POSTCARD MAILER IDEA GUIDE FOR REMODELERS 1 P a g e C o p y r i g h t 2 016 A d v a n c e d M a r k e t i n g C o n c e p t s, L t d. C o p y r i g h t 2 01 6 A d v a n c e d M a r k e t i n g C o n c e p t s, L t d.
Direct Mail Marketing Introduction: Guess what s making a robust comeback in the world of marketing? That s right direct mail! This is happening for a variety of reasons not the least of which is the fact that direct mail is THE most preferred communication method by today s consumer according to a recent study done by the Forrester Group. Wow! Many marketers today are realizing that optimum success requires striking a good balance between your Offline and Online marketing mix. Direct Mail has evolved to be the perfect offline medium to compliment your online efforts. Contents: Direct Mail Overview Page 2 Proximity Marketing Page 3-5 Lead Recovery Page 6-7 Customer Loyalty (Repeat & Referral) Page 8-11 Product Promotions Page 12 Specialty Events/Seasonal Page 13 Personalized (Custom) Page 14 Contact Us Page 15 About This Guide: The following pages will detail 6 concepts where direct mail could be leveraged to help grow your business. You ll also see a number of specific campaign examples you can use as is or tweak for your specific purpose. Be aware that everything outlined in this guide can be accessed and implemented through MarketSharp M s integration with MarketSharp Mail. 2 P a g e C o p y r i g h t 2 016 A d v a n c e d M a r k e t i n g C o n c e p t s, L t d.
Proximity Marketing Jobsite Proximity (radius) Marketing...The Goldmine Next Door! "The best place to find a customer is right next door to your last customer!" After all, the fact that you are already working in the neighborhood adds credibility to your company - the neighbors see your vehicles, your yard signs and your WORK! But beyond that, neighborhoods tend to be homogeneous in nature. Homes are of similar age and value and the people who live there tend to have similar earnings and needs. On top of this, you got the "keep up with the Jones" thing going on. And the best part... It's so easy to do proximity marketing with the help of your MarketSharp system! Even though you may have already thought about this... Chances are you never really consistently implemented a complete proximity marketing program. At best you may have done a couple mailers or dropped off some door hangers around a few jobs, experienced so-so results and gave it up. Well, effective proximity marketing is a simple process that involves 5 easy steps and, if followed, can result in at least another sale for every job you install! MarketSharp makes implementing the "Proximity" function easy! 1. The Pre-Job Mailer: Studies show that the average person needs to be exposed to an advertisement multiple times before they respond. With this in mind, we begin our process with a pre-job mailer of some type that goes out to the closest 75-150 homes in the area encouraging them to "watch for us" at their neighbor's home. The "Coming Soon" postcard is a perfect touch for the initial contact. 2. The In-Progress Job Mailer: An optional, but very effective second exposure is to send a courtesy note about starting the project to the same 75-150 homes. A simple "Pardon Our Dust" postcard does a great job of making neighbors aware of work in progress. But better yet, send the second in a mailer series like the "Now Playing" postcard. 3. The Yard Sign - Job Presence: Yard signs are very important in successful proximity marketing. The sign, a) allows the neighboring homeowners to learn about the project, b) builds name awareness, and, c) reinforces your other advertising. Inform your new customer that you'd like to use a yard sign as a way to identify their home for delivery people and your staff. Also, let them know that if anyone in the neighborhood decides to do business with you from seeing the Jobsite Sign, you will compensate them with something of value (cash, dinner, show tickets, etc.) Not only will you find your customer Proximity to be agreeable to allowing Marketing your sign, but you (cont.) will also find them actively involved in promoting your company since they now have something to gain by it! Plus, this is the beginning of your referral program. 4. The Post-Job Mailer: This mailer acts as your fourth exposure to your prospective customer. It goes out to the same 75-150 people that received a pre-job/in-progress mailer. Again, it may be a simple postcard like "Two Thumbs Up", although many dealers have great success with a personal letter for this mailer. It should encourage the prospect to look for the job sign and talk with your new customer about their new windows, siding, roofing, addition, etc. To be most effective, this mailer should also have a time sensitive 'special offer' to encourage the prospect to act NOW. Some 3 P a g e C o p y r i g h t 2 016 A d v a n c e d M a r k e t i n g C o n c e p t s, L t d.
companies are offering a marketing magnet like "How to hire a contractor?" or professionally produced company videos to increase their results dramatically. 5. The Follow-Up Call/Canvass: Although some homeowners will call you directly after seeing your marketing messages, you will dramatically increase your results by making a soft phone follow-up call (be sure to comply with state or local Donot-call laws) shortly after your last mailer arrives. As an alternative, you could canvass the neighborhood with a door hanger. The follow-up contact is VERY laid back - you'll want to simply reference the job, the neighbors, your marketing impressions and then, offer a convenient time to have a representative drop by for a consultation. So, that's it. A recent survey done by Better Homes and Garden Magazine reveled that "Saw Similar Job by the Company" was the second biggest reason purchasers of remodeling projects decided on their contractor to do their project. Seems to make sense to make sure that the neighbors are fully aware of the project and most importantly WHO is doing the project. Below you will find a few postcard design ideas for proximity marketing (all available using MarketSharp Mail integration) Pardon Our Dust: Enter your Call-to- Action! Choose your image, headline and subheadline! Provide info about your company or offer 4 P a g e C o p y r i g h t 2 016 A d v a n c e d M a r k e t i n g C o n c e p t s, L t d.
