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Discover How Promotional Products Can Improve Direct Mail Response Rates By 50% or More! |
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In recent years, a deluge of copycat marketers have driven successful direct mail strategies to the brink of extinction. Now, most people who receive direct mail packages simply throw them away without ever opening them. This forces more and more companies to beg the question: How can I guarantee that my direct mail messages ever see the light of day?
Thanks to carefully controlled market research, we now know of at least one surefire way to accomplish this feat. With a little creativity, you too can make sure that your packages get deserved attention from your prospects. The answer is direct mail promotional products.
In 1992, Silver Marketing Group conducted a study which sought to measure the effectiveness of direct mail promotional gifts. In this study, 1,482 businesses were sent a package that contained either a lone sales letter, or the same letter accompanied by a direct mail promotional item. The results in this case were nothing short of astounding: a simple direct marketing product boosted response rates by almost 50%!
You simply can't argue with results like this. By the time you're finished reading this article, you'll have a firm grasp on all of the benefits of direct mail promotional gifts, and you'll be on your way to bolstering your next marketing campaign.
Why Should I Use Direct Mail Promotional Items?
Using direct mail promotional gifts as an incentive to respond is a very affordable way of improving response rates. Here are some specific reasons why promotional gifts are a good addition to your direct mail package:
- Direct mail promotional merchandise helps improve responses by fostering a sense of obligation. People are much more likely to respond to an offer after they have been given something of value, or believe they will at some point. In other words, people want to know, "What's in it for me?" If you can answer this question outright, you'll be able to overcome the resistance that leads people to throw out direct mail in the first place.
- Direct mail promotional items contribute to successful brand-building. Free gifts that feature your logo will do a great job of advertising your company in an effective, hands-on way. Gifts make everyone feel special. This type of interactive marketing has a much higher chance of getting through to your customers because it comes in the form of a useful item that they'll likely want to keep. Whereas print advertisements or radio spots tend to go in one ear and out the other, promo products have the distinct advantage of longevity. When used in conjunction with direct mail, promotional gifts help the people on your mailing list remember who you are and what you're offering.
- Direct mail promotional gifts provide maximum results with minimum investment. Because direct mail promotional merchandise is so affordable, marketers don't have to worry about losing a big chunk of their profits. Promotional gifts can help multiply responses while only subtracting minimally from your return on investment.
How Can I Use Direct Mail Promotional Products?
The benefits of direct mail promotional items are clear … so how can you start using them to boost your next campaign? Here are some unique ways to use promotional merchandise as part of your direct mail packages:
- Use direct mail promotional items as incentives to respond to your offer. If you promise your customer a unique gift like an imprinted stress ball, logo puzzle, or promotional mug for responding, they'll be much more likely to comply. In this way, you can also save money by only sending gifts to the qualified prospects that are likely to make a purchase. If your customers need an extra push to convert them into a buyers, a small added bonus like this can help significantly.
- Use direct mail promotional gifts to get people to open your package in the first place. While many plain-looking bulk envelopes find their way immediately into the garbage, not many people will throw out a small or oddly shaped package before first checking what's inside. When you receive a package, there is always a subtle air of mystery surrounding it. What could be inside? A small direct mail promotional item will get your customers curious about what you've sent them. They'll open the package to check out the contents, and once they've done so, there's a good chance they'll read your sales letter as well. Now that's effective advertising.
- Use direct mail promotional products to set yourself apart. People are more likely to remember the companies that send them a free gift over those than send them annoying junk mail. A simple direct marketing product like an imprinted pen, promotional keychain, or customized magnet will immediately set your company apart from others, even if the gift is inexpensive. You'll need all the help you can get when it comes to capturing attention spans - promotional items are a quick and easy way to do just that.
Measurable Success with Direct Mail Promotional Products
Once you send out your first direct mail campaign that includes promo products, your job isn't over yet. By carefully measuring response rates among different products, you can narrow down your choices until you find the best-performing and most appreciated gifts. Don't just assume your response rates have reached their potential, keep testing and measuring until you know for sure that this is true! This is the best way to help sales reach their absolute maximum.
Using the perfect direct mail promotional product in conjunction with your sales letters and other marketing material can literally transform your direct marketing into success. What are you waiting for? Get started today!
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