Direct Mail Infused Prospecting

Direct Mail is a great addition to a Roadmap to increase conversations and appointments.

There is a subtle, but important, difference between using direct mail as a marketing campaign and using direct mail as a prospecting touch for business development. 

As a marketing campaign, Direct Mail is primarily a brand builder.
As a prospecting touch, direct mail is a different type of ‘touch’ from the traditional voicemail and email touches. And, when using Electronic fulfillment, a Postcard can be launched as easily as an email and at the same time.

Specifically, Direct Mail is more powerful prospecting touch than voicemail and email touches because:

Direct Mail is a ‘touch’ the target can hold.
Direct Mail is a stronger, more visual delivery of the message.
Direct Mail can ‘hang around’ longer.

An interesting psychological advantage to Sale Reps is that the call feels less cold.

The key to success using Direct Mail Infused Prospecting is that the follow-up call must be timely. With ContactScience®, Sales Reps control the Direct Mail Infused roadmap.

Nothing is mailed unless the Rep has has the bandwidth to make a timely follow up call.
Sales Reps dictate who should, or should not, receive a direct mail piece.  Sales Reps approve the sending of mailers based on what they learn on during the first call.
The expected deliver date is displayed on the Reps worksheet to make it easy to plan for a timely follow up call.

Gone is the expense of mailing to folks who are not there any longer, who are on vacation, or who the Rep catches on the phone and a mailing is not needed.

THE CALL FIRST STRATEGY

Direct Mail Infused roadmaps can be built around a Call First strategy where the Rep calls before deciding whether to mail, or not. The three reason to Call First are

ONE

Should it be mailed at all? The Sales Rep may improve delivery rates or the mailing should not be sent due to the following circumstances.

a. Not the correct address

b. Not the right person

c. Person on vacation

d. Person answers the phone

TWO

Is mail delivery different than normal? Are there special requirements for express deliveries?

THREE

Increase deliverability. The last mile of a Direct Mail piece is not always the Postman. There are scripting strategies to mitigate the Gatekeeper’s inclination to judge whether the DM would be interested and often tossing the piece. Specific scripting can encourage Gatekeepers to send the piece along to the DM.

FULFILLMENT

Since Sales Reps are driving the process, ContactScience^® provides tools for Sales and Marketing to communicate about the fulfillment process. The tools provide Marketing with a list of who the Rep wants to receive a Direct Mail piece, plus a way for Marketing to let the Rep know when the piece should arrive.

Electronic

For Postcards and Letters, the sending is the same as sending an email. (And, at the same time.) There is no manual fulfillment needed. And, when the piece arrives at the last mile postal facility, that date is put on the Reps worksheet so that the follow-up calls can be timed perfectly.

Manual

For any Direct Mail piece that will be fulfilled by hand, Marketing is provided a spreadsheet with contact data, plus a feature to notify Sales of the expected delivery date.