I recently returned from the Flooring America Summer Convention in Orlando, FL. Flooring America members get together twice a year with their corporate counterparts to discuss the state of business, national/local marketing strategies, latest product offering, etc.
Balihoo has been working with Flooring America for over a year, now, and this was the third convention I had attended. At the various functions and education sessions, it was great to be greeted and treated as a proven and valued partner. A year ago, as one of the “new kids on the block,” Balihoo was met with quizzical expressions and natural skepticism by the membership. We’ve come such a long way, together, and I can’t wait to see how the relationship continues to deepen over the next six months in advance of the Winter Convention.
The appetite for media planning services, in particular, was extremely encouraging. Times are tough for retailers, but those who invest in intelligent local marketing now, will reap the benefits as the economy stabilizes. This is Balihoo’s expertise, and we look forward to helping Flooring America (and all of our clients) position themselves well for the turn-around.
You can drive yourself mad trying to determine channel preference for each of your target customers, especially in this age of integrated marketing and endless opportunities for consumption of your marketing message and promotional offerings. For most companies, obsessing about whether a target customer responds better to direct mail, email, text messaging, fax, etc. is healthy and will lead to increased ROI. Same holds true within a marketing channel – you might obsess about (or should obsess about) which creative package resonates best with each customer. Subtle? Highly-promotional?
Be careful not to allow either obsession to limit your marketing efforts. An oxymoronic “targeted-shotgun” approach often yields the best return. In my experience, the increase in response rate vastly outweighs the increased cost of the campaign. Rather than guessing whether a potential customer would prefer a subtle or highly-promotional direct mail piece, I sent them both at the same time. Response went through the roof. Tangibly reminding someone that they “hate promotional direct mail” causes the subtle letter in their hand to look more attractive. Conversely, “another boring letter” in the mailbox caused the oversized/glitzy piece to get a little more attention. Sending an email, direct mailer, and text message at the same time might ensure that you catch your intended target at the right time with your message reinforced (don’t we have to see/hear something several times before it really sinks-in?).
By expanding your thinking beyond a single channel and single creative package, you will foster another obsession – determining which combinations work best. Good luck!
Even though we’ve all seen them (and likely clicked on them), search ads remain a mystery for many. Under a variety of monikers – search ads, paid search, pay-per-click – these are the sponsored links (Google) or sponsored results (Yahoo) which appear when you conduct an online search. Companies bid on words with which to associate their ad, and as internet users search for these key-words, the sponsored ads are displayed. Companies are then charged by Google or Yahoo each time a user clicks on one of these ads – thus the term “pay-per-click.”
Regardless of whether you found the preceding paragraph eye-opening or elementary, you will appreciate an article that I noticed in the Wall Street Journal last week (“Google Hit by Charge, but Ad Sales Are Strong,” January 23, 2009). Google reported a dramatic decrease in Q4 profit from the previous year. During the same time, however, paid clicks rose 18%! Despite the down economy, consumers are responding to online advertising.
The trend is expected to continue in 2009. The same article referenced eMarketer research claiming that search advertising is expected to rise another 15% this year. Are you riding the wave?
I stumbled on this response in Google Answers and was amazed at its relevance – particularly given the fact that it was written in March of 2003! Follow this link to read one person’s take on why certain companies survived, and even flourished, during and immediately after the Great Depression. Common traits included 1) advertising to create demand, and 2) “being there” with your brand when times were tough.
http://answers.google.com/answers/threadview?id=178334
Who doesn’t love custom? Whether it’s perfectly tuned golf clubs, built-in cabinets, or a bespoke suit, custom things feel and function better than those that are “off-the-rack.” Granted, you often pay a premium for this feel and function, but to some people, it’s worth it. That’s how I feel about targeted direct mail. Why would you spend money to manage customer information, define your target demographic, and rent a list of high-potential prospects only to send them an off-the-rack marketing piece?
Customizing your direct mail piece shouldn’t be confined to black-plate changes or
variable-laser. Full-color images can and should be changed as well – no two mail pieces need to be the same. Sending a mailer to new movers across the country? Vary the image to reflect the region or even style of the neighborhood. The list you rented may identify whether the prospect owns his/her home or is paying rent. If you’re targeting both groups, include images of houses for one and multi-family dwellings for the other. Content and messaging should be driven by this information as well, as the needs of a new homeowner are much different than that of someone moving into a new apartment. Digital presses have made this a lot easier, and a lot more affordable. In fact, since you’ll essentially have no paper waste and are not getting hit with charges for plate-changes, digital can be often be the more economical option.
Direct mail spend continues to increase, even as other print media (newspaper and magazine, in particular) are declining. Granted, it’s not getting cheaper – postage increases feel like weekly occurrences, paper is becoming more and more expensive, and I won’t even touch fuel prices. If you’re in the pricing game, email’s the way to go, but many people find email alone to be cold and “cheap.” Targeted mail remains the king of direct marketing and continues to evolve. If you find yourself stuck in an offset-printing rut, I encourage you to break-free and explore the world of customized digital. Technology has made it much more effective and much less expensive than you’d imagine.
