
• Significantly different offers. Examples include involvement devices; ask amounts; new membership benefits; and front-end or back-end premiums.

Use multiple control packages
During a recession – and while recovering from one – your pool of prospects may shrink.  This means more mailings to the same names.  When you use 2 or more control packages the message stays fresher and ought to enhance results.

One thing’s for sure: Direct mail is alive and well.  It is the lifeblood of countless charities and associations.  Boost response and revitalize your direct mail program.  Incorporate the tips I’ve shared with you today:  Let your donors know you care about them. Test double postcards.  Establish a testing program for all your campaigns and create two control packages.   

Guest blogger bio: Karen Zapp is a direct response copywriter with a focus on charities and professional associations.  Her detective-style research captures the heart, soul, and passion of your mission. She “gets” what you’re about and passes it on so your readers are motivated at three levels to respond: personally, emotionally, and intellectually.

Surprising Strategies for Reaching Generation Y with Your Marketing

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Guest Post from Kim Schneider

If you take one thing away from this post, let it be this:  Think creatively when directly marketing to Generation Y.  Generation Y is commonly defined as people born from 1979 to 1994.  Gen-Y is a special generation. We know what it’s like to live life pre-Internet and post-Internet. Some of us still appreciate reading a book in its original form – print – however, some of us prefer the electronic versions – the iPad or Kindle.  We appreciate the good old days before the web, but are also among the savviest users of the web.

One thing is for sure – we’ve entered a time of sensory overload. We’re constantly bombarded with messages from many different places. As a business, it’s even more crucial to find ways to stand out from the crowd. This isn’t to say that direct mailing and marketing doesn’t work. In fact, a study found that 18-34 year olds overwhelmingly preferred—by two to three times—to learn about marketing offers via postal mail and newspapers, rather than online sources such as social media sites. With this being said, it may be beneficial for direct marketers to combine old traditions and new customs.

The coolest tools I’ve seen used in direct marketing print pieces that have caught my attention have included the use of PURLs, QR Codes, and advanced personalization techniques, such as with a program like DirectSmile.

PURLS are a fantastic way to target your marketing efforts and your Gen-Y audience.  A PURL is simply a Personalized website (URL) that is customized to the person visiting the website.  PURLs also track the respondent's activity and continue to tailor the information based on his/her behavior, which can help businesses plan their communications with these individuals in the future. Not only do PURLS have a “call to action” for your audience to visit their personalized URL, but they also target the viewer AND collect valuable data for the business owner.

QR Codes are also great at catching the attention of Gen-Y. Relatively new to the U.S., QR codes tend to attract the tech savvy crowd. Personally, when I see a QR code, I always use my iPhone to read it and see where it takes me. Think about using QR codes to promote something a viewer can’t get anywhere else. If your QR code offers a discount only when viewed, do it. If you prefer not to offer a discount and just offer content the reader can only get through viewing the QR code, it still got them to visit your site and check you out.

Lastly, one feature I became in awe of while visiting a print shop was the use of a software program called DirectSmile.  This program can create a personalized product where the name or information of your target audience becomes a part of the scene/image.  I can’t tell you how impressed I was by this technology.  When I saw my name in flashing lights, or written in toothpaste, it was the coolest thing. Attract your audience with this technology and make them want to know who you are!

Few things bother Gen-Y more than marketing that doesn’t apply to them. Think outside the box. With a plethora of information at our fingertips, it’s important for direct marketers to get creative.  Don’t underestimate the power of a visually appealing direct mail piece combined with a newer technology showcased on it.

Written by Kim Schneider, a Social Media / Marketing / Brand Strategist. Read her blog at http://thekimschneider.com or find her on Twitter, @thekimschneider

Attract More Clients: Create a Marketing Message that Speaks to Your Target Audience

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Guest post by Michelle Salater

Your marketing copy has the power to bring you new customers and retain current ones. It connects you with your clients. Entices them to buy. Drives them to call you. Your marketing copy makes or breaks the sale.

