Direct Marketing Update for June 11, 2009

Recession survival tip: A little personality goes a long way

Why do some brands outperform their competitors over and over? ‘Cause they’ve got personality.’ (Sing it, Lloyd Price.)

If you’re in the Northeast, you probably remember the electronics retailer known as “Crazy Eddie.” If you’re in Southern California, then you know the personalities of Larry and Irwin of mattress retailer Sit-N-Sleep.

Personality can be an even more powerful sales tool in a recession, as you’re battling greater skepticism and fear from your prospects. Just as consumers pick their friends based on personality, they often pick companies for the same reason.

Consumers want to invest their dollars with a company they like and trust. Using a personality who is believable and projects honesty will help increase your response.

This is true whether you’re doing direct mail, email, display ads, radio or TV. For example, a successful radio ad may use the voice of the owner telling prospects that he understands times are tough—and that’s why his company is offering a 2-for-1 sale.

Or, a direct mail piece may benefit from having the president talk about standing behind his product.

So if there’s an important person missing from your direct marketing, don’t wait to bring them to the forefront. And remember, keeping this personality consistent in your marketing is the key to customer retention.

Web strategy: What the growing video megatrend means for you

I’ve been talking to you about the importance of putting video on your microsite and using a video spokesperson (or “walk-on”).

Now a recent Forrester report offers new proof that this boosts response rates: The study found that incorporating video into emails improves click-through rates by 2 to 3 times.

The number of video streams watched by adults is expected to double over the next 5 years. Currently, about 9% of marketers are experimenting with video in email and another 21% plan to incorporate it within the next 12 months.

But many marketers are still hesitant to break into the video word. So, I thought I’d share 4 of the powerful reasons a video could help your business generate sales and leads.

First, the Internet has officially eclipsed television in the amount of hours the average American spends on it per day.

Americans now spend 2.5 hours a day watching TV, but 3.6 hours a day on the Internet. It makes good business sense to allocate your advertising and marketing budgets to take advantage of this shift.

Second, video communicates the benefits of your product or service quickly.

With a short value-added video, you can visually show your product or service in action. Then, when the video is over, you can immediately drive your prospect to an order landing page where they can click to order or sign up for a lead.

It's easy, fast and most importantly, a seamless transaction. Your prospect doesn't even have time to be distracted.

Third, retention is higher with video.

Studies have shown that people retain 10% of what they read but a full 50% of what they see and hear.

Fourth, it's cost-effective.

Videos can draw a huge audience for just a fraction of the cost of a television commercial. And, it can be seen over and over, rather than just once. Plus, your prospects will share the video with their friends and families, expanding your reach exponentially. It's a direct marketer's dream.

To see a video that my agency created, click here.

To see a walk-on, click here.

You may still be wondering how your company fits into the video revolution. Call me at 310-212-5727 and tell me a little bit about your company and what your goals are. I can show you ways we can effectively market your company on the Internet with a dynamic, targeted video.

Or if it's easier, email me now at craig@cdmginc.com. My team of professionals and I can help you create a video that can expand your reach to millions of prospects for less than you think.

Copy Tip: 3 ingredients to make your copy dazzle

In the eyes of your best prospects, there’s no such thing as copy that’s too long—but there is such a thing as too boring.

Dull, drab copy doesn’t add anything to your marketing. It doesn’t matter how many facts you present if no one wants to read them. Instead, you must engage your prospect with excitement and demonstrate your belief in your product or service.

I call this the EBC Principle. To make the sale or get the lead, you must write with:

Enthusiasm
Believability
Conviction

You need all 3 of these components for direct marketing success. Otherwise you’re just wasting your prospect’s time…and your direct mail piece will end up in the trash, your email will be lost in cyberspace or your commercial will be ignored.

Take care not to confuse enthusiasm with sales hype. Enthusiasm without believability doesn’t work…and to be believable, you must have conviction.

Testing corner: Which web layout earned a 20% sales boost?

A marketer should develop several versions of your website and then test them to see which works better—whether you’re measuring in site traffic, sales, leads, etc.

Check out this test for ColonialCandle.com.

Layout A: Before the site makeover

Layout B: After the site makeover

You may be surprised to learn that Layout B helped ColonialCandle.com increase the number of candles sold by 20% and improve sales by $20,000 in just one month.

Why do you think Layout B beat Layout A? Email your thoughts to craig@cdmginc.com.

Action Items

Examine the results of your last marketing campaign. Are you experiencing a loss of leads or sales? I can help. Contact me at craig@cdmginc.com.
Check your most recent direct mail piece, website, email or commercial for the EBC Principle. Was it written with enthusiasm, believability and conviction? Revise it now with these 3 elements for better results.
Click here to read the revealing article, “5 critical strategies CDMG uses for superior marketing success and profitability for its clients.” It's a must-read article for every direct marketer and business owner.
Share Direct Marketing Update. As always, if you are enjoying this e-zine, I encourage you to click here to forward it to a friend. There’s also a “Forward to a friend” link at the top of the sidebar in every issue.

Yours for direct marketing success,

Craig A. Huey signature
Craig A. Huey
President
Creative Direct Marketing Group, Inc.
email: craig@cdmginc.com
phone: 310-212-5727
www.cdmginc.com

Click here to visit the Direct Response Library. You’ll find numerous articles from past issues of my Direct Response newsletters that provide even more valuable direct marketing help.

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