In the complex world of advertising, the small business owner has many avenues to consider.  Options include print, television, radio, billboards, and digital. Looking deeper within print media alone, there are numerous vehicles available – letters, postcards, door hangers, flyers, shared mail, and more. It’s enough to confuse the most determined business owner and discourage the time and effort needed to uncover the intricacies of the many options. Fear not! Today, we’ll break through the clutter and examine one particular, very popular option – known as solo or targeted direct mail, and see if it’s the right choice for your business.

When developing a marketing plan, a key strategy is to focus on a multi-channel approach that maximizes reach and effectiveness. The more expensive advertising media — television, radio & billboards – tend to be out of reach for many small businesses.  This leaves print and digital as strong options. A smart marketer will take advantage of both. When considering print, it’s important to examine both shared mail and targeted direct mail. Let’s take a good look at targeted solo mailing and uncover why it’s often an ideal choice for a small business.

REASONS TO GO SOLO

Control and Customization

When you want a high degree of control over the entire mailing process, targeted direct mail offers clear advantages. From beginning to end, the customer is involved in key decisions, such as mailing piece type, ad design, copy, mailing list, and mail frequency. This option avoids the set parameters of shared mailings, like ad size and mailing schedule, freeing the marketer to deliver a more personalized and impactful message.

Time-Sensitive Needs

Since shared mail often locks the advertisers into a set mailing schedule, go targeted direct mail when you have messages that require a delicate delivery within a specific date range. This might include very limited-time offers, grand openings, and other special events that don’t fall within the shared mailing schedule. And if you need more time than expected to focus and finalize your ad, with a solo mailing there are no deadlines to stress over and potentially miss.

Highly Targeted Lists

When the goal is to identify and target a very specific demographic group, targeted direct mailings are the clear winner. A high degree of flexible options allow you to choose your exact recipients.   Optional demographics include age, income, gender, location, length of residence and more. Optimizing your choices leads to a specific list of highly desirable customers and prospects.

Optimized Response Rate

Without any competition from other advertisers, you are sure to get the recipients’ full attention, generating higher readership and consumer action. When combined with the customization options discussed above, it’s easy to see why a targeted direct mailing garners more attention and leads to an impressive response from the target audience.

Increased Measurability

With targeted direct mail, you know exactly when the mailing is hitting.  This allows for redemption information that can be measured and analyzed for effectiveness. Separate, individual mailings offer the flexibility of testing the components of your ad by changing up the offers, creative copy, or targeted recipients. Each mailing can be tracked to determine the best performing and most profitable variables, assisting with the optimization of future marketing plans.

MAYBE NOT?

The customization and flexibility of targeted direct mail doesn’t come without a cost…

Higher Cost

Even though you can manage your budget by controlling quantities and frequency, the cost per contact for solo mailings is considerably higher than shared advertising. Be sure to work closely with your ad agency for guidance on making the best choices for your budget, needs, and goals.

Complex Execution

Compared to other forms of advertising, direct mail execution tends to be more complex, meaning more of your time and attention to get to a final product. For the busy small business owner, that can be less than ideal. When taking on a targeted mailing project, consult with a highly experienced and professional ad agency like Money Mailer for a smooth, positive experience and a top-quality finished product. Don’t forget that shared direct mail is a very attractive alternative when budget and other constraints are a factor.

Ideally, it make sense to work with an agency that offers custom marketing programs utilizing a variety of advertising options. Money Mailer’s multi-channel marketing mix includes digital advertising — online coupons, mobile app coupon search and share, and e-mail campaigns, along with both shared and solo direct mail programs. With professional guidance, you can be expertly directed to navigate through the sea of options, making the best advertising choices for your particular situation.