Whether websites, landing pages, brochures, postcards, and other effective marketing materials, too many companies dilute their message by continuously talking about themselves, not their prospects and clients.

You’ve seen it many times—companies whose marketing materials are too self-centered:

• We’ve been in business for 50 years and for three generations.
• We’ve received the Chamber of Commerce Good Guy Award for 17 years in a row.
• Our salesmen were trained by the best in our industry.
• Our clients love working with us because we are a creative team.
• We blah blah . . . our blah blah . . . blah blah … us.

Let’s be clear here—nobody cares, especially your prospects.

You read that right. Your target audience doesn’t care about your business achievements or how great your services are. They just don’t. Prospects and current clients care about what you can do for him or her. They want to know what benefits they will receive from working with you.

The key is to create marketing copy that speaks directly to your target audiences’ needs and desires. Your message must show prospects how your service or product relieves their pain or solves their problem—not in terms of you, you, you, but them, them, them.

When business owners hear this advice, they’re dumbfounded. It’s a big shift in their thinking, and they’re not sure how to market themselves without the “we” word.

It’s a hard shift to make, but once you start thinking, writing, and communicating in terms of “them” instead of “we,” you’ll find marketing your company much easier.  You’ll find your target audience more eager to purchase from you than before.

Often, when you’re too close to something, it’s hard to communicate clearly and concisely. Reworking your marketing copy isn’t an easy task. But if you’re up for the challenge, I urge you to take inventory of your message and see where you can take the focus off your company and place it on the prospect.

Here is an easy way to produce more client-centric copy. Read through your current marketing materials. Then, take out a sheet of paper and answer these two questions:

• Do prospects understand what your company offers?
• Do prospects understand how your company will help them fill a need and solve their problems?

If the answer is no to both of these, you know it’s time to rewrite your copy.

About Michelle Salater:

Michelle Salater is the president of Sūmèr, LLC, a company that specializes in web copy writing, SEO copywriting, and the promotion and marketing of websites after they launch. As an avid business blogger, Michelle has grown her marketing blog, Copy Doodle, to be a powerful lead generation and client education tool, and frequently guest blogs and lectures on blogging and online marketing. Also, she publishes a free, biweekly ezine packed full of free marketing tips for small business owners.

Nonprofits, Use Emotion in your Spring Appeal!

Guest blog by Connie Oswald Stofko

It’s time to send out your Spring appeal. In your draft, you’ve told your readers what percentage of the American population is affected by the disease you’re trying to cure, or how many tons of groceries your food bank distributes each year. That’s the basis of a strong letter, right? 
Wrong!
If all you’ve done is presented facts and figures, you’ve forgotten the most important part of your appeal letter: the emotion. 
People reach out to help others because it makes them feel good, so you must reach them on an emotional level. 
In an interesting paper called “The Way We Write is All Wrong,” Frank C. Dickerson, Ph.D., found that while fundraising executives acknowledged  it was important to have emotional storytelling in their appeals, an analysis of the appeal letters they produced showed they didn’t actually do it.
 “The root of the disparity is that we all tend to take writing for granted,” Dickerson wrote. “We all can write. And we all think we can write well. Yet the evidence of linguistics analysis refutes this assumption.”
Are you using emotion in your appeal letters? Look at this example we did for the Ronald McDonald House of Buffalo: 
‘If Alyssa didn’t get the surgery, she could die,’  said her mother, Crystal Arnold. ‘If the Ronald McDonald House wasn’t here, we couldn’t afford to come to Buffalo.’”
The letter continues to tell in detail how the Ronald McDonald House of Buffalo helped the out-of-town family during their visits to Buffalo to get treatment for their little girl’s medical condition.  
Here’s another example we did for the Friends of Night People:
“Lynn came to us on a Sunday evening. She had no food or money, just one bag of clothing. She had no place to stay. Lynn was depressed after having spent the previous night in what she described as ‘terrible conditions.’
“She felt alone. 
“The first thing we did was feed her and let her know we care. Then we found Lynn a safe place to stay until Monday morning. On Monday other human service agencies would be open and we could put her in touch with people who could also help her. We did not leave that evening until we were assured she would be able to begin her tomorrow with strength and hope.”
There are a couple of things to notice here:
1. We tell a personal story.
We didn’t say, “Many people come to Friends of Night People because they are poor and hungry.” We told the story of Lynn and put a face on the problem. 
2. We explain the solution.
 For the family with the little girl who needed medical treatment, the solution was staying at the Ronald McDonald House. While we do mention the girl’s health problems, that’s not the focus of the story. The focus of the story is how the Ronald McDonald House helped the family. 
To tell a good story, make sure you “put a face on the problem.” Then tell your audience how their donation will help the person in your story (or people like that person). 
If you’re having difficulty writing a compelling, emotional story, it may be cost effective to hire a fundraising writer to help you.

