Direct Mail promotions that work

[hobojo]

Let's hear about postcard or letter mailings that have created new customers or brought past customers back. What's worked?  :

 

[XxKarToonxX]

What works is constant advertising. You can not do direct mail once and expect much of a result.You have to committ to several series of mailingsSo pick who you want to work with very carefully andcommitt to several mailings.Secondly, show up at community events (health fairs, craft fairs) get a booth and pass out fliers. I've done chair massage and ironically people don't really want the massage-they want to talk to me, they want to buy oil.  Some people feel too exposed in that environment to "assume the position" on the chair.So think about making yourself accessible to the public.The public is still rather uneducated about massage-they need to see you and talk to you before they'll committ.

 

[?My HeAD Is IN De ClOuDS?]

You also asked what brings clients back.  I sent out "seasons greetings" cards to my clients of the last several years, last year and it resulted in the return of several great clients that I'd not seen in ages--they get busy, they forget, etc. I did chair massage at an event and did not have the same experience as vancisin--they were very interested in the massage itself as well as my business information and again, i gained several new clients. I agree tho, that it helps tremendoulsy if they can see you before they come in.

 

[Dano]

Direct Mail promotions that work

Hey there everyone. I am in Midtown Manhattan, near Grand Central Station. This is a very business oriented location and most of my clientelle comes to my office at lunch time or on their way to the train station after the work day. About a year ago, I spent $1,400 on a three month contract with ValPak (a consolidated mailing package). The coupons designed were beautiful and my price was brought down 20% for the sale. I even got a new phone line, thinking it would ring off the hook. My target was the people who LIVE in the area, this way I could have a larger scope. It took me 3 months and 20 hours of massage just to make my money back. I only got 2 or 3 regular clients out of it. Maybe the timing was wrong. I don't know what happened. I thought for sure it would work! So I just rely on referrals for now. I'm still paying off this disaster.

 

[Sanat]

Direct Mail promotions that work

I hear ya, Calico. The only friends/colleagues I have heard of having success with Val-Pak & the like are people who combined their resources for the investment (like a small group of therapists at the same spa/salon, etc). Even then, it didn't create a huge profit.Remember though, that sometimes your promotion gestures don't pay off immediately. You just have to continue & look for new ways to explore advertising. If you stop promoting, you'll end up dead in the water, so every effort builds a momentum & energy that you're feeding. A year from now you may get new clients that mention that old ad. I'm sorry that it was such an expensive venture though.Jill/Sagetherapist

 

[Nancy L]

Calico, did you determine what perceneforum.xxxe of response you received based on how many Val-Paks were mailed?    Regardless of what Val-pak told you, response to direct mail is very low and traditionally only works after the same person receives a series of mailings.  Think about your own response to direct mail.  I know I toss most initial mailings and after I receive something a few times am I intrigued enough to open it.  You'd probably do better with a personal mailing to inactive clients that have been through your doors already.  On a personal note, I'm originally from New York and your location is great.  This I am jealous of.  I hope you're doing well.  Good luck.  Joe E.  

 

[mary G]

I have found that email works better than direct mail or postcards.  I can send a note immediately following the appointment and will send out follow-up emails with specials, insights or new offers listed.  Have found clients to be responsive.  Key is to keep it short, to the point and friendly.  8)

 

[Vivien N]

I think it really depends on where you live, who your clientele is and what you're trying to accomplish.  I don't really discount to new clients.  I'm not interested in bargain hunters which is why my mailings are professionally done on my letterhead to select groups of people.  I don't know if Val-Pak really speaks to the client who is going to come on a weekly basis and spend the going rate for a one hour massage in midtown Manhattan.    Once I get someone on my table, then we can talk about series discounts and the like but the key is to find your target audience and speak to them in their "language".   A woman buying Manolo Blanick (I probably didn't spell it right but I've heard the women on Sex in the City say it) shoes isn't going to read nor respond to the DSW Shoe Outlet flyer that comes in the mail.   And if she does, it's because she's received it many times (see Vancisen's post at the top of this thread - that's it right on the head!)  Joe E.

 

[theresa m]

Direct Mail promotions that work

How funny, we brought this up in class tonight. My instructor has a mailing list of 900+ people and she would never do a direct mailing again. Everyone receives her information via email. She was spending $2500+ with the snail mail route and that obviously gets expensive. With email she can select a list of people and off it goes. The one problem with email...not everyone has an email addy. My elderly clients come to mind. I'm not keen on the idea of val-pak or whatever. If we get one in the mail, it usually goes directly to the trash. It works better to target an audience instead of a random mailing. In other words, figure out who you want to work with and find ways to get your name out to them. If you want to work with pregnant women, visit local obgyn practices and leave flyers. If you want to work with athletic clients, visit fitness centers-athletic clubs, etc. Some people send thank you cards to first time clients. The spa I worked at started that way. I've heard if a client sees your name within three days of the treatment, they are more likely to reschedule. But again, that seems to target a specific audience and not a huge unknown mass of people.

 

[Mattie]

Bumping another oldie for updates on MT's opinions!

 

[Georgie P]

How weird. I just walked out of an argument with my SO and went staright to my computer. He yelled at me for having my filing cabinet unlocked (it's locked now). I work in a 4 therapist office and 1 of them is a nut (I have posted about her in a different thread). He says that by now she probably photocopied the entire client file and will do direct marketing to them.

I heard that "return rate" on direct mailing is 2% or less. A chiropractor friend last year had an incident when raffled off a massage GC she accidentally sent the letter to almost 50 people (she wanted to send the same letter to evryone who visited the clinic that day with additional verbiage on the winner's letter. She forgot to remove the verbiage). She panicked when she realized that. Do you know how many people called wanting their GC? 2. Only two. And that's a free massage.

I agree with the statement that we need consistency and repetition. Val Pak is expensive and the rerun is low. I did Color Mailer last year advertising GC's. This year I didn't do it and I made EXACTLY less than it cost me last year for advertising.

I also may skip the Xmas card this year. I sent out 2 different offers past Xmas. 1 of them - nothing. The other one - I got my $$$ back but that's about it.

 

[LaPelishima]

I have to agree that with Anastasia. In the years I have been doing this, I realized most folks just don't read 'junk' mail. Oddly for Christmas, I sent out a card to all clients and offered 3 different upgrades. So far only about 3 have even acknowledged it. I also fear the post office doesn't 'respect' the postcard (cheaper rate) because so many don't get delivered. That might be my paranoid self.

The last mailing I sent, was a newsletter of sort. I was introducing my business name. I made it clear that I was still located in the same office but have just added my own business name. (This is me preparing to get my own place.) Do you know how many folks talked to me like I was moving? I wanted to ask them if they actaully did read it? :

 

[Alexia]

I would have to agree. emailing campaigns do nothing but get people mad. I would suggest a nice website and market your services online.

 

[/<@te]

I would have to agree. emailing campaigns do nothing but get people mad. I would suggest a nice website and market your services online.

Ditto. Although I had nice reponse to my email campaign on Valentine's Day, I agree that having a nice, professional web site helps. I had mine professionally done and I get a lot of comments from ppl saying that this si the main reason why they picked me.