In my last post I pointed out how direct mail is increasingly a fine option for a small business getting noticed in special situations, such as the roll out of new products and services, or as a thank you to your best customers.
Small business owners should also look at direct mail as one of the techniques that can really help drive TOMA (Top of Mind Awareness). Here's how. Realistically direct mail will not be a fantastic sales tool. Long experience shows us that direct mail has a LOW <1% return on a particular asking. That's wonderful if you have a big list and a decent postage budget. But if you look at direct mail in a slightly different way, you can beef up your longer-term ROI. Direct mail's tangible nature (i.e. unlike email you can physically hold the document) gives it a fighting chance to be held, displayed or filed by a customer. And that suggests adding some useful aspect to the direct mail piece that keeps it visible to your prospect or customer, or to someone they can refer. Can you add a useful fact? a calendar? an announcement? there are many possibilities. Always seek to add something that the person can use in their own lives. And your logo will not be far away...
Regular direct mail can serve as that repeat reminder you are out there to help them. One mailing roughly every quarter could greatly enhance your TOMA.
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