There's a reason nobody ever says, "Ready! Fire!"
Without proper aim, any campaign — military or marketing — is bound to fail.
The mailing/contact list — made up of the prospects or customers you want to reach with your marketing message — is, without question, the most important facet of your direct marketing campaign. In fact, direct mail experts estimate that the list accounts for more than 40 percent of a mailing's success.
Even if you're using email and social media to reach potential customers, one thing always holds true: Who you communicate with plays a huge role in the success of your marketing efforts.
Regardless of the media you use, your list of recipients must be up-to-date and targeted with laser precision. If it isn't, you may find out too late that your offer and creative were perfect, but the right people didn't see them, leading to an expensive disappointment.
Always keep in mind that the goal of direct marketing is not just getting your message out, but getting a positive response to that message. The more specific you can be about defining your prospects, the better chance you have of reaching out to them with an appealing offer they'll react to.
While it may be a bit more expensive, a more refined list greatly increases that probability of response. Once you've identified the characteristics of your target audience, Safeguard can help you acquire the right list for your campaign.
Use a qualified list for quality results and a higher ROI
As an example, let's say you sell pet supplies, and you're looking for new customers. Obviously, you only want to reach pet owners. People without pets are simply not going to buy anything from you, no matter how great your product, how wonderful your offer, or how beautiful your marketing materials.
So let's compare two mailings with identical offers and creative executions. One mailing uses a general (unqualified) mailing list including only a specified Postal Code (cost: $200). The other mailing uses a refined list that includes high-income households of known pet owners (cost: $1,200).
Even though the cost of the qualified/targeted list was $1,000 more than the general list, it generated $14,000 more in sales — a very nice return on investment. And while no one can guarantee that the response rate will go from 0.5% to 2%, it's indisputable that, all other things being equal, a targeted list outperforms a generic one every time.
Let Safeguard help you aim for success
As we said before, whether your marketing efforts include direct mail, email or social media, your success hinges on talking to the right people. Through a variety of innovative products and services, your Safeguard advisor will help you zero in on your audience before you pull the trigger.
- Our mailing services include list sourcing and demographic targeting for affordable, effective aiming of your marketing message
Don't let the lack of a quality list be your downfall. Email or call your Safeguard advisor today for a FREE consultation about targeting your direct marketing efforts for a better ROI. |
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