Dentists, Orthodontists and others within the dental industry frequently rely on direct mailing to reach new customers and to stay connected to current ones. However, it you may have started a campaign but seen no real results and may be disappointed in the lack of new leads or customer contact. If that is the case, you could be making one or more common direct mail mistakes!
Whether you are experiencing trouble or want to launch your marketing campaign on strong footing, it is important to recognize the most common mistakes so you can fix or avoid them.
Not targeting the right audience
If, for instance, you specialize in oral surgery tools, you are wasting your time and money by targeting dentists in general practices. It is essential that you analyze the market and determine where your target audience is. The benefit of a dental office working with a direct mailing company is that this service is performed for you, and the process can uncover invaluable data to help you reach potential customers. This information can be used to design effective mailings as well.
Your message, or call to action, is unclear
If the recipient of your direct mail advertising has to ask, “What do they want me to do?” it has failed. It doesn’t matter how attractive the postcard is, how witty or clever it is, or that it ended up in the hands of someone who might be interested. If there are conflicting or unclear calls-to-action, your mailing is going to go right into the recycling bin. Be explicit in stating what it is that a customer should do, whether it is email you, check out your website, or schedule a consultation.
Not offering a “freemium”
We have all heard, “If you can’t say anything nice, don’t say anything at all.” In the direct mail world, it is “If you can’t send anything free, don’t send anything at all.” Why should a customer waste his/her time reading your postcard? Why should they look you up on Facebook or Twitter? Why should they visit your office or website? Because you’re giving them a coupon! Or offering them a free sample, a discount, a free monthly newsletter on the latest oral surgery tools and techniques. They will see the value in what you are offering and inquire for more information or complete your clear call to action.
Using generic postcards
Boring! And your audience has seen them before…a lot. Another problem is that you have to fit your message to meet the stock graphics, rather than using the graphics to support your message. You are not going to get any leverage in terms of branding because your logo is not incorporated. As a direct mail advertising company, we can offer you a great selection of options or work with you to create acompletely customized postcard.
Advertising with direct mail is an effective, budget-conscious method of reaching your audience. If you are not seeing the results you should be, give us a call. We’ll help you get the most out of each postcard.