Mailing regularly to your existing customer base and current prospects is a good way to keep your customers active, reactivate accounts or convert a prospect into a first-time customer. (ACT! Tip: Easily export your current prospect list in ACT! to Microsoft® Excel® by clicking the Export to Excel icon.)  In addition, purchasing and mailing to an outside list of targeted prospects can generate new leads and result in profitable new customers to add to your existing base. 

It’s surprisingly affordable and fairly easy to put together a direct mail campaign to any size audience, especially if you create the mailing yourself.  One innovative way to do this is to engage the US Postal Service (USPS) and their trusted partner, PosteDigital. Through their NetPost Services Website at www.usps.com/netpost/welcome.htm

you will find mailing tools that allow you to complete an entire mailing from start to finish without leaving your computer! 

Once you register, you start by selecting your format – anything from a simple postcard to a multi-panel booklet – from the many options offered. You can upload virtually any document or art file that you have created into your selected format, and you can even include mail merge fields so your mail piece is personalized. Your next step is to upload your mailing list(s), or create your mailing list online. Then just select a mailing date (up to 28 days in the future), the class of mail (first class or standard rate), color options, and paper type. Make your payment and you are done. Your direct mail is produced and placed directly in the mailstream. For example, for about the cost of a first class postage stamp you can print and send your customers and prospects a fully designed color postcard and start realizing the many benefits of direct mail!

When you are creating your direct mail, make sure to consider the following:

• Determine whether you want to generate leads or drive transactions and focus on that specific objective.
  
• Make a compelling offer associated with an expiration date to help motivate response and drive urgency.
  
• Include a clear “call to action” so the reader knows how, what and when you want them to respond, such as “Call today and get a free consultation” or “Order by April 30th and get 20% off.”

Best of all, you can measure the effectiveness of your mail effort by counting responses and inquiries received. Your response percentage can then be calculated by dividing the number of responses by the number of total pieces mailed. Your cost per response can be calculated by dividing the total cost of the mailing by the number of responses you received. You’ll understand right away what a wonderful tool direct mail can be to communicate with your customers and prospects inexpensively and effectively.

Janet Cleworth, Director, Direct Mail, ACT! | Sage Software, Small Business Division