| One of the most powerful tools available to | | | | whenever they buy from you (or just visit |
| small businesses is direct mail. By this I | | | | your store) with the promise of a free |
| don't mean electronic, Internet-based mail, | | | | something after 10 or 12 punches. Naturally, |
| but the old-fashioned kind that requires a | | | | they have to register for the card and viola! |
| stamp and a trip to the post office.Why is | | | | You have their names and addresses.Last, and |
| direct mail such a powerful tool?It's a way | | | | most expensive, you can buy a direct mail |
| for small businesses, especially retailers, | | | | list targeted toward your best prospects. |
| to separate themselves from the big box | | | | Chances are, there is at least one company in |
| stores such as Best Buy and Wal-mart, and to | | | | your area selling lists of prospects by |
| compete successfully with the Amazon.coms and | | | | criteria such as recent home buyers, camera |
| Ovestock.coms of this world.The power of | | | | buyers, child care customers, etc.Once you |
| direct mail, if done right, is that it's like | | | | have captured enough names and addresses |
| getting a letter from your sister, mother or | | | | (maybe 100 or more) to begin a direct mail |
| aunt. The postman brings it to your home. | | | | campaign, you have a couple of alternatives. |
| It's addressed to you personally. And when | | | | One, you can input the information yourself. |
| was the last time you received a letter from | | | | Or, two, if you're strapped for time, you |
| Best Buy, Wal-mart, or any Internet retailer? | | | | should be able to find a local high school or |
| If so, it was undoubtedly via email and | | | | college student to input the information for |
| designed to be read by hundreds of thousands | | | | you. He or she can use either a word |
| of customers - not much personalization | | | | processing program or a database program to |
| there.The first thing you need to do to start | | | | build the list. It's just simple data entry |
| an effective direct mail campaign is capture | | | | and you might offer $0.5 or $0.10 for each |
| the names and addresses of your customers. | | | | name/address input. I like to use a word |
| This is easy for service organizations like | | | | processing program because once the list has |
| carpet cleaners, auto repair firms, instant | | | | been built; it's fairly easy to create |
| printers, and the like. They already have | | | | personalized letters, etc. using the |
| their customers' names and addresses. All | | | | program's mail merge features.What do you |
| they have to do is put them together as a | | | | then mail customers? I like newsletters a |
| mailing list. Retailers such as jewelry | | | | lot. They can be as simple as a single page |
| stores, antique dealers, liquor stores, | | | | printed on both sides or as complex as four |
| restaurants, etc. have a tougher time because | | | | to eight pages. Another good alternative is |
| they don't have an easy way to capture their | | | | personalized letters. Just make sure that |
| customer's names and addresses.There are a | | | | whatever you choose to send your customers is |
| couple of answers to this. One is the old | | | | important and meaningful and always include |
| fishbowl gimmick, where you ask customers to | | | | an offer designed to bring them into your |
| deposit their business cards in a fishbowl | | | | store or to call you for more information or |
| with a prize to be given away in a drawing at | | | | to make an appointment.It takes time, money |
| some later date. I personally think this has | | | | and dedication to develop and implement a |
| been overdone. Plus, I have heard stories of | | | | direct mail campaign. But it's a powerful |
| unscrupulous sales people cleaning out the | | | | tool that can pay for itself in just a few |
| fishbowls themselves and using the business | | | | months and then keep paying off for years to |
| cards as sales leads.A second alternative is | | | | come.For more information on creating an |
| to post a "guestbook" somewhere near your | | | | effective newsletter, be sure to look for my |
| cash register with a sign offering a free | | | | article, "Small Business Power Tool: Customer |
| newsletter to all those who register. To make | | | | Newsletters."Here's a good tip. If you're |
| this work, you and your employees have to be | | | | looking for a great place to vacation, choose |
| kind of aggressive in urging all your | | | | Denver. Denver is unique in that it offers |
| customers to sign up, and you can expect that | | | | the best of two worlds -- the fun things to |
| many will not. However, persistence is a | | | | do and see that you find only in a big, |
| virtue and if you keep this up long enough, | | | | sophisticated city, plus the breathtaking |
| you will capture enough names and addresses | | | | scenery, unforgettable vistas and amazing |
| to make the effort worthwhile.I also like the | | | | wildlife you find in our nearby Rocky |
| idea of offering customers some small reward | | | | Mountains. To learn more about the best |
| for providing their names and addresses. One | | | | Denver vacation, just go to Just go to Hanna |
| version of this that seems to work well is a | | | | is a long time marketing executive and the |
| "frequent diner," "frequent buyer," or | | | | author of more than 120 articles on Internet |
| "frequent customer" card. Give your customers | | | | marketing and family finances. |
| small, inexpensive cards that you can punch | | | | |