Pract•ad•goal is a word host Heather Holloway created. It is the sum total of the words ‘practical advancement goals.’ Her intention with this podcast is to teach entrepreneurs how to advance their careers with practical business advice.
Let’s get back to the marketing basics with Jim Hart from Client Rush Marketing who imparts his wisdom of 30+ years on the topic of direct mail marketing and marketing fundamentals.
Jim gives practical advice that you can use today! For example, Jim gave a simple tactic to a fellow marketer who followed through by creating a list of potential customers. From that list, Jim’s colleague netted more than $150,000 in sales!
For more jewels of wisdom from Jim, listen to the full episode and check out the show notes below.
Practadgoal Talking Points
[2:05] Jim shares his story of selling Christmas cards at the age of six and the things that he learned from seeing his dad in the car dealership industry.
- It’s important to stay on top of things to deliver quality for your customers.
- Seeing his dad in the car dealership business taught him to want to be in something where you get paid based on results.
- Direct mail marketing works.
[6:34] Marketing is about a human being trying to connect with another human being.
- Having a system in place, and exercising consistency in marketing or communicating to your target market or audience contribute to repeat business and referrals.
- Marketers should get as close to the sale or transaction as they can.
- The concept of RFM (recency, frequency, monetary) is explained.
[16:24] Jim discusses the importance of having an onboarding process or system in place.
- His dad showed an example of an onboarding process when he spent time and money providing plated car keys to his buyers.
- The onboarding process helps make your customers or clients feel appreciated and special.
- It also is an important differentiating factor.
[18:17] The importance of having repeat customers.
- Someone hasn’t really become your customer until they buy from you a second time.
- It’s easier and less costly to get existing customers to buy again, as compared with acquiring new customers.
[21:26]: Even Google engages in direct mail marketing.
- Google knows that algorithms and search rankings only work if people are already searching for what it is that you have to offer.
- Sending direct mail makes Google stand out from the competition.
[22:42] Every Door Direct Mail (EDDM)
- Allows businesses and marketers to send thousands of letters or postcards out of a single post office.
- Plan a sequence of postcards or letters sent a few weeks apart to the same audience.
- You can also send the same letter or postcard three times to get your audience’s attention.
[25:26] Jim and Heather discuss other important marketing concepts.
- Identify your audience, and give them the right message at the right time.
- The concept of “bounce back” can potentially generate huge sales, based on “recency” (from RFM concept).
[32:39] What do you need to do if you want to start a direct mail campaign?
- Have a compelling and mapped-out sequence of offers.
- Send out something that has a relevant graphic.
- Remember, your list is 60% to 70% of the success, offer is 20% – 30%, and creative is like 10%.
- Test the offer.
Remember direct mail marketing can work for any business!
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