by Michele Shubert | February 22nd, 2012
When we send out marketing, we have a specific goal in mind. We want customers to stay customers and non-customers to convert. We want recipients to recognize our brand.
Sometime before the holidays, I received two boxes in the mail. One was from a vendor whose goal was to form a business relationship, the other from a company with which we are already doing business. Both types of communications are equally important—nurturing prospects to turn them into customers, and keeping current customers as loyal customers.
Here’s something to consider when designing your marketing mailings: Put yourself in the place of your recipients. If you received your own package or mailer, how do you think you would react to it? Read More »
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 »
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 »
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
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 »
by Michele Shubert | December 15th, 2011
The world of email marketing is one of constant change. As spammers find ways to circumvent spam filters, the filters become smarter and more sophisticated. And email marketers who want their messages to make it to recipients’ inboxes have to stay up-to-date and make constant adjustments to their email marketing program.
There’s an email in my inbox from a company name I recognize. It’s from a large company, a national brand, one I have not given permission to email me. Studying marketing messages we receive from other companies and analyzing our personal reactions to them can help us learn and improve our own email marketing practices.
Let’s take a look at the email.
Here’s the subject line: “Connect 2012 – 5 Reasons to Connect.” Not super enticing, but there’s a smidgeon of interest. It’s from a Fortune 500 company, so I’m inclined to open it. But since I never signed up to receive emails from this sender, there’s hesitation. It’s probably spam. Spammers are smart like that.
Tip: Even though your recipients know who you are, if you send to them without their permission, they may think you’re a spammer. Read More »
