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PRNLoveanurse
Forums Member
Joined: 12 Feb 2010
Posts: 2
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#1 · Posted: 12 Feb 2010 04:02
Can anyone suggest a good direct mail company for printing and sending postcards? Direct mail is expensive but I am considering it to help promote my blog and home business.
I wonder if I can afford the volume that is needed to and is it sustainable. Email is a more difficult method now with all of the spam blocking. If anyone has any suggestions I would appreciate it.
I work full time ( Plus)
Have a great day.
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Melanie Gray
www.hothomebusinessprofits.com
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mountainmom5
Joined: 30 Aug 2007
Posts: 2251
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#2 · Posted: 12 Feb 2010 08:30
Welcome Melanie!
I don't use direct mail but I do have a tip for you. Make sure the link in your signature is clickable as you will get traffic thru the forum here, if you participate .
If you put the url html [url][/url] around your url, it will make it clickable.... you know, the first set in brackets before your url and the second after it
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talfighel
Forums Member
Joined: 17 Mar 2007
Posts: 191
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#3 · Posted: 12 Feb 2010 10:45
Melanie,
It would cost you too much money to send out postcards to people to view your site.
Email marketing is still #1 in my view because it is cheap and it works. Focus on bringing as much subscribers to your newsletter and forget about spending money on postcards which will only empty your wallet.
Tal
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Matt Zenittini
Forums Member
Joined: 16 Jan 2009
Posts: 266
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#4 · Posted: 12 Feb 2010 13:20
PPC is by far the best, most cost effective way, to get TARGETED traffic to your website.
Most people take PPC
To Lead Capture
To Sales Page/website/whatever you are trying to accomplish.
That way you can create a list and email everyone on the list anything you want on demand. They are also people that want to hear from you and are interested in whatever it is you are doing..
Very profitable.
I recommend getting a book on PPC.
Good Luck,
Matt
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fredraley
Forums Member
Joined: 5 Feb 2010
Posts: 9
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#5 · Posted: 13 Feb 2010 12:33
Since 80% of the world does not even get online looking for a home business, your idea to go "offline" is spot on.
You do need to be able to offset your costs though. Although you can get quality postcards printed for about 2c each (in blocks of 5000) at www.gotprint.com, the 28c stamp will set you back over the long haul. So your goal should be to make enough to cover your mailing... and more if possible.
I would recommend using a lead capture form on your blog or landing page to capture the prospects info so you can continue marketing to them via email. You have to give the prospect a reason to give up their info; a free ebook or list of tips or advice, etc. Selling an ebook or a service along the way will help in offsetting your costs.
A rule of thumb: You probably should be selling a $100 or more item to the postcard crowd to be able to offset your costs. Example: A 5000 piece postcard mailing will cost you $1,500. If you sell a $100 product and get a 0.5% response, you will make 25 sales for a net of $2,500. This gives you a $1,000 profit for building your list with that mailing. If you sold a $50 item, you would lose $250 overall. You can play with the numbers of course and your product price point to see what is reasonable for you.
Don't expect more than a 0.5% response... but be happy (ok, elated) if you get it!
I have found the people responding to postcards using online forms are generally more motivated and more financially able to participate than the typical online crowd.
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Matt Zenittini
Forums Member
Joined: 16 Jan 2009
Posts: 266
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#6 · Posted: 13 Feb 2010 13:24
fredraley: Since 80% of the world does not even get online looking for a home business, your idea to go "offline" is spot on. You do need to be able to offset your costs though. Although you can get quality postcards printed for about 2c each (in blocks of 5000) at www.gotprint.com, the 28c stamp will set you back over the long haul. So your goal should be to make enough to cover your mailing... and more if possible. I would recommend using a lead capture form on your blog or landing page to capture the prospects info so you can continue marketing to them via email. You have to give the prospect a reason to give up their info; a free ebook or list of tips or advice, etc. Selling an ebook or a service along the way will help in offsetting your costs. A rule of thumb: You probably should be selling a $100 or more item to the postcard crowd to be able to offset your costs. Example: A 5000 piece postcard mailing will cost you $1,500. If you sell a $100 product and get a 0.5% response, you will make 25 sales for a net of $2,500. This gives you a $1,000 profit for building your list with that mailing. If you sold a $50 item, you would lose $250 overall. You can play with the numbers of course and your product price point to see what is reasonable for you. Don't expect more than a 0.5% response... but be happy (ok, elated) if you get it! I have found the people responding to postcards using online forms are generally more motivated and more financially able to participate than the typical online crowd.
.30 cents for someone that never even expressed interest in x product?
Or .60 cents for someone LOOKING for x product?
By the way.. The number of people looking ONLINE for a work from home business.. has over DOUBLED in the past year.
Out of a group of 5000 people... You will find more of them looking ONLINE for a business/digital product (if they are interested) than in their mailbox.
Looking for someone to join your business or buy your product... who is not looking for a business... is CHASING someone. You will get many more people to opt in and buy via adwords. Where it is THEIR idea to find you. After they find you, you control the outcome much much better.
Postcards are becoming outdated.
Matt
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ImportEyedea
Forums Member
Joined: 14 Dec 2009
Posts: 57
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#7 · Posted: 14 Feb 2010 02:42
PRNLoveanurse: I wonder if I can afford the volume that is needed to and is it sustainable. Email is a more difficult method now with all of the spam blocking. If anyone has any suggestions I would appreciate it. I work full time ( Plus)
Hi Melanie!
How are you currently promoting your blog/business? Do you promote one as a means of getting traffic to the other or are the independent?
Also are you currently paying for online traffic anywhere? Do you have your blog optimized for SEO and targeted keywords? What is the particular interest category of your business/blog?
Sorry to bombard you with questions, just want to know where you've started so far! I don't know anything about Direct Mail other than that its expensive. But maybe we can find you something inexpensive and/or free that might help!
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fredraley
Forums Member
Joined: 5 Feb 2010
Posts: 9
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#8 · Posted: 14 Feb 2010 09:54
Matt,
Correct on one point. You should NEVER send your postcards to untargeted lists. I did not mean to imply that you should. Just like getting targeted prospects online, you can do even better with offline resources.
You can get targeted lists offline that online resources have no clue about and can't touch.
I use "Buyers" list so I know my recipients have a past history of buying in my niche.
Fred
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GBGSuccessGroup
Forums Member
Joined: 13 Feb 2010
Posts: 4
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#9 · Posted: 14 Feb 2010 20:24
talfighel
Hey Tal, Im in Myworldplus too..hows it going for you?
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