The percentage of young people who say they will respond to direct mail is on the rise. Why is this uber tech-savvy generation so increasingly responsive to direct mail marketing? They’ve realized that the majority of what they do online is not guaranteed to be private, even when password protected. Direct mail, on the other hand, is a safer way to keep information regarding sensitive topics, such as those relating to health, private. Certainly there is a chance for mail to reach the hands of an unintended recipient, but the audience of that exposure is much smaller via direct mail than online. Also, young people now expect that when a real estate brokerage or other small business communicates with them directly, the communication is personalized. Technology has allowed direct mail to be personal, interactive, and relevant, meeting and often exceeding this audience’s expectations.
In an effort to stimulate direct mail marketing activities and generate revenue from postage on direct mail postcard campaigns, the USPS has been rolling out various programs targeted at small business owners and DIY marketers. An article in the October 2011 issue of Deliver magazine features their latest service offering called Every Door Direct Mail. It’s described as a “simplified mailing process” or an easy way for businesses to target prospects in specific geographic areas, even if they don’t have a list of names and addresses at their disposal.
To a small business owner strapped for time and unfamiliar with direct mail marketing execution, this program sounds like a dream. Unfortunately, the given summary of the program is grossly oversimplified and fails to mention huge flaws.
For starters, small business owners and marketers willing to try the Every Door Direct Mail program will need to make sure their running shoes are tied on securely—because they’ll have to make several trips to their local Post Office. Rather than the four–step process advertised by the program’s description, marketers will have to do a lot to get mail out the door and into local mailboxes.
Small business owners and real estate brokers and agents can use jumbo postcards to stand out in the mailbox. Their size alone draws more attention than what homeowners typically find in their mailboxes. Jumbo direct mail postcards can be used to target prospects a small business isn’t able to reach via online channels, and potentially direct them to online properties for further information. Reminding past customers to use a particular brand is another way jumbo postcards can help build business. Stick to a monthly or quarterly schedule to stay in front of customers on a regular basis, thanking them for their business or asking for referrals.
QuantumPostcards direct mail, postcard, flyer, brochure, business card, booklet, card, poster, magnet, and door hanger products and services are all backed by QuantumDigital's WOW Guarantee. If you are not completely satisfied with your experience, the QuantumCards by QuantumDigital team will make it right. Has a company WOWed you lately?
Don’t get caught placing all of your small business or real estate brokerage’s eggs in one basket. Jumping on the online-only marketing bandwagon and relying on one marketing channel to generate all business can not only be risky, but also leaves out some key audience demographics and conversion opportunities. Instead, try an integrated, multi-channel approach that includes direct mail. Direct mail and postcard marketing can be paired with online marketing to reach qualified prospects offline, and direct them to engage with a small business online.
Considering using the Every Door Direct Mail small business direct mail program from USPS? Watch this comparison between Every Door Direct Mail and our direct mail services to see which is right for your business needs. If you're looking to execute truly targeted, managed direct mail marketing on the go, check out the new QCards iPhone app. QCards allows small businesses to send highly targeted direct mail postcards right from an iPhone. QCards is also iPad compatible. Simply take a photo of your latest work, add a message, and select send. Postcards are in the mail next business day.
QuantumPostcards by QuantumDigital is targeted postcard marketing made simple and fast. Whether you are a real estate professional or manage a small business, our direct mail marketing products are designed to meet your needs. You also have access to immediate service from real people, backed by our WOW Customer Service Guarantee. Our four Xerox iGen digital printing presses guarantee on-demand flexibility, quality, and 24-hour turnaround speed. Because you print only the amount you need as you need it, fewer trees are used in the process. We also choose the most environmentally sustainable products and our printing inks are non-toxic and safe for the environment. Our in-house facility mails up to 12 million direct mail pieces monthly across North America. Watch as we take you on a video tour of our printing and mailing facility located in Austin, Texas.
Tired of managing multiple vendors -- printing, list management, mailing -- for your direct mail postcard marketing fulfillment? QuantumPostcards by QuantumDigital does all that and more in-house, saving real estate professionals and small business owners time and money. QuantumPostcards offers postcards, flyers, business cards, brochures, booklets, and more. With access to a national residential mailing list database of over 100 million addresses included with all postcard mailing orders, you can target desired homeowner demographics in highly specific locations. All postcard direct mail pieces are professionally processed and in the postal stream within 24 hours. Watch more about the one-stop shop advantage with QuantumPostcards.
Direct mail can be used in a multitude of ways to generate leads for a small business or real estate brokerage. There are three basic and proven ways to leverage the power of direct mail and postcard marketing to capture the attention of prospects and current customers. One is to spread your message or offer offline, with direct mail, to lead recipients online. A few ways to do this are to use a direct mail postcard to announce a special online contest or event, offer an online coupon, request online ratings and reviews of products and services, and learn more about an audience by directing them to online surveys. The second way is to pre-qualify leads using direct mail. This can be done by offering an online coupon or announcing a contest. Requiring an email address and other basic qualifying information in exchange for these items can be a great way to gather more information about an audience. Finally, nurture your leads by setting up a schedule of consistent postcard mailings.
