Today the focus will be on direct mail marketing and yes, telemarketing to your full advantage. I know the word “telemarketing” might as well be four letters, but there is a way to utilize it in a way that customers feel like they are getting personal attention and keep them from blocking your number!

The success realized from direct mail marketing and the availability of computers can be used as a powerful marketing tool for your success. Telemarketing is best for high priced, high margin products and/or services.

Here are the key steps for creating a highly effective direct mail marketing program:

1. List all of the benefits customers will receive from the purchase of your products and services;
2. Select the single most powerful benefit from that list;
3. Build an attention-getting headline around that benefit. Remember to use emotion – fulfill the desire to be young, wealthy, desired, popular or successful;
4. Develop a sales letter using the headline you created to grab attention, provide information, and motivate customers to act;
5. Put together supplementary items such as a brochure, order form, reply envelope, or note that encourages them to read the letter;
6. Rent or purchase a mailing list;
7. Compare cost of mailing vs. cost per order;
8. Continue to test and refine your direct mail marketing plan.

The above demonstrates how direct mail marketing can help you find a local or even country-wide target market to send letters or postcards to in order to draw in new clientele and customers. Fine-tuning your marketing campaign will bring better results and therefore lower the overall cost of the campaign.

To be successful in telemarketing you need to:

• Put together a plan, so you know exactly what you want to accomplish during the call;
• Develop a list of topics to discuss and the questions you want to present with respect to these topics;
• Input verbiage checking to see if you are calling at a good time;
• Include enough questions to keep the conversation engaging, but not so many that it feels like an interrogation;
• Start with broad questions and narrow your focus as the conversation progresses;
• Offer feedback to show you are attentive and appreciative of their time;
• Refrain from insulting a prospect’s intelligence or resorting to manipulation;
• Listen first, speak second;
• Be relaxed and engaging.

Telemarketing doesn’t have to be the bane of your existence. You can develop an honest, personal, and effective telemarketing campaign that is both engaging and informative, and will get the job done. Think of how you would want to be treated on a marketing call. Canvass your friends and family for feedback about what they hate most about telemarketing calls they receive and work hard to craft your plan in a better way.

“When selling by telephone, you have approximately thirty seconds to convince the customer to listen to you. You need an opening statement that captures their attention, conveys who you are, what you want and why the prospect should listen.” Jay Abraham

It’s easy to see how direct mail marketing and telemarketing can positively affect your business by bringing in new customers and increasing the level of awareness about your products, services and company branding. Reach out to me for the resources and tools you need to work through these processes and generate the best possible marketing plan for your business.