"Good" Rate of Return
The "industry standard" of direct mail marketing
success is a 1-2% response rate. In other words, if you
send out 10,000 pieces, you'll have a successful mailing
if at least 100 recipients respond to your offer. (One
percent of 10,000 is 100.)
However, I take a different viewpoint. I say that any
return in which revenues exceed expenses is a positive
return.
And for small business people selling services that take
time -- such as Web or graphic design, photography or
computer programming -- this is especially true.
So, there you have it. Two very different perspectives
on direct mailing success. To help you remember these
perspectives, let's give 'em a couple of catchy names:
1. The "Playing the Percentages" Perspective
This is that "industry standard 1-2% response rate
on your mailings" perspective you've heard so much
about. This is the yardstick favored by businesses that
are sending large quantities of direct mail to sell mass
market products.
For example, if I own a pizza parlor, and I'm doing a
"use this card for 10% off on your next order"
mailing to all residences within a three-mile radius of
my business, I might have a mailing list of 10,000 names.
You better believe that I'm going to watch that overall
response rate like a hawk, and I'm going to be looking
at precisely where those hungry customers are coming from.
If most of them are coming from a handful of apartment
complexes next to a college campus, I'll know to send
my future mailings to those complexes.
2. The "You Only Need A Few" Perspective
This is the one for those One-Man (or One-Woman) Bands
who are selling services that take a fair amount of time.
Like, for example, Web design, graphic design, photography
or customized computer software applications.
For these folks, a handful of new or repeat clients from
a postcard mailing is quite enough.
About the Author
Martha Retallick, also known as "The Passionate Postcarder,"
hails from Tucson, Arizona, USA. She is the author of
Postcard Marketing Secrets, a downloadable PDF manual
will show you how to put postcards to work for your business
-- profitably. Learn more about it at: http://www.postcardmarketingsecrets.com/.
Sign up for Martha's free newsletter: http://www.postcardmarketingsecrets.com/newsletter.html.
Contact: http://www.passionatepostcarder.com/contact.html.
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