DIRECT
MAIL AS ADVERTISING MEDIA
BY
SMART
LEARNING WAY
CONTENTS
DEFINITION OF DIRECT MAIL
FEATURES OF DIRECT MAIL
FORMATS OF DIRECT MAIL
FORMS OF DIRECT MAIL
ADVANTAGES OF DIRECT MAIL
DISADVANTAGES OF DIRECT MAIL
DIRECT MAIL ADVERTISING VS DIRECT MAIL SELLING
CONCLUSION
BIBLIOGRAPHY
DEFINITION
Direct mail is the letters to customer. The
letters can be crafted with a personalized formats and approach. They sometimes
take the role as the chosen media, especially in high value personal products
like digital diary, PC, and service industry offers like from the hotels;
airlines etc. care should be taken to ensure that the direct mail letters look
like a normal business communication, otherwise there are chances that the
letter is put in waste paper basket.
With a excess of mail received by executives, they read only ones which look
business- like and are readable.
When printed matter is delivered directly to
the customer, it is called direct mail. These could be offered at the following
locations
@ At homes
@ At retail shops
@ On the streets
@ Sent by mail
Direct mail gives the reader the best possible
way of knowing about the product, with all the colour, graphics and data given
in the direct mail.
In direct advertising the advertiser has
several options like size, costs, formats, that could be used.
The cost
of direct mail can be quite varied on the basis of quality of material
and size of mailing list. Since direct mail is targeted at only real consumer
with no aberrations, they can be focused and personalized, making the readers
feel important.
Care should be taken to ensure that even from
the envelope the mailer gives the impression of a personal letter. Else the
direct mail has the possibility of being consigned to the readers waste paper
basket.
As most corporate buyers get hundreds of
direct mailers daily, they have to select just a few for their examination.
Hence even with its close contact with the customer direct mail remains a back
seat media.
FEATURES
Direct mail offers pinpoint selectively. It
can be directed to specific individuals or markets with greater control than
any other medium. Direct mail does not have to compete with another
advertisement, or with other editorial or program content for reader’s
attention. People like to receive mail. Most people read each piece of mail
thoroughly. The advertiser has a wide choice of formats.
Direct mail offers unique opportunity for
experimental research. With split-runs and split mailing you can test different
offers, different formats different copy and illustrations, different timings
among matched samples of recipients.
Direct mail that elicits inquiries or request
for additional information is an effective device for developing sales leads,
thereby increasing the efficiency of the sales force.
FORMATS
In direct advertising the advertiser has
several options like size, costs, formats, that could be used. Different
formats commonly used as follows:
A leaflet This is a small printed paper, which could be
printed on both sides, in color and with as much details about the products as
possible while keeping the aesthetics in mind.
A booklet is a small book which gives a lot of
information about the product.
Brochures are better made leaflets in colour
and mostly they are glossy. It can be in booklet format also as it gives a good impression
FORMS OF DIRECT MAIL
·
LETTERS
·
SELF MAILERS
·
CATALOG
·
FOLDERS
·
BOOKLETS
·
MAILING CARD
·
POST CARD
·
MAGAZINES
·
SALES MANUEL
·
INFORMATIVE
MANUEL
·
PRICE LIST
·
CHARTS
·
POSTERS
LETTERS
Letters are the most personal and
intimate of all forms of advertising. You address your customer or prospect
individually by the most important word he knows-his name. The letter can be
warm and friendly or businesslike and authoritative. If it address the
prospect’s self interest.
SELF-MAILERS
Self-mailers do not require an envelope. The
address of the recipient and the postage are placed on the mailing piece
itself. The simplest self-mailer is a postcard. Or it can be a single sheet of
paper folded once or more times, a folder, brochure, or catalog.
Direct
mail is an advertising medium but mail order (or direct response) is a form of
distribution that is, training by mail whatever medium is used for advertising
sales offers. Consequently direct mail is not limited to direct marketing: a
retailer can use direct mail to attract shoppers to his or her store.
ADVANTAGES OF DIRECT MAIL
The
medium offers a variety of formats and provide enough space to tell a complete
sales story.
Because Direct mail has little
competition when it is received, it can engage the reader’s attention.
Direct mail is particularly conductive to marketing research and can be modified until the message design matches the needs of desired target audience.
Direct mail allows the marketer to
reach audiences who are inaccessible by other media.
DISADVANTAGES OF DIRECT MAIL
The
main drawback of using direct mail is the widespread perception that it is junk
mail. About 46% considers them an invention of privacy.
Direct mail has a higher cost per
thousand than mass media. A great deal of this high cost is a result of
postage.(however it reaches more qualified prospect with less wastage.)Another
cost factor is the maintenance of the database.
To
deliver an acceptable response rate, the quality of the mailing list is
critical. It must be maintained and updated constantly.
Because
of changing nature of mailing lists, as well as the difficulty of keeping
relevant data in the database, the response rate can be as low 2 or 3 %. Even
with that low response, however database, markets can still make money.
DIRECT MAIL ADVERTISING VS DIRECT MAIL SELLING
Direct mail advertising is often refered to as
direct mail selling . the actual difference is that the former makes known
through advertising literature and the later actually gets the order
Direct mail actually covers all forms of sales
literature booklets, leaflets, catalogues, folders, letters, etc. designed to
create goodwill or affect sales.
The best method of selling is by sending salesman
and sales selling by word of mouth.
The best method is the written word.
The most effective form of direct mail
advertising is the letter personality is dictated and separately typed. The
sales letter need not be clever. It must be sincere and must attempt to sell.
It should convey a message and be concise as
well as simple in language. Sales letter are generally used accompanied by
other literature which completes the appeal or story.
The AIDAS formula or the 5 p’s can be used in
drafting the sales letter
AIDAS FORMULA
·
ATTENTION
·
INTEREST
·
DESIRE
·
ACTION
·
SATISFACTION
5 P’s
·
PICTURE
·
PROMISE
·
PROVE
·
PUSH
·
PREVAIL
The letter should be drafted in such a style
as to hold the attention of the recipient at the outset arouse his interest by giving interesting
facts , create a desire in him to possess the article by stressing the selling
points or advantage and end by bringing the desired action.
If these steps are taken and throughout the
benefits are emphasized to customer, the final step of satisfaction will be
automatically reached.
CONCLUSION
We understood that direct mail means the letters of
advertisement that are normally sent to our house. We have also seen the
benefits and disadvantages. The various forms and formats of direct mail have
also been discussed.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
1.) International Marketing Analysis And Strategy
·
Jhon J.Shaw
2.) Advertising Management
·
U. C. Mathur
3.) Advertising Principles And Practices
·
Wells William And
Others
4.) Advertising
Theory And Practice
·
Kim Rotzoll
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