Direct Mail is by far the most cost effective lead generation tool you can use. It’s one of the best ways for you to get your message right in front of the decision maker.
Combined with lists, especially if you know their names, a direct mail campaign can often get to hundreds of people at once. And if the offer is good enough you should expect a good return.
If you follow up your direct mail with a phone call you can expect your response rate to increase by a factor of3 or more. However you must be willing and able to conduct the follow up phone call. If you’re not in a position to dedicate time nor possess the facility to do follow up phone calls, then you will need to reconsider if Direct Mail is really for you. It may be that you use a telemarketing company for the follow up, but generally this method is not as effective.
A mistake that beginners often make is that they send out too many mail outs. They then find themselves in a position where they cannot possibly follow up that many calls. A few per week over an extended period is often better than one big burst or mail outs.
Remember though to use gimmicks and such things as ‘hand addressed’, ‘private and confidential’ markings,to maximise the success factor of at least getting the direct mail to the person who needs to read it.
Direct Mail is highly recommended in most cases, but just make sure you’re going to be able to follow up.