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Blog posts in Direct marketing
Are you employing the wrong mobile strategy?
April 30, 2012
It seems that every business is looking at apps and opting for a mobile strategy, but have you thought about why and how you are going to “go mobile”?
The online market is booming, and is only continuing to grow. The majority of retailers and SMEs have already opened online channels, increasing their brand visibility and capital possibilities. Yet, it is the mobile marketplace that is yet to show off its investment potential. In 2011, UK online sales reached £68.2 billion with a 16% growth rate (IMRG, 2011). Mobile commerce sales on the other hand represented only 1% of that figure (PayPal Report, 2011), suggesting that mobile services have a lot to learn when it comes to encouraging consumers to purchase.
There are 1.2 billion mobile internet users in the world (ITU World Telecommunication, 2011), but to target them successfully, a business needs to understand their individual requirements, motivations and behaviours. Otherwise, a business may embark on ventures that are needlessly costly. Many companies have already spent time and money on developing a mobile channel to no avail.
Of course a mobile channel can bring a number of benefits for any company. In fact, 14% of UK consumers are currently using their phones to purchase (Mintel, 2011). Those businesses that have not optimised for the mobile web will rely on the patience of their users to navigate their mobile website on the browser and conversion to sales are likely to be lower due to reduced ease of use.
Meanwhile, those businesses that have optimised their website for the mobile platform will be offering convenience, ease of use and efficiency to their users, factors which will lead to consumer satisfaction and intentions to purchase. Yet, it is those companies that have developed a native mobile application that will benefit from an increase in brand visibility, accessibility and convenience.
Having downloaded a mobile application, the user will not only have expressed their desire to view that brand, but will be subjected to the brand name on daily inspection of their mobile screen. In such a way, the brands message becomes more influential. This, combined with a mobile-friendly interface and efficient navigation, will be added factors of influence.
Yet, it is the user’s desire to view an app that will lead them to download. If a consumer does not recognise the necessity of downloading a particular app then they will not do so. Furthermore, if a business adopts a mobile channel without thought to design and the user’s requirements, then their move into mobile commerce will be ineffective.
Businesses need to be asking themselves some of the following:
- Does our target consumer use mobile services? (consider their age, occupation, requirements, location)
- Where does our consumer want to shop? (online, mobile, physical)
- What would our consumer hope to gain from our mobile application? (Information, services, purchases)
- What do we want to gain in return? (Brand awareness, information distribution, sales, increased profits)
If the answers point towards the development of a mobile app strategy, then market research into the requirements of the consumer is essential for successful design and content. A business should not jump on the app bandwagon without first understanding why. A different channel or strategy could be just what the company is looking for.
Thomas Coles is managing director at MSM Software.
Looking for a different way to promote your business?
April 10, 2012
Promotional items have been proven to go a long way towards driving brand awareness in a cost-effective way for many large companies. However, this method of promotion is frequently overlooked by small businesses in the UK.
When every small business starts, watching every penny is always a high priority. New business owners find themselves constantly asking questions: Do I need it? Will it really help me gain more business? Should we really be spending money on marketing?
Promotional items don’t offer a hard sell, however, they can be a subtle way to bring your brand into the recipient’s memory. For example every time a branded carrier bag, mug or pen is used or seen by a member of staff or customer, it’s displaying your logo and cementing your image in their minds.
By giving your items a call to action — including your web address and contact details — this will increase the chances of your services being used again in the future and help to deliver the return on the investment of your branded items.
In a survey conducted by the British Promotional Merchandise Association, 18% of respondents said they had kept a mug for the longest period of time, 15% a USB stick and 12% a pen, with 33% keeping an item for between one and two years and 30% between three and four years. It reveals that around 87% of recipients had kept a promotional item for longer than 12 months. So for the small investment of some promotional merchandise, the longevity of these items is virtually incomparable to other marketing methods.
Lots of SMEs tend to choose desktop items or office supplies as their main promotional items. Why not think about branding household items? This will take your promotions one step further, allowing you to be more creative and stand out from your competitors. It will increase your brand’s visibility, because people will see the name and logo not only at work, but also at home.
So the next time you are thinking about how you can promote your business in a different way don’t just focus online or on printed brochures — give promotional items a try.
Kathryn Holloway is the managing director at Promofix.
SMS marketing - are you using best practice?
February 27, 2012
SMS marketing has been tainted by spamming and mis-use in the past. Here are a few tips to help achieve successful response rates from an SMS marketing campaign.
