Taking the Guesswork out of Direct Mail
Taking the Guesswork out of Direct Mail: Put the Strategy In and Win! By Judi Baker-Neufeld, Tradeshows Plus!
A successful tradeshow direct mailer is based on strategy, not guesswork. This brief article presents a case study of a successful direct mail campaign. At the Pacific Coast Builders Show, Kohler Company was targeting a hands-on group of males that love tools and are looking for unique, yet levelheaded and focused solutions that will meet the needs of a discerning customer. Learn through this example and strategies The million-dollar question is: Why did this mailer succeed while others only produce mediocre results. The answer is Kohler despite all its direct mail experience was willing to go back to basics to ensure improved response. The company followed five simple steps to success: Step One: Define Objectives Kohler was very clear on the objectives they wanted to achieve. Namely, increasing awareness of the company’s participation at PCPC, showcasing products and the current ad campaign, and attracting 5% of the 3,500 plus high-end builders to the booth to educate them about Kohler’s new premium faucets. This clarity set the stage for format, copy and call to action that appealed to the needs of the target audience. Step Two: Identify Your Target Audience Kohler was focused and informed about the target audience they wanted to reach; high-end builders that needed imaginative and unique faucet treatments for the bathrooms of upper income customers. Many were working with other faucet manufacturers so Kohler needed to make a compelling statement with the mailer to encourage these builders to visit the booth. Step Three: Find the Right List Defining objectives and the target audience was the most important step in choosing the right segment of the pre-show registration list, which was sorted by cost of homes. Kohler chose builders in the $500,000 plus range who were most likely to be interested in the premium faucets. Step Four: Choose the Right Format and Offer Kohler got the most for its investment by using a winning design that included a translucent vellum envelope, a compelling call to action; a quality multi-purpose tool and the right information where attendees could see it fast. It would have been easy to fall back on the quick and dirty postcard especially because the timeframes were so tight. By resisting the temptation and paying attention to the steps the company significantly increased the response to its direct mail initiatives. Step Five: Measure Results To evaluate results Kohler measured the number of invitation recipients that visited out of total booth attendance and percentage response from the total mailed. This helped Kohler Copyright 2013 . All rights reserved. Competitive Edge. This article and the information contained herein are the intellectual property of Competitive Edge.
determine whether the mailer influenced the number of target attendees and whether they should consider direct mail for subsequent trade shows. Conclusion When you start planning your next direct mail campaign, jumpstart your efforts by studying this example and don’t skip steps regardless of timeframes. This process will make it easier for you to stay focused, understand what drives your audience, choose the best format, list and offer and make a real impact with your direct mail invitation. About the author: Judi Baker Neufeld is founder and president of TradeShows Plus a marketing and creative resource for companies wanting to improve trade show and event results. Judi’s expertise includes developing strategies for direct mail and email campaigns, high impact promotion/educational programs and measurement systems to strategies for staff effectiveness, lead management and ongoing follow-up. Judi can be contacted at P.412.431.2525, write [email protected] or visit www.tradeshows-plus.com
Attendee/Mailer Response Scanned Badge Total Returned Mailers Visitors that Received a Mailer Participated in Activity Total Booth Visitors Total booth visitors Total show attendance
991 277 499 604 1593 1593 25000
62% 17% 31% 38% 100%
4% 1% 2% 2% 6%
Copyright 2013 . All rights reserved. Competitive Edge. This article and the information contained herein are the intellectual property of Competitive Edge.
A successful tradeshow direct mailer is based on strategy, not guesswork. This brief article presents a case study of a successful direct mail campaign. At the Pacific Coast Builders Show, Kohler Company was targeting a hands-on group of males that love tools and are looking for unique, yet levelheaded and focused solutions that will meet the needs of a discerning customer. Learn through this example and strategies The million-dollar question is: Why did this mailer succeed while others only produce mediocre results. The answer is Kohler despite all its direct mail experience was willing to go back to basics to ensure improved response. The company followed five simple steps to success: Step One: Define Objectives Kohler was very clear on the objectives they wanted to achieve. Namely, increasing awareness of the company’s participation at PCPC, showcasing products and the current ad campaign, and attracting 5% of the 3,500 plus high-end builders to the booth to educate them about Kohler’s new premium faucets. This clarity set the stage for format, copy and call to action that appealed to the needs of the target audience. Step Two: Identify Your Target Audience Kohler was focused and informed about the target audience they wanted to reach; high-end builders that needed imaginative and unique faucet treatments for the bathrooms of upper income customers. Many were working with other faucet manufacturers so Kohler needed to make a compelling statement with the mailer to encourage these builders to visit the booth. Step Three: Find the Right List Defining objectives and the target audience was the most important step in choosing the right segment of the pre-show registration list, which was sorted by cost of homes. Kohler chose builders in the $500,000 plus range who were most likely to be interested in the premium faucets. Step Four: Choose the Right Format and Offer Kohler got the most for its investment by using a winning design that included a translucent vellum envelope, a compelling call to action; a quality multi-purpose tool and the right information where attendees could see it fast. It would have been easy to fall back on the quick and dirty postcard especially because the timeframes were so tight. By resisting the temptation and paying attention to the steps the company significantly increased the response to its direct mail initiatives. Step Five: Measure Results To evaluate results Kohler measured the number of invitation recipients that visited out of total booth attendance and percentage response from the total mailed. This helped Kohler Copyright 2013 . All rights reserved. Competitive Edge. This article and the information contained herein are the intellectual property of Competitive Edge.
determine whether the mailer influenced the number of target attendees and whether they should consider direct mail for subsequent trade shows. Conclusion When you start planning your next direct mail campaign, jumpstart your efforts by studying this example and don’t skip steps regardless of timeframes. This process will make it easier for you to stay focused, understand what drives your audience, choose the best format, list and offer and make a real impact with your direct mail invitation. About the author: Judi Baker Neufeld is founder and president of TradeShows Plus a marketing and creative resource for companies wanting to improve trade show and event results. Judi’s expertise includes developing strategies for direct mail and email campaigns, high impact promotion/educational programs and measurement systems to strategies for staff effectiveness, lead management and ongoing follow-up. Judi can be contacted at P.412.431.2525, write [email protected] or visit www.tradeshows-plus.com
Attendee/Mailer Response Scanned Badge Total Returned Mailers Visitors that Received a Mailer Participated in Activity Total Booth Visitors Total booth visitors Total show attendance
991 277 499 604 1593 1593 25000
62% 17% 31% 38% 100%
4% 1% 2% 2% 6%
Copyright 2013 . All rights reserved. Competitive Edge. This article and the information contained herein are the intellectual property of Competitive Edge.