Proximity Marketing (cont.) The Drive-By: Insert Your New Customers or Product Image Enter Your Personalized Headline Insert Your Completed Job Image The Vintage Series (Multi-Impression): Before! During! The After! 5 P a g e C o p y r i g h t 2 016 A d v a n c e d M a r k e t i n g C o n c e p t s, L t d.
Lead Recovery REVIVE Unsold Leads to MAXimize Profits! Are you aware that 60% of the leads that say NO to your salespeople DO end up buying a similar project from some company within a year. (Wow!) With that said, how many unsold leads reside within your MarketSharp program... 100, 500, 5000? But the really BIG question is: Are you systematically communicating with your unsold leads? Let's face it... your unsold leads are a FANTASTIC source of new business. But, how can you "effectively convert" these expensive, unsold leads to paying, referral-giving customers? First, you must realize that your unsold leads are living, breathing profit channels that need constant attention and nurturing. And secondly, to drive additional profits, you need to implement a consistent, follow-up system! And that's the fun part... It's so easy with the help of your MarketSharp system! To be most effective, your unsold lead follow-up program has to be much more than a singular event and should include up to 10 follow-up 'touches' in the year following your initial meeting. A touch can be any combination of correspondence: courtesy phone-calls, emails, letters, postcards, surveys, etc. A typical follow-up system will include two types of communications for your unsold leads... 1. Sequential Communications: (post-presentation follow-up) This is more immediate type of correspondence directed to 'individuals'. For example... A simple 'thank you for the opportunity' email message that evolve to more sophisticated informational gathering touch such as a 'Lead Survey' where you just may find out WHY they haven't purchased yet! Or how about, a 'Power Proposal' - a professionally printed proposal to build trust. 2. Ongoing Targeted Communications: (impending-event promotions) This type of communication is a periodic message directed to specific 'Groups' of your unsold leads. Examples would be... 'Second Chance' check letters that reiterate the benefits and offers a hold-the-price promo. 'Price Increase' postcard notices on a specific product as an incentive to act now. Or, revive unsold leads by offering a 'Relevant Event Promo' about the energy tax credits or a marketing magnet Consumer Guide as reinforcement. It HAS to be an Accepted Practice within your Company! Even though the communication mechanisms listed above are built-in to MarketSharp - your company must be dedicated to reviving unsold leads to become successful. It s an ongoing process and the users of MarketSharp must recognize the importance of proper timing and frequency within your overall marketing efforts. On the next page you find ways to try and recover those leads that were not initially sold using postcard within MarketSharp Mail. 6 P a g e C o p y r i g h t 2 016 A d v a n c e d M a r k e t i n g C o n c e p t s, L t d.
Lead Recovery (cont.) Price Incentive Offer: Price Increase: Consumer Guide: 7 P a g e C o p y r i g h t 2 016 A d v a n c e d M a r k e t i n g C o n c e p t s, L t d.
Customer Loyalty (Repeat & Referral) Get MORE Referrals! The fact is... referral leads are consistently your lowest cost, highest quality leads. But to truly be effective, your company should implement a "referral program" that maximizes your referral generating opportunities. Maximizing referrals is NOT complicated, but it does take some thoughtful planning and some extra effort. The following three steps are critical to referral marketing success... Step 1: Exceed Your Customers Expectations! Can you think of a situation where a company or product by FAR exceeded your expectations? Did you tell others about it, I bet your customer did? - Ask them and easily follow-up with them by using your built-in MarketSharp referral campaigns! Step 2: Develop A Referral Mindset! Having a referral mindset means that you have accepted the notion that one of the most costeffective ways of generating low cost, high quality leads is by using referrals. Step 3: Ask Ask Ask! This is the easiest part, but also the most neglected. Simply ASK for referrals! Send special notices to customers using MarketSharp describing your referral program. And be sure to train your salespeople and installation crews on how to properly ask for referrals. Why not provide them with a sheet designed to collect names from their new customers. Utilize MarketSharp To Tap Into This Goldmine! Referral marketing is a philosophy; a way of doing business, a mindset that has building relationships at its core. With MarketSharp, you can create relationships, create true business friendships, and each side of the partnership will continually work to serve the other. Here s an example of a great Referral Marketing Postcard 8 P a g e C o p y r i g h t 2 016 A d v a n c e d M a r k e t i n g C o n c e p t s, L t d.