About the Author: Connie Oswald Stofko, an award-winner writer and editor, is a partner at Fundraising Assets. Sign up for her free fundraising blog, or contact her for help with your next writing project.

How to Increase Responses from My Mail Appeal?

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Guest post by Lori L. Jacobwith, communication & fundraising strategist who helped helped organizations generate nearly $90 million from individuals.

www.twitter.com/LJacobwith

www.lorijacobwith.com

 

It’s heading into the time of year when I receive LOTS of fundraising appeals via mail. I’m often asked about what to expect on the return from the mailing. I find it interesting that I am being asked that question just about the time the mailing is going out. What concerns me is that organizations don’t ask that question all year long. If we ask the question: What are we doing to keep our donors informed, connected and reminded about the impact of our work? I guarantee your annual appeal response rate will be much higher.  

 

I’ve heard Penelope Burke speak a few times over the years. She’s written the book Donor Centered Fundraising based on thousands of donor surveys and she recently released a new donor report, Philanthropy in A Turbulent Economy. The following are some stats she shares that stand out for me as you make the effort to increase your annual appeal response rates:  

 

From Penelope’s open-ended question research:

DONOR QUESTION: Once you’ve made a 1^st contribution – what would cause you to remain loyal and/or increase your giving?

 

1.   87% said whenever they give they wish to be acknowledged promptly and in a meaningful way. – THIS INSPIRES MORE GIVING!

2.   In the thank you letter, include some confirmation of where the gift is going. Specific child…program or service.

3.   Before you ask me again…I want a meaningful report on how you used the gift. So this ties into the specifics on where the gift went that you identified in the thank you letter.  

 

People are very sensitive to the period between when they first give and the next appeal. Donor attrition is approx. 60% in that space.

 

If donors don’t get what they want or need IMMEDIATELY then they move on or stop giving at all for awhile.

 

44% said promptness alone could inspire another gift. (Within 48 hrs they should receive the personal thank you call and within two weeks – the letter)

 

My recommendation is to develop an annual communication plan to keep donors connected and engaged and informed ALL YEAR LONG.

Suggested tasks for your communication plan:

·     Have your board of directors assist with making thank you phone calls as contributions arrive. Do this either at board meetings for just a few minutes each month or distribute calls to the board in between meetings.

·     Share information about the good news and the “not so good news” monthly at your organization via 250 word or less email messages that have been carefully crafted to inspire and inform. These should be sent from the executive director or board chair.

·     Share stories about the people you serve. Stories can be a few lines or a few paragraphs. Keep them short and interesting. And they don’t have to have a happy ending to be compelling.

·     Make sure to have personal (phone or in person) contacts with segments of your donors (donors who have given the longest, or largest gifts) annually and track this in your database.

Putting the time to stay connected and keep your donors informed the other 11 months of the year can and WILL increase the response rate for your direct mail appeals.

For more blog updates from Lori Jacobwith visit www.lorijacobwith.com/blog