It seems that we business-to-business
marketers too often get caught up in the details of direct marketing, rather than
concentrating on the things that are most important: the list, the offer and the results.
Stop worrying about the unimportant details such as whether
it is better to use gray paper or white for your B-to-B direct mailer. It really
doesn’t matter what color paper you use—if you’re mailing to the wrong
people with the wrong offer, your campaign is going to bomb.
For example, if you’re sending a mailing about graphic
design software to chief financial officers -- or sending a mailing about financial
forecasting software to design professionals, you’re betting against yourself with
regard to generating sales leads or orders – no matter how good the copy or offers
are.
When planning a business-to-business direct mail campaign,
first determine your objective.
• Are you trying to generate sales leads?
• Are you trying to move prospects along the buying cycle?
Your copy and offer should be designed specifically to
support your objective.
The next step is to consider your list.
When choosing a list for B-to-B direct marketing, focus on
the important things—such as results—instead of worrying about less important
details such as the percentage of undeliverables on the list.
A client of mine recently told me she was concerned by the
high percentage of undeliverables from a business mailing list she rented. She was
seriously considering not using the list again because of it. However, when I reviewed the
overall results of previous mailings with her, it was clear that the same mailing list she
was questioning generated more leads and sales than any of the other lists she had tested
to date. In fact, that list resulted in the best overall return on investment. When
considered from that important perspective, the list she was about to not use again was a
real winner.
The next step and the best way to boost B-to-B direct mail
response rates is to create a strong offer—that is, a targeted offer, or “call
to action,” that will entice prospects to respond.
In business-to-business direct marketing, educational
offers work well for getting people to “raise their hands” and express interest.
These types of offers include how-to guides, buying guides, reports, white papers,
articles, case studies and invitations to events (e.g., webinars, presentations,
seminars).
Also consider boosting your response rates by making
multiple offers, each designed to appeal to people at different stages of their
consideration/buying process.
However, don’t make the mistake of offering something
“cool,” like an iPod. Yes, you’ll get a high response rate, but those
responses will be from people who want the iPod, not from people who want your product or
service.
The last step is to always make it easy for
prospects to respond to your call to action.
Your response form should include the various ways people
can request the offer (e.g., Web address, e-mail, toll-free number or even fax). Your form
could also include a few questions that elicit the information that you need to determine
whether the respondent fits your definition of a qualified lead. Don’t ask too many
questions, however, as you risk turning off the prospect.
Successful B-to-B direct marketers understand that most of
their campaign’s success relies on the list and the offers. So be sure to determine
the objective of your direct marketing, and then ensure that your list and offers support
your objective. Your response rate will be much higher in terms of qualified sales leads. |
