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The Internet Shot The Pony Express, But He Ain't Dead Yet!

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-mail and the internet are certainly putting a fierce beating on the 'Ol Pony Express. Small business owners are finding digital marketing to be far cheaper and a heck of a lot faster than direct mail marketing. And it shows! The U.S. Postal Service is facing record drops in mail volume. Even so, direct mail marketing is still relevant -- so don't go shooing Pony Express off to the glue factory just yet!

Say Yes To Direct Mail Marketing

Direct mail marketing presents a fantastic opportunity for small businesses to expand their customer base. Unlike mass advertising in television and print, personalized marketing using direct mail is a lot easier and allows a greater degree of accuracy in targeting specific demographics. Although close behind, digital marketing and still faces large obstacles in effective personalization and one-to-one marketing.

Direct Mail Marketing Is Flexible

Rather than blanket large TV audiences with generic commercials -- small businesses can target their direct mail marketing campaign to specific industries, regions and any number of sub-classifications. For example, a local restaurant can effectively use direct mail marketing and marketing with postcards to attack both general and specific audiences in one tight little direct mail marketing campaign.

Targeting A Broad Audience With Direct Mail Marketing

It's fairly easy to target a broad audience with direct mail marketing, while working from within the framework of a personalized direct mail marketing campaign. Using zip codes, neighborhood boundaries and mileage info as a list-building guide, the restaurant in our example can target residents within a specified area, such as ten miles around the business. Location-specific direct mail marketing ensures your business is presented to an audience that is more apt to visit due to proximity. All you need is a top-shelf sales letter (check out our example sales letter) and you're good to go!

Target Specific Audiences With Direct Mail Marketing

Businesses can also focus on highly-specific, niche audiences within the greater direct mail marketing campaign. In keeping with the above restaurant example, the restaurant can refine their direct mail marketing list to include local small businesses, churches and organizations. A separate mailer within the direct mail marketing campaign can target those businesses with business lunch menus, office delivery services or catering options. If money is tight, a single postcard or mailer can be sent using separate messages for both residential and business customers.

Direct Mail Marketing Isn't Dead

Direct mail marketing is without question facing a rough future. But it's not dead! Effective use of a direct mail marketing campaign can help even the smallest businesses expand their customer base -- and direct mail marketing holds unique advantages over digital marketing. Digital marketing just can't match direct mail marketing in reaching highly-specific local audiences. For an inside look at the numbers, take a look at calculating ROI to track direct mail campaign profitability.

Michael Borowiecki