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When your prospect reads your letter or email, they will be scanning it for benefits. Will this save me money, time, hassles, grow my business, improve my life in some way are just some of the thoughts going through their head.

That's why it's so important that you try to put yourself in your prospect’s shoes and tailor your benefit statements accordingly.

I've seen many mail pieces over the years that have overlooked this requirement and used 100% of the copy to say how great their product or service is. While there's nothing wrong with showing passion about what you are selling, never lose sight of your prospect's world and how they would be better off by taking up your offer.

'What's in it for me?' or the WIFM principal might be well known in direct marketing circles but less so in the broader business community.

If you are embarking on your first direct marketing campaign, talk to other people in or beyond your organisation who have worked on them for some advice.  Alternatively Australia posses many experienced list brokers who can offer practical advice regarding the broader campaign.

If you've got an experience to share regarding benefit statements that have worked well in the past, please feel free to send it through for addition to this blog.

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As you gear up to tackle your first direct marketing campaign for 2012, it's the perfect time to get back to basics. In this blog I will take you through the fundamentals of a successful campaign so you are ready to attack yours full of confidence. 

Your objectives need to be clear and can encompass the likes of increasing sales (and market share), identification of new markets, enhancing of awareness in your brand, testing which offers and message are most effective plus many more. Whatever your objectives, make sure they are central to your planning and campaign execution.

Knowing your target market is critical. In twelve years of working as a list broker, I've certainly come across some highly detailed briefs and those clients have tended to fare better than most. Your existing database can often throw up some key insights if you are in any doubt or looking for some inspiration.

If you are renting a list (as opposed to using you own), make sure you have detailed discussions with your list broker. These should focus primarily on your objectives and targeting requirements. Your broker can then provide you with an initial recommendation plus other lists to test down the track.

The ability to design a great piece of direct marketing and its accompanying message is a craft developed over time. Yes it helps to read up on the subject and talk to experts but personally I feel nothing compares with hands-on experience. It's why all DM practitioners go on and on about the importance of testing different messages, designs, lists and offers and closely analysing the results for meaningful trends.

A well designed DM piece should capture the recipient's attention, maintain their interest, create a desire and compel them to act. The AIDA principal is not new but is central to the success of many campaigns throughout Australia each year. Hang on to the DM pieces you receive and keep a 'Good' and 'Bad' folder with notes on why you feel each does or doesn’t work.

Offer is king so make sure you make yours as strong as possible and not simply a 5% off deal. Once you calculate the lifetime value of a new customer, it becomes quite clear that you a best served running an offer too good to resist.

Measurement is not always easy especially if you are conducting multiple forms of promotion. Encourage your staff to ask new enquirers how they found out about you and make sure these details are recorded for later analysis. If you're investing thousands of dollars on a campaign, the least you can do is try to determine if it has worked!

These are but a few basics to consider, I'm happy to discuss others with you at any stage. I'd also love to hear from you with your own experience or questions which we can post here (if you wish) for further discussion.

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