The Call to Action: Small Changes = Big Impact

A call to action (CTA) is an essential element of any marketing piece, as it prompts the reader or viewer to take a specific action. Thus, we should expect minor changes to the CTA to impact the effectiveness of the marketing piece significantly, and they do. Here are three examples of how simple changes to your CTA can have a significant impact:

1. Be specific: People are more likely to respond to precise instructions rather than vague or general ones. Thus, making the CTA clear can make it more actionable and more likely to lead to a conversion. For example, instead of using a generic CTA like "click here," a more specific CTA like "download your free e-book now" would be more effective.

2. Keep it simple: A too-complicated CTA can overwhelm the reader, leading to indecision or inaction. Keeping the CTA simple can make it more appealing and easier to act upon. For example, instead of using a long and complicated CTA like "Sign up for our newsletter to receive updates and exclusive offers," use a simpler CTA like "Subscribe now!"

3. Match the CTA to the right stage in the buying journey: The CTA should be appropriate to the buying journey the reader is in. For example, a CTA to "buy now" may be suitable for someone ready to purchase, but it might be too aggressive for someone still in the research phase. Instead, a better CTA for someone just starting to research a product might be "learn more" or "request a free consultation."

Overall, small changes to a CTA can have a significant impact on the effectiveness of a marketing piece. By making the CTA specific, simple, and appropriate to the stage of the buying journey, you can increase the likelihood of conversion and achieve better results from your marketing efforts.

5 Tips for Building Trust with Customers

Building trust is essential for any business or organization. Without trust, it isn't easy to establish and maintain relationships with customers. So how do you use your marketing materials to build trust? Let’s look at five tips that work regardless of your marketing channel.

1. Be authentic.

One of the most important ways to build trust is to be authentic. Whether it’s in direct mail, email, or social media, use clear and straightforward language. Avoid using jargon that sounds stiff. Additionally, be open and responsive to feedback from your audience. Responding quickly and openly to criticism or negative feedback shows that you value your audience's opinions and are willing to address any issues or concerns.

2. Be consistent.

Consistency is vital when it comes to building trust. Haphazard branding that changes from channel to channel and campaign to campaign comes across as unprofessional. Consistency helps to establish a solid and recognizable brand identity which, in turn, helps to build trust over time. Use the same colors, fonts, and tones in your communications, including social media, email marketing, and print materials.

3. Use testimonials and reviews.

Testimonials and reviews from satisfied customers can be powerful in building trust. Customers trust other customers more than they trust brands (called “social proof”), so include testimonials or reviews from real customers who have had positive experiences with your business.

4. Personalize your communications

Personalization is another effective way to build trust. It shows a level of investment and attention to detail that indicates that you are serious (trustworthy) in your communication with them. For example, print customers' first names on your direct mail pieces and use them in the subject lines of your email marketing campaigns.

5. Use high-quality design and photography.

Whether creating print materials or designing a website, invest in high-quality design and photography that accurately reflects your brand identity. If your print materials look cheap, customers will think your products are, too.

Building trust with your audience is essential for any business or organization; remember, the process takes time. So keep at it. Whether you're using print or digital communications, remember these tips to help build a solid and trustworthy brand identity over time.

 

What’s So Great About Event Marketing?

Event marketing is a powerful tool because it offers a unique opportunity to engage with potential customers and create memorable experiences that leave a lasting impression. Direct mail, email, social media, and other marketing channels play essential roles in your marketing mix, but in-person events offer something unique that other channels don’t. They allow attendees to interact with the brand and experience it firsthand.  

Here are three reasons you want to incorporate event marketing into your marketing toolbox.

1. Events make it more personal.

Does your brand have a personality? You bet! Events allow you to showcase that personality and connect with your customers personally. It makes your company feel, well, more human. People like to buy from people, so get buyers to engage with your brand at in-person events, and you will increase sales and win their loyalty.

2. Events make products more memorable.

In-person events offer a multi-touch, multi-sensory experience that profoundly embeds information in customers’ memories. This is what makes trade shows so powerful. Studies show that attendees who have physically interacted with a product (such as in a product demo) are more likely to remember that product and retain it in more detail than products they learned about in a passive environment.

3. Events let you learn more.

Events are great for meeting people, learning more about your customers and prospects, and gathering the information you can use in marketing long after the event. Use registration forms, interactive booth or seminar games, badge scanning, and other techniques to gather as much information about attendees as possible. After all, they have pre-qualified themselves as high-value leads just by being there, so take advantage of this opportunity!

Want to learn more about event marketing and how to use booth graphics, displays, and marketing collateral to support your event marketing efforts? Let us show you how!

 

 

 

Get Those Envelopes Opened! 9 Tips

What’s the secret to boosting great response rates to direct mail? Getting recipients to open the envelope! The best-written sales letter can’t work until the recipient opens the flap. Here are nine tips for piquing recipients’ interest and engaging their curiosity.

1. Get creative. Try new substrates, such as smooth, heavier stocks that show off your colorful designs or textured stocks that offer a high-end feel. So many options — vellum, glassine, polybag-type envelopes — try them all!

2. Go big! Consistently, oversized envelopes get higher response rates than #10 envelopes. Larger pieces stand out in the mailbox, and with their oversized dimensions, people can’t help but wonder what’s inside.

3. Go windowless. Window envelopes are often used for statements and bulk mail, so a plain, windowless envelope is more likely to get opened.

4. Use teasers and other on-envelope messaging. Consider placing dynamic messaging on the envelope's front, back, and even inside. Your copy should provoke curiosity but not give everything away.

5. Mix it up. Keep mixing up your messaging and design. Each time you send a mailing, it should feel fresh and new.

6. Add a personal touch. Make the recipient feel special. Whether it’s through personalized printing, using a legible script font, or actual handwriting, give it that personal touch.

