The Direct Marketing Voice » Direct Response Marketing

The Quick and Dirty Way to Generate QR Codes and Track Response

by Cynthia Fedor | February 21st, 2012

For small business owners that are investigating new ways to optimize and track local marketing initiatives, QR codes can be intimidating. QR codes are high-tech looking. They’re kind of ugly. And, worst of all, they force marketers to examine how traditional media, like direct mail and print, can work with digital media and digital platforms in a seamless way. A lot of small business owners I know are very savvy and open to learning about new technologies. Even so, many are not sure how to actually generate a QR code, when and where to use one, and how to tell if consumers are even scanning them.

This post is dedicated to the do-it-yourself small business owners out there. For you, I’ve outlined a quick and dirty way to generate QR codes and track responses. Read More »

Campaign Case Study: QuantumDigital’s Agency Envision Campaign

by Cynthia Fedor | January 31st, 2012

Every now and again, we like to share examples of the marketing campaigns we’ve developed to achieve our business goals. By doing so, we hope to shed light on ways you can optimize your own campaigns and integrate digital technologies with traditional channels to get revenue-generating results. Below is a case study of one of our recent campaigns, the Agency Envision Campaign. Feedback and questions are welcome. Enjoy!

OBJECTIVES:

The purpose of the campaign is to nurture existing agency leads while showcasing how new digital technologies could help them streamline, track, and grow their clients’ direct mail activities. Additionally, QuantumDigital needed to break any existing assumptions that positioned their company as simply a direct mail fulfillment and print facility. The target audience was comprised of key decision makers within the advertising/marketing industry who develop direct mail campaigns for enterprise-level clients.

CHALLENGE:

The challenge was to develop an integrated, multi-channel lead-generation campaign to capture the attention of target prospects, generate awareness of QuantumDigital’s technology driven direct marketing capabilities, and secure strategic brainstorming sessions. Furthermore, direct mail and web components of the campaign needed to demonstrate the variable-data personalization technologies, tracking abilities, and exceptional quality of QuantumDigital’s products and services.

COMPONENTS:

The campaign included 11 personalized touches—alternating between direct mail, email, and phone calls. QuantumDigital used the latest digital technologies, including unique QR codes and advanced variable-data printing, on mailed campaign pieces to attract interest, track individual responses, and demonstrate service capabilities. Read More »

3 Ways to Use Direct Mail Postcards for Building Leads

by Cynthia Fedor | January 10th, 2012

Direct mail isn’t what it used to be—boring and impersonal. Thanks to digital printing capabilities, new marketing technologies like QR codes, and an integrated multi-channel approach, direct mail today can be interactive and meaningful. As a result, marketers are recognizing this medium as a critical part of lead-generation campaigns.

Here are three ways savvy marketers are using direct mail to build, qualify and nurture leads while saving time and money.

Spreading the Word Offline to Get People Online

Social Media Postcard Businesses are quickly starting to realize that social media marketing is not a passing trend but a valuable way to find prospects and nurture leads. Participating in conversations with consumers online is now a necessity for influencing the public’s perception of brand and their purchasing behavior.

With this in mind, how do marketers capture the attention of new prospects that aren’t already online and get them to join the conversation? They use targeted direct mail to drive new leads to websites and social networking profiles. Read More »

Direct Mail Growing in Popularity Among Young People?

by Cynthia Fedor | November 1st, 2011

According to survey results published in the Direct Marketing Association’s 2011 Statistical Fact Book, 18 percent of young people between the ages of 22 and 24 say they will respond to direct mail. That’s up from numbers published last year.

How could this be? Direct mail is often seen as an old (and not so sexy) marketing channel. Why are direct mail postcards, catalogs, and other mailed print formats increasing in popularity—especially among young people—when activity on digital, mobile and social media platforms are thriving?

They don’t want their friends to know their really, really personal business.

Last year, a study conducted by ICOM, a division of Epsilon Targeting, found that a lot of people between the ages of 18 and 34 preferred to receive certain marketing communications via direct mail rather than through online media. An overwhelming percentage of those surveyed wanted messages relating to personal care, food or cleaning products, medicine, and sensitive health products to be delivered via direct mail.

I think that people recognize the fact that most things posted online, or exchanged via email, are not necessarily private. Even if profiles are restricted and passwords are strong, there’s a chance that someone or something can potentially gain access to personal details and preferences. Sure, this can happen with direct mail too. But online, if sensitive personal information is exposed, the audience that could have access to it is potentially much larger (and content is searchable online).

Better targeting and deeper, more relevant personalization

Gone are the days where marketers can get away with distributing mass mail featuring generalized messages. Consumers today demand personalization and, above all, relevancy. Past surveys by organizations like the Winterberry Group, Prospectiv, and the DMA highlight that the top factors in driving response rates included timing, relevance and personalization of marketing message.
Read More »

Revitalizing Real Estate Marketing with Integrated Direct Mail

by Cynthia Fedor | October 6th, 2011

Realtors® today are facing a daunting, multi–pronged challenge. Never before have real estate agents had to develop business while dealing with so many competing elements.

How do I list/sell in a distressed housing market saturated with inventory?
How do a find people willing to do business in a failing economy?
How do I make prospects come to me when they have access to a wealth of information?
Where do I concentrate my marketing efforts when there are so many options?
How can I stretch my marketing dollars without compromising campaign performance?
How do I stand out from the other agents that are targeting the same prospects?

These are just a few questions Realtors may be asking themselves on a daily basis.

Many real estate marketers are finding that the answers are in a targeted and integrated strategy that uses the best of both traditional and digital marketing channels.

Deliver Magazine recently published an article featuring an automated, turnkey program that helps Realtors do just this. TriggerMarketing^®, an instant lead–generation program, combines digital technologies like unique QR codes, texting, and PURLs with targeted direct mail to motivate action, track individual responses, and provide lead information back to the agent. Agents just click a link from an email to launch a local direct mail campaign to prospects surrounding a property listing or recently sold property.

From the article…

Recipients can scan a QR code, text a unique phrase to a code number or visit a keyword-protected website to get more information. TriggerMarketing notifies the real estate agent via email when prospects seek property information, including details about each lead. And the system also includes links to the property listings on Facebook and Twitter to create social buzz.

3 Ways to Use Direct Mail Postcards for Building Leads

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