By Stephanie French
February 22nd, 2010
I receive a lot of direct mail. And, it takes a lot to get my attention when it comes to direct mail. So, I will hold on to and remember anything that sparks my interest. Just recently, I received a great dimensional mailer from 3dpapergraphics.com that I want to share.
Now, I wouldn’t recommend mailing it in an a window envelope the way I received it but, I was tickled when I opened the piece and out “popped” three more pieces. I admit, I was startled at first but then I realized how fun, creative and attention grabbing this direct mailer is. It’s definitely a great idea to keep something like this in mind if you’re struggling with the same lackluster mailers.
Have you received any creative or fun direct mailers lately?
By Amanda Smith
February 15th, 2010
Today marks the celebration of George Washington’s birthday, a.k.a. Presidents’ Day. It is one of 11 permanent federal holidays established by Congress. I’m sure the majority of you who are off work today are celebrating good ole George’s birthday and the rest of the faces that grace U.S. currency in your own special way.
Speaking of money…in 2010 marketers will be looking for more ROI than in years past and are shifting budget investments to more trackable online media and search marketing. According to a recent study by ExactTarget and Econsultancy, marketers plan to increase their online marketing budgets by an average of 17% this year. Therefore it’s more important now than ever to implement a SEO strategy and create effective online campaigns that will resonate with your target audience.
Are you planning to shift more of your marketing budget to online media this year? Do you have a favorite president or amount of currency?
By Vincent Betancourt
February 3rd, 2010
Let’s face it, spam filters can make a marketer’s life a nightmare, but there are some tricks that you should know to ensure a high delivery rate for your next e-mail campaign.
To help avoid the ‘junk e-mail’ folder, resist the following:
- Spam-type words
i.e. – free, #1, no cost, guarantee, marketing, credit card, etc. To see a whole list, visit this helpful site: Mannix Marketing, Inc.
- Red text
- All capital letters
- Incomplete information
- Excessive punctuation !!!, ???
- Excessive use of “click here” especially in all capital letters
- No “From:” address
- Misleading (or missing) subject line
At Canyon, we use Constant Contact to distribute and track e-mail marketing campaigns. This web-based e-mail marketing service allows marketers to easily and efficiently develop HTML/Text-based e-mail marketing campaigns at the touch of a button. Plus, it allows you to instantly upload distribution lists, track progress and view on-demand reports to help measure campaign success and track ROI.
Following these helpful guidelines and suggestions will help you avoid the junk mail folder and make it into your customers’ and prospects’ inboxes.
Do you have any tips to add to this list?
By Jared Bodnar
October 6th, 2009
Most B2B marketers are used to writing benefit-oriented bulleted copy for direct mail postcards, or solutions-oriented text for case studies. However, I find that many marketers are not experienced at writing telemarketing call guides (AKA scripts, though I don’t like that word). So, here’s a little outline to help you develop successful, action-oriented call guides for your outbound B2B telemarketing efforts.
- Introduction/Credibility Building. It’s critical to introduce yourself and build credibility right off the bat.
- Problem Identification. No matter why you’re calling, it is critical to discover a problem that you can help solve. Do some probing on your prospect’s pain points (now say that tongue-twister three times fast!).
- Present Solution. Explain to your prospect that you have a solution for their biggest challenges. You know, the ones that keep them up at night.
- Offer. This vital step is often overlooked. You must have a compelling offer for your prospect. A ‘free infrastructure analysis’ or ‘complimentary ROI assessment’ should do.
- Close: Typically, you’re trying to set an appointment or asking your prospect to take some sort of action, right? Now is the time.
That’s the top-line stuff, but be sure to include some objection responses, a way to verify contact information and gather opt-in e-mail address. Did I leave anything out? Do you have any horror stories about bad call guides?
By Jared Bodnar
September 25th, 2009
We’ve all seen it. Trade publications are getting thinner and thinner; media outlets are shutting down every day; readership is down; there’s even a Twitter feed dedicated to documenting media layoffs and closures. So, how are B2B marketers supposed to reach their target audiences effectively?
- Leverage the media’s online presence. Since more and more business professionals are going to the web, blogs and online news sites for information, it is a good idea to shift ad dollars and PR efforts toward the online versions of trade publications.
- Can you say value-add? Advertisers are in a great position to negotiate value-added extras that include e-mail distributions, banner ads, special insert sections and, best of all, magazine subscriber lists.
- Do it yourself. B2B companies that offer multiple products and services can position themselves as thought leaders and subject matter experts by publishing their own media in the form of print and e-newsletters, online resource libraries, blogs and more. This is a great way to reach your customers directly and build an ongoing, one-to-one relationship.
Have you cut your advertising budget, or shifted your funds elsewhere? What do you think of the trade publications getting thinner and thinner? What strategies have you used to maximize your B2B marketing budget?
