Like any form of advertising, the challenge isn’t just to be in the space, it’s to succeed in it. But how do SMEs emulate the big brands to stand out, inspire a target audience and generate action via the letterbox?
How many times have you looked at a piece of direct marketing mail and thought, “There’s no way this will generate a response, I could do much better than that!” You can’t help but wonder why some mailers cram their flyer with unnecessary text or fail to include an alluring call to action.
Most of Australia’s leading retailers spend over half of their entire marketing budget on letterbox advertising. And against the perceived grain in today’s digital age, consumers also consider the letterbox to be one of the top channels most effective for advertising, according to a recent Australia Post research report supported by the Association for Data-driven Marketing & Advertising (ADMA).
So how do SMEs emulate the big brands and stand out, inspire a target audience and generate an action? At Local Direct Network, thousands of SMEs execute their letterbox advertising campaigns with us every year, so our expert team have compiled the key influencers SMEs need to know in order to generate letterbox success. And best of all, they’re practical to boot!
Set a realistic goal to measure
When embarking on a direct marketing campaign (or any advertising for that matter), set a realistic goal. Look at your average store visits, inbound phone calls, website visits or bookings during the same period – how much do you want to increase this using your direct marketing campaign?
We hate to be the bearer of bad news but no advertising will work 100 per cent. The truth is that reaching 10,000 people will not guarantee you 10,000 new customers. For example, a television ad may have the potential to reach millions of people, but how many of them will actually see it and then purchase that product or service?
A great tool to use is the LDN Response Calculator. It will help you work out how even a small response rate may be all that’s required to get the results you want and a worthwhile Return on Investment (ROI).
Is your offer simply irresistible?
Waving your business under consumers’ noses is rarely enough to make them do something. Your goal should be to make your target audience act. To achieve this, you need a strong, irresistible call to action that will have them reaching for their phone, computer or wallet.
You don’t always need ginormous discounts, but your offer should be aligned to your target market and directly contribute to your goal. If you want a hundred more visits to your store as a result of the letterbox drop, your offer could be “Visit our store for your complimentary gift – this weekend only!”
Will your flyer cut through?
Your flyer should always be designed with your target market in mind. Keep it simple and/or unique to your competitors and they will more likely to take note, and remember it. Show your flyer design to people in your target segments, even customers, and ask:
- Does it catch their attention?
- Does it make them want to act?
- Do they understand the message?
Frequency is king
Ever noticed something, and then struggled to recall it later? With any form of advertising, this presents a challenge for any business. For a myriad of reasons not everyone will see your campaign the first time. Even if they do, there’s no guarantee they will be interested at the time or even remember to act on it. In our experience, it typically takes three letterbox drops to get the best results.
Also, people will rarely respond straight away. How many times have you received a flyer and immediately reached for the phone? Chances are your customers won’t need you the minute they receive your flyer, but they will do at some point in the future. Your job is to make sure they remember your business when this moment comes along.