Data segmentation
There are different types of customers and different types of messages. New buyers need to be made aware of products and services and guided towards a positive buying decision without alienating existing customers. It’s important to ensure existing customers do not become emotionally unsubscribed to your communication. Since the type of customer determines the message content and frequency, it’s important to analyse your customer database or use social media, blogs and SEO to understand your buyer profile. Social media can be used to empower audiences to form opinions. Combined with other marketing media, it can help push a call to action. It’s best to send an SMS only when you’ve already had some level of customer interaction.
Valuable data
Make sure your data is consistent, complete and correct.
Consistent data means having defined fields to help understand which groups your clients sit in to be able to send personalised messages. This can depend on how you collect your customer data — for example, online with mandatory fields or paper cards.
Ensure all relevant data is completed and saved for a customer to help with segmentation. It can be difficult to know how frequently to send marketing messages if your customer hasn’t told you how often they use your services on an online form.
People change jobs and addresses so it is important to make sure your data is up to date. Making sure your data is complete, correct and up to date means that its value does not diminish as it grows over time. When sending SMS messages make sure your money is working for you. There is no point in sending a message to mobile numbers that are invalid. This is also what a good SMS platform should be helping you with.
Data capture
The use of keywords or dedicated numbers and replies is a good way to be able to capture data from new customers. UK law states that you cannot send an SMS to a customer unless they have previously notified you and given consent to receiving communication, for instance by ticking a box to receive SMS marketing offers when registering their details. But what do you do if you already have data and haven’t satisfied this rule? There is a term —widely referred to as a soft opt-in rule — which acts as an exception to the above. You qualify under the rule if you satisfy all of the following points:
- You’ve obtained the customers contact details in the course of a sale or negotiations for the sale of a product or service.
- The direct marketing material you are sending relates to similar products and services only
- The recipient has been given a simple means of refusing the use of their contact details for marketing purposes both when the information is initially collected and at the time of each subsequent communication.
In addition make sure you include your company name as the Sender ID and provide clients with an opt-out address. If customers choose to opt-out it is your responsibility to ensure that communication is not sent to them. Again, a good SMS platform should be helping.
Message content
As with data segmentation, content can depend on your audience. With the rise of smartphones, it can be helpful to push the call to action by including links to your website or social media feeds. This will not only help track certain events but ensure your customer is involved with your brand and company in a multi-dimensional marketing experience. Ensure the message is engaging and concise (try to stick to one SMS) and that any offers are enticing enough to result in action. Get the correct mix of different marketing mediums to optimise your response rate.
Message timing
If you’re looking to achieve a call to action, such as persuading customers to attend an event, then the timing of your SMS can make a difference — how far in advance you send the SMS and at what time of day.. For example, if you are marketing for a Bank Holiday event, make sure you have provided customers with enough time to plan. Send too early and a customer can forget, send too late and other plans are already made. The frequency of communication also makes a difference: highly engaged buyers probably expect more frequent communication and may have a preferred communication medium. Less engaged buyers may need more of a mixture of media but more occasional communication.
Asha Lad is a Director at Avetio, the SMS communication specialist.
Five lessons to help you stay focused
November 17, 2011
By Luan Wise
As I embark on my biggest personal career move to date I’ve spent some time reflecting on what important lessons I’ve learnt and what will help maintain my focus as a freelance marketing consultant.
1. Marketing really does generate response
Being an environmental champion for an industry tagged with the term “junk mail” should be tough, yet, in my experience the response to developing sustainable initiatives has all been positive. Most notably a direct mail campaign – sending oak tree seedlings as an invitation to a series of seminars – resulted in not only over 100 event attendees but numerous enquiries for planting/care instructions. Weeks later I even received several photos of names trees, happy and growing well in their new pots!
2. Teamwork delivers success
The growth of the relatively small company I joined in 2007 has undoubtedly been down to the hard work of knowledgeable professionals working together to deliver a unique service in a newly liberalised marketplace. Its position at number 30 in the 2010 Sunday Times Virgin Fast Track 100 league of the fastest growing UK private companies is testament to that success. People buy people, and having great team players is a sure ingredient for success.
3. You get out what you put in
We all know that a work life balance is important. My fondest work hard/play hard memory was a project to be launched at a national event for over 200 people. The launch was followed by an awards evening — just a few hours later all but one attendee could be found on Blackpool beach, attempting a workout aimed to freshen up mind and body. The conference was concluded by an amazing speech by Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson DBE. The hard work was hugely rewarding but also great fun.