7. Use an actual stamp. Recipients notice when you use genuine stamps. It tells them this isn’t just another bulk mailing and piques their curiosity.

8. Put it between the T’s. Unless you want a campaign to drop on a Monday or Friday, the best open rates tend to be Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays. Shoot for these days for your in-home windows.

9. Don’t over-saturate. Six weeks is a reasonable interval between mailings. This way, you stay fresh in your prospects’ minds without becoming a nuisance.

Envelopes offer many creative possibilities, making them a versatile and effective tool to convey your message. For the greatest success, embrace your creativity, tailor the encounter, and experiment with fresh ideas now and then!

 

Can You Speak Your B2B Customer’s Language?

Understanding your customers' vertical markets can elevate you from being a commodity supplier to a trusted partner in the business-to-business marketplace. This is critical in today’s competitive marketplace, where personalized, relevant communications are crucial to success. In your next marketing communication, having a more profound understanding of your customer's vertical market can help you in three key ways:

• Reflecting your understanding of the latest trends and challenges in your customer's market.
• Speaking the same language as your customer.
• Crafting marketing messages that emphasize the benefits most important to your customer's business.

For example, let's consider the challenges faced in the healthcare industry. As a B2B company selling medical supplies to hospitals, say you have developed a solution that streamlines the supply chain, reduces costs, and ensures compliance with regulatory requirements.

Your marketing copy could emphasize the benefits of your solution, such as improved patient outcomes, reduced waste, and increased efficiency. But you want to speak your customers’ language, too. 

Here are three ways to do that:

1. Use industry-specific terminology that is familiar to healthcare professionals. Instead of using generic terms like "supplies" or "inventory," you might use terms like "medical consumables," "durable medical equipment," or "pharmaceuticals."

2. Address specific pain points or challenges that healthcare providers face daily. For example, you might highlight how your medical supplies help hospitals with their most pressing needs, such as reducing waste, improving patient outcomes, and complying with regulatory requirements.

3. Demonstrate your expertise. Don’t just say it — show it! Demonstrate your expertise in this vertical market by highlighting your experience working with hospitals, your knowledge of industry regulations and standards, or your partnerships with leading healthcare organizations.

These examples come from the healthcare industry, but the concepts apply to any industry. So take the time to understand your customers' vertical markets. This will help you build a stronger relationship with them, differentiate you from competitors, and create a more valuable and long-lasting relationship.

 

­What Differentiates the Fastest Growing Companies? Personalization!

Want to build your business faster? Personalize! According to McKinsey's “Next in Personalization” report, the fastest-growing companies drive 40% more revenue from personalization than their slower-growing counterparts. Furthermore, 71% of consumers expect companies to deliver personalized interactions, and 76% get frustrated when this doesn’t happen. Personalization isn’t just icing on the cake anymore. It’s a must.

Other benefits of personalization include:

• Greater brand loyalty.
• Greater likelihood of recommending the brand to others.
• Greater chance of engaging with the brand on social media.

What might consumers do if the content needs to be more relevant? Increasingly, consumers say they would stop paying attention to the brand’s messaging and would be less likely to purchase. Consumers also say they would be much less likely to recommend the brand to others and stay loyal; some might even stop using it.

But be careful not to overdo it. Studies also consistently show that when messaging is over-personalized, shoppers find it creepy. When personalized content is over the line, they are less likely to purchase.

Finding the line between the two can be delicate. Consumers want their communications to be relevant but don’t want to feel that their privacy is being violated. For example, if someone’s lease is about to expire on the family sedan, and you know from third-party data that they recently had a new baby, you might want to say, “Is it time for more legroom? Check out the great new features we offer on our 2023 minivans!” You don’t want to say, “Hey, it looks like your family is expanding! When your lease expires at the end of the month, why not upgrade to a bigger ride?”

Need help developing relevant communications that your customers and prospects want to hear? Let one of our brand development experts help.

 

5 Tips for Headlines That Get Results

When someone receives a direct mail piece or an email, what is the first thing they see? The headline or subject line! The success of your marketing effort hinges on the power of those words to hook your audience and draw them in. If your audience never gets past the headline, it doesn’t matter how great the offer is. They’ll never see it.

Here are five tips for writing headlines that engage your audience and make them want to read more. 

1. Think “action.” Use words that evoke imagination and create a sense of movement. Avoid generic phrases like "Climb the Mountain!" and opt for more active ones, such as "Attack the Mountain!”

2. Leverage numbers. People are always looking for easy ways to get information quickly, so using numbered tips can be an effective way to grab their attention. For example, if you're selling heating and cooling equipment, try "Three Reasons Your Air Conditioner Might Fail This Summer," or if you sell men’s wear, "Five Ways to Make a Woman Look Twice."

3. Stir emotions. While some people may buy something because of necessity, most purchases are made due to desire or perceived need. To capture this emotion, focus on headlines that ask questions or present solutions in surprising ways. Examples include "Six Ways You Think You Are Keeping Your Kids Safe (But Aren't)” or “Is Your Home Safe from This Toxic Gas?”

4. Support with data. Data is always more convincing than words alone. If you incorporate credible sources and statistics into your headlines, recipients are much more likely to pay attention. For example, a study conducted by Conductor found that readers were 36% more likely to prefer headlines with numbers over other types of hooks.

5. Work backward. Visualization can be a powerful tool in marketing. Before sitting down to write anything, take some time to consider your desired outcome for the campaign. Visualizing the desired result can provide valuable insight into how to craft a headline that will get you there.

Creating powerful headlines and subject lines is part art and part science. Whatever approach you use, create multiple versions of each and test them against controls. If you get stuck, give us a call. We can help!