We all get those random flyers and pamphlets in the mail marketing every product under the sun. Does this type of advertising work? Well people continue to do it so it must, right? While this type of advertising can boost your home based business is can also hurt it. Here are some advantages and disadvantages to weigh when deciding whether direct mail advertising will be an effective advertising strategy for your home business.
Advantages:
* Targets Your Prospects: This historically as been the #1 justification for this ad method. Being able to target your specific market and get literature of your company in those people's hands is priceless. Obtaining some kind of target list can make your direct mail campaign a lot more successful
* Analyzing of Data: Based on the responses you receive and most importantly the ones you do not, one can determine where to better use their advertising dollars for future campaigns. This can lead to future mailings becoming better targeted and help you uncover a demographic you did not know existed for your product.
* Customer Specific: Direct mail can address the customer personally and be tailored to their needs based on previous transactions and gathered data. The more personal feel you can give your mailings the better chance you have of a positive response. People like to feel like they are the center of attention so for these types of people generic mailings will not resonate with them nearly as well
Disadvantages:
* Cost: With the cost of postage rising each year we will see home based business owners continue to scale back on the number of mailings they send, that is why identifying a defined target market is of utmost importance. Other then the cost of postage, setting up databases of mail recipients can waste serious time and money.
* Waste of Paper: Statistics show that 100 million trees are used each year to produced so called "junk mail." Environmentalists might have a problem with these stats and thus turn them away to direct mail strategies.
Home based business owners have many options available to them to get their word out. Direct mailing can be an effective way to do just that. Consider the benefits and pitfalls this type of advertising presents for your business before committing dollars to it.
Advantages:
* Targets Your Prospects: This historically as been the #1 justification for this ad method. Being able to target your specific market and get literature of your company in those people's hands is priceless. Obtaining some kind of target list can make your direct mail campaign a lot more successful
* Analyzing of Data: Based on the responses you receive and most importantly the ones you do not, one can determine where to better use their advertising dollars for future campaigns. This can lead to future mailings becoming better targeted and help you uncover a demographic you did not know existed for your product.
* Customer Specific: Direct mail can address the customer personally and be tailored to their needs based on previous transactions and gathered data. The more personal feel you can give your mailings the better chance you have of a positive response. People like to feel like they are the center of attention so for these types of people generic mailings will not resonate with them nearly as well
Disadvantages:
* Cost: With the cost of postage rising each year we will see home based business owners continue to scale back on the number of mailings they send, that is why identifying a defined target market is of utmost importance. Other then the cost of postage, setting up databases of mail recipients can waste serious time and money.
* Waste of Paper: Statistics show that 100 million trees are used each year to produced so called "junk mail." Environmentalists might have a problem with these stats and thus turn them away to direct mail strategies.
Home based business owners have many options available to them to get their word out. Direct mailing can be an effective way to do just that. Consider the benefits and pitfalls this type of advertising presents for your business before committing dollars to it.
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