4. Keep learning
I don’t just mean continuing with your own professional development (which I do personally via the CIM CPD scheme), but sharing knowledge with students at the University of Gloucestershire and City of Bristol College (via Social Enterprise organisation Working Knowledge) has provided more insight and inspiration than I thought possible.
5. Love what you do
Whether it’s signing off brochure proofs, spending time on an exhibition stand, seeking new followers on Twitter or presenting to students – whatever you do, enjoy it!
Luan Wise is an expert contributor to Marketing Donut and is a freelance marketing consultant and marketing manager at Onepost.
Why go it alone? Integrated marketing works best
October 21, 2011
“I’ll tell you one thing, it’s always better when we’re together.”
The words of Jack Johnson also ring true for media channels. But don’t just take my word for it — a raft of recent research has shown the benefit of linking direct mail with other media.
The latest, from GI Insight, revealed that nearly half (47 per cent) of UK consumers said that they are prompted to check out a website by something they have received in the post.
And a recent IPA study identified that three is the most effective number of advertising media required to drive hard business measures, such as sales gain, customer acquisition and retention and reduction of price sensitivity.
Maximising the strengths of each medium is key, for example, when direct mail is used together with more traditional advertising channels, it combines targeted, personal messages with broad mass-reaching communications.
The guaranteed reach of mail will maintain its value in the mix as other media channels are increasingly filtered by consumers. This makes the preservation of the Universal Service fulfilled by Royal Mail so important.
By comparison, press ads fight for attention in a busy environment. But, with direct mail in the mix, stand-out is improved. According to the Royal Mail Media Centre, 65 per cent of consumers agree with the statement, “I am more likely to remember something if I see it advertised in a newspaper and it’s also communicated by post”. The same research highlights that 63 per cent of consumers agreed that “mail is good at supporting or clarifying the ads I see in newspapers”.
Similarly, direct mail supports TV advertising by providing more detailed information — 49 per cent of consumers agreed that brochures in the post can help the brands that advertise on TV seem a bit more real.
Last year, DMA/ITV research revealed that the simple act of combining TV advertising with a direct mail campaign can generate an increased consumer response rate of 96 per cent above that of a stand-alone direct mail campaign.
Armed with facts like this, would you really still consider running a standalone campaign?
Luan Wise is an expert contributor to Marketing Donut and marketing manager at Onepost.
Need more help with your marketing strategy? Read our guide — How to prepare a marketing plan.
Three (easily made) mistakes of telemarketing
October 06, 2011
1. Not picking up the phone!
Yes, it sounds ridiculous, but this is the number one problem for small business owners. Even seasoned telemarketers will have days when they just don’t feel like doing it, and they are used to doing it day in, day out. Add this feeling to having a list as long as your arm of tasks that need doing urgently, or that are important to keeping business running smoothly and you can see why many businesses just aren’t making any sales calls at all. If this is your situation, try and set aside an amount of time each day to make a set number of calls – ideally the same time and same number of calls every day. Even if it is only five calls and ten minutes at 10am – make it a discipline and when you start to see results it may encourage you to do more — at the very least you will see some results.
2. Who are you going to call?
The next problem is having not identified who you want to call. If you are sitting there ready to go at 10am but without a clue who you want to speak to, you’re going to give up pretty quickly, or resort to hastily-made decisions that may see you making calls to companies who are unlikely to use your services. Sit down and think about the types of businesses who will use your service – the best way to move from here is to use LinkedIn – search for people who work for those companies and try to connect with them, asking if you can call them. If you don’t use LinkedIn or you want to call a larger list of businesses, there are many sources of business data that are reliable and can target industry sectors, size of company/turnover, length of time trading and so on. If you have your targets ready and planned it will make the process a lot easier.
3. I have no idea what I want to achieve on the phone call
Put the phone down! Don’t start making the calls until you have decided what you want. If you don’t know then you can’t communicate a desired outcome and the call, even if it starts well, could be wasted. When you pick up the phone you need two things at a minimum – some kind of hook that will get your prospect interested and listening, such as a special offer, or a key benefit of what you offer, and you need a compelling reason why they should … why they should what? If you don’t know what this last bit is you won’t achieve it! You need a compelling reason why they should buy your product, agree to an appointment, give you an email address and read an email you will send, subscribe to your newsletter, look at your comparisons and so on.
Whatever the outcome is, if you are clear then the prospect will be, and if you’ve got your hook and compelling reason, then you’re in with a shout!
Julia Smith is an expert contributor to Marketing Donut and founder of Cre8 Sales Solutions.
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