By Bryan Batelli
Advertising Copywriter

For the past few years many people have felt the effects of the slow economy. Whether it’s less new customers or existing customers jumping ship, one thing is for sure, your company is losing revenue.

Lately the buzz is that there is going to be a recovery very shortly. All the indicators are there, say the experts. We will be turning the corner shortly. Seems like it’s been about a year since they have been saying those exact words. If they’re right and the economy takes an upswing, here is something to think about:

How is your company positioned in the minds of potential customers? Will they come to you first when they start spending again?

You may be asking, how do I position myself as the “go to” company when the economy picks up again?

Simple. You use direct mail.

Direct mail seems to always get a bad rap. It’s still thought to be the crap you look at and say “ Why the heck did they send this to me?” Well, times have changed and businesses have smartened up. Direct mail has become so targeted that the people who receive it seem to say, “This is great, how did they know I needed this!” Well, maybe their not that excited but as a direct mail copywriter, I can only dream.

The keyword when it comes to direct mail is “target audience”. If you don’t focus on your target audience then you are just wasting time and money. Everything from the design to who you send it to and everything in between, MUST be targeted.

There are several ways to find a target. First you can do a search on Google for a list broker. There is bound to be someone who has a list you can use. I have never used list brokers before and from what I have heard you have to be careful. A lot of the lists sold are old and need updating. You may find that the supposed target list is not targeted at all, since none of the names and addresses are relevant any more. So be careful.

Another way is to start a newsletter. Give people on your website a chance to sign up for a newsletter that has special information just for them and their industry. This way you can use their email address to send them updates about your company and products. It’s a great way to keep your name in their heads. Again, be careful. Make sure they have opted to receive more information from you, other than the newsletter. You could turn customers away if they think you’re sending them spam.

I know some of you are now asking, “now that I have my list, what type of direct mail do I send to them?”

That’s a good question. Since you can send out anything from a simple postcard to an elaborate package with all the “bells and whistles”. My advice for someone just beginning a direct mail campaign is to send out a one-page letter or postcard. They are simple and cheap but have known to be effective. This way if the campaign is a failure, you haven’t spent a lot of time and money. Once you’ve established your direct mail campaign, then you can switch to a more elaborate package.

All in all, direct mail is the best way to get your customer to, at the very least, think about your company. Once you have established a relationship, you can then start sending direct mail to your possible customers on just about anything you want them to know. Just remember, don’t over do it. Direct mail should be a subtle reminder not a constant nag.

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Bryan Batelli is a freelance commercial copywriter with experience working with large corporations, small business and start-ups. He has experience in writing ads, brochures, marketing communications and direct mail. Visit www.copybybryan.com or email him at bbatelli@copybybryan.com to see what he can do to help your business achieve it’s marketing goals.