Have you sent out the first mailing? Any results?

Would love the hear of your results I am thinking of the same thing at the firm I work at.

He reported back.  It was a horrible outcome.

Really? he should have at least gotten some results from 2000 maillings?

Thought I would chime in on this since I'm currently doing some post card mailing.  I went in--and am still--hoping for a .5% response rate.  My plan was to try a sample of 2000.  My marketing budget only allowed me to do 280 per month, and I'm about one and a half months in. 

After mailing my first 15, I got a call from a guy with money coming due that month.  After another 20, another call comes in, but he wasn't a good prospect with money--as far as I can tell.  No more calls yet, but I'm feeling good about reching 10 out of 2000 and converting at least a few of those into clients.

One more thing...I'm trying to make it as personal as possible.  I am mailing post cards, but I package it with a business card and stick both into a letter envelope (something that has to be opened), thus a higher expense, but I'm convinced it will give me a higher respone rate. 

There are several direct mail tricks you can do (e.g. use a real stamp, handwrite the address, handwrite the message, handwrite a note on the back of the envelope, etc.).  The truth is that, even if the creative design and message is out of this world, the response rate might not be much higher.  In this era of distrust, thanks to the industry scandals and a volatile market, prospects are going to be slow to call you back because of they perceive to be a random postcard they receive in the mail.

Two approaches to consider that might take setting aside the list of prospects you have:

1.  Have your best clients (that are your advocates) mail the postcards to ten of their contacts that fit your ideal client profile with a message from them that they should meet you. 

2.  Do a joint mailing with your strategic alliance partners to their clients (and allow them to do the same to yours).

Either way, if the names included in your mailing are not on the do not call list, consider following up the mailing with a voicemail to increase your response rate. 

I hope you find this information helps your business become even more successful!

Mike Byrnes, President, Byrnes Consulting, LLC, www.byrnesconsulting.com

Our firm did the same thing recently.  250 post cards went out to a specific series of zip codes.  After waiting a week we started the follow-up dials.  Of the people I actually have spoken to, none admitted to receiving the post card.

Ok well we were thinking about ti but not so sure now since results dont seem to be that great. Might do the client thing and have them mail their friends.

Completed a direct mail, hand delivered campaign about life insurance to a new condominium (420 units).

Cost:

Print: (printed on office printer) = about $50 including envelopes. 

Delivery: Leg power = $0

Return: 

2 responses

1 in progress

1 closed = $1,700

Net profit - $1,650 

Reasonable for one afternoons work and I got a little exercise!

On a scaled approach this will definitely be worth while. Hiring delivery people off craigslist currently @ $9/hour.

Can you explain "direct mail, hand delivered"?

Where did the stuffed envelopes go?  How did you execute the plan?  Just curious...

Direct mail: advertising sent directly to prospective customers via the mail

Hand delivered: mail delivered by hand

Without being a smart @$$ I delivered each individually addressed letter to each respective door in a new condo development. By delivered I mean stuffed it between the door and the door frame so the prospect could not miss it on their way in.

I executed the plan with my laptop, printer and my own two feet. I track all my prospecting campaigns with a lovely free CRM program called ZOHO CRM.