Customer Loyalty (Repeat & Referral cont.) More Repeat Business! Did you know that is costs 5 to 7 times MORE to acquire a NEW customer than it does to resell a past customer? Don't you just love it when a past customer calls you and says come on out, we're ready for more! An automatic sale right? Easy business! Our goal should be to do EVERYTHING we can to turn a one-time sale into a lifetime relationship guaranteeing future revenue from each and every customer. To accomplish this, Customers For Life needs to become much more than a buzzword in your office. It has to become a company philosophy practiced each and every day by your policies, systems AND employees. There are four basic steps to maximize your repeat business Step ONE - Satisfy Your Customers This SHOULD NOT even have to be mentioned. But, listen to this! According to a recent survey, today's contractors totally satisfy consumers less than 30% of the time! Furthermore, only 4% of all consumers with problems complain. But, the average person with a problem eventually tells 9 other people! Your satisfied customers will tell 5 of theirs friends about you. The Better Business Bureau offers the following tips on satisfying customers: Assume full responsibility for the quality and performance of the product or service you sell. Be honest and accurate in your advertising. Avoid promises in sales contracts, labels and promotions that cannot be delivered. Provide a one-person customer contact in order to avoid giving the customer the runaround. Return calls and messages from customers as soon as possible. Show up on time for sales/installation/service calls or notify the customer when you will be late. Promptly call the customer if the work and charges are to exceed the estimate. Don't ignore complaints from customers. Respond in a prompt, fair and courteous fashion. Don't let unresolved customer disputes spoil your business's reputation. If your best efforts are not proving satisfactory to the complainant, contact the Better Business Bureau for arbitration. Simply put, OVERDELIVER on your promises! Step TWO - Build Loyal Customers Has this ever happened to you You get a new window customer, do a great job for them, assume they will be your customer for life, only to run into them at a social gathering a few months later and have them tell you They just had your arch competitor complete a siding job on their home! (OUCH!!!!!!) Studies show that customer satisfaction alone does not equate with continued sales--it is the loyal customer who keeps coming back for more. Loyal customers will go out of their way to do business with you again and again. So your goal is to build customer loyalty. Can you think of a case where YOU are loyal to a particular vendor? A car dealer maybe? An insurance agent? Ask yourself WHY. What have 9 P a g e C o p y r i g h t 2 016 A d v a n c e d M a r k e t i n g C o n c e p t s, L t d.
Customer Loyalty (Repeat & Referral cont.) they done to EARN your loyalty? My guess is that they first satisfied you and THEN made you feel special and appreciated. Frequent flyer programs are prime examples of building loyalty. Providing that special treatment and continuous communication with your customers will go a long way towards building loyal customers. Step THREE - Get To Know Your Customers Intimately In order serve your customers most effectively, you have to KNOW what they want. One of the most powerful marketing tools you can use in your business is your ability to survey your past customers through the use of a well thought out customer survey. Combine the responses from this survey, with your own observations of their home, to help pinpoint what additional products are in your customer's future. Very soon, you will be able to predict WHO might buy WHAT and even WHEN! This is when marketing gets real fun! If you are not using a customer survey, you are missing a goldmine! Step FOUR - Actively Market To Your Customers Finally, don't let everything just happen by chance. Take these satisfied, loyal customers and match up your survey results with the appropriate marketing offers to ensure additional, low-cost sales. In addition to using an Annual Past Customer Appreciation Sale, be sure to implement targeted Future Interest mailers. These WILL BE the lowest cost sales you will ever generate. Are you ready to generate more repeat business? Try out the following postcard ideas Thank You Appreciation Sale: 10 P a g e C o p y r i g h t 2 016 A d v a n c e d M a r k e t i n g C o n c e p t s, L t d.
Customer Loyalty (Repeat & Referral cont.) Future Interest: Warranty Inspection: 11 P a g e C o p y r i g h t 2 016 A d v a n c e d M a r k e t i n g C o n c e p t s, L t d.
Product Promotions Get creative and promote your products! Below you will find ideas to use for particular products you may carry. Not only are there designs for bathroom and roofing, but you ll also find designs for windows, kitchens and more! Bathroom Remodel: Roof Inspection: 12 P a g e C o p y r i g h t 2 016 A d v a n c e d M a r k e t i n g C o n c e p t s, L t d.
Specialty Events/Seasonal When an act of Mother Nature, an industry announcement or a holiday rolls around, you can be ready with relevant messages to send to your prospects, leads and customers. View a few of the event and seasonal postcards available within MarketSharp Mail below Storm Damage: Home Show Invite: Happy Holidays: 13 P a g e C o p y r i g h t 2 016 A d v a n c e d M a r k e t i n g C o n c e p t s, L t d.
Personalized/Custom Need a more customizable design, or perhaps your manufacturer offers postcard designs for your use? No problem With MarketSharp Mail s custom and personalized designs you can upload a design in its entirety or create a design on the fly. Below you ll find a few options to start creating a card to promote your brand! Personalized: Get the recipients attention by using their name within the design! Custom Design: Full Card Uploads, Image with Banner and Fill-in-the-Blank Color Template! 14 P a g e C o p y r i g h t 2 016 A d v a n c e d M a r k e t i n g C o n c e p t s, L t d.
Contact Us Need additional Assistance? Contact Us At 1-800-335-4254 www.marketsharp.com 15 P a g e C o p y r i g h t 2 016 A d v a n c e d M a r k e t i n g C o n c e p t s, L t d.