Direct mail
Direct mail is material distributed through the postal system to the (potential)
customer at his or her home or business address to promote a product. It can
be a letter, a sample, or a catalogue. Most people on the mailing list have not
requested the mail, but normally they are selected on the basis of a number of
criteria. Direct mail is widely used, especially in business-to-business operations.
For instance, in 2001 in the UK, it is estimated to account for more than 12 per
cent of promotional expenses (Brassington and Pettitt, 2003). On average, in
Europe $86 per person is annually spent on direct mailing, ranging from more
than $152 in The Netherlands to $26 in Italy (Singh, 2001). The recipient is
made aware of the offer by opening the letter, he or she gets interested in the
offer and – if everything goes well – desires to want to learn more about the product or to buy it. The letter also indicates what action should be taken to
receive more information or to buy the product, in other words a good direct
mail contains a call for action, and efficiently guides people through all the stages
of the buying process in one letter. Direct mail has many advantages (Table 5.3).
If it is based on a high-quality database, it allows careful targeting of specific
customer segments. Mails can also be personalized, which give them a directness
and intimacy that most other communications media cannot achieve. It is also a flexible medium, because all kinds of things can be sent, from letters to samples and catalogues. The content of the mail can be very creative and involving.
Attention-grabbing devices like cards that have to be unfolded or small presents
or gimmicks can be included. Even the envelope itself can be inviting and teasing,
for instance by means of showing a glimpse of its content through a window in
the envelope. However, it is sometimes argued that the envelope should be as
unobtrusive as possible to create the impression that it is not advertising
but contains an important message. In general, direct mail is also capable of
holding the attention – albeit for a brief moment – much better than mass media
advertising. It can be used to stimulate inquiries, generate leads, direct people
to a website, or sell products. The effect of a direct mail campaign can easily
be measured.
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