Direct mail is very much alive and well. It’s time to dust off those commercial cleaning marketing ideas designed for mailboxes instead of inboxes.
Ever since the explosion of online media, people have been declaring the death of all things print, including direct mail marketing campaigns. However, the Data and Marketing Association released a report suggesting that response rates for direct mail campaigns are higher than they’ve been since 2003. So before you go brainstorming all those digital commercial cleaning marketing ideas, you might want to consider how you can expand your business the old-fashioned way—through customers’ mailboxes.
But what makes a direct mail campaign successful? How can you ensure that your marketing efforts end up in front of a facilities manager instead of in the trash bin?
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6 Ideas to turn your direct mail campaign into dollar signs
1. Know your audience
Probably the most important aspect of any direct mail campaign is to appropriately target your audience. You may have a CRM full of names and addresses, but not all of those businesses are going to be worth the money that direct mail campaigns cost. Take the time to review your prospect list and narrow it down to those that might convert to sales. Yes, direct mail casts something of a wide net, but that doesn’t mean you should just throw it anywhere.
2. Get to the point
A direct mail campaign isn’t the place to try to squeeze in all of the commercial cleaning marketing ideas you’ve ever had. Choose one or two things to promote, maybe include a special offer, and get to the point quickly. The Microsoft Corporation conducted a study a couple of years ago suggesting that human attention span is down to eight seconds. You may have the world’s most clever copy accompanying your campaign, but if it’s too long, your customers may never discover what you’re trying to get them to do.
3. Postcards > Brochures > Letters
Because so many people have short attention spans, postcards—and especially oversized postcards—tend to get more responses than other direct mail forms. Their size limits the information you can include, which means only relevant information should appear there.
Brochures are longer, which makes them a little less desirable, but since brochures have a cover, you can overcome the attention span issue with a meaningful headline. Once you’ve got someone’s attention, you can elaborate on the services you offer. This is a great way to attract new customers, especially if you want to outline what makes you different from the competition.
Letters and other long-form pieces generally aren’t as effective as other commercial cleaning marketing ideas. They may feel more personal, but in the end, most people just don’t have the time to read them.
4. Personalize it
Personalization should go without saying, but just in case, don’t forget to include the business’s name – or a person’s name if you can – with your marketing material. Most people will recognize a piece of direct mail marketing when they see it, but that doesn’t mean they don’t appreciate seeing their name at the top of it. It’s engaging, it’s personal, and it’s easy to do.
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5. Get creative
Commercial cleaning marketing ideas don’t have to be limited to pieces of paper. Get creative with your campaign. Make businesses remember you as a cleaning service. Send branded dustpans or paper towels. Send an inexpensive travel mug to reiterate that you’re opposed to spills. Use glossy material that evokes the sense of cleanliness.
Of course, part of creativity includes promotions. If you want to increase the chances of getting a little attention, go beyond the “percent-off discount”. Offer new customers a free desk cleaning. Include a floral arrangement with the first full office cleaning. Add a one-time kitchen reorganization. Include any of these commercial cleaning marketing ideas in your direct mail campaign to help elicit a greater response rate.
6. Track your campaign
While it’s not automated the way it would be with digital campaigns, tracking direct mail isn’t difficult if you have the right CRM. Whenever you get a call from a new client, check to see if they were on the list. (Hopefully, you’ll already know the businesses you targeted.) When a direct mail coupon is redeemed, or someone cashes in on that free desk cleaning, mark it down so you can find out what works best for your business.
The most important thing to keep in mind is that direct mail campaigns do work. Like with any campaign these days, they just need a little creativity, a bit more effort, and a whole lot of planning. Do it right, and you’ll find it’s worth the money.