Know-How Exchange : Customer Behavior

Hello adamcustom,

This is my first contact with these companies. The services I am offering is well needed from a global perspective. I narrow my database to manufacturing companies that have 100 plus employees. I target this group because there is always some mobility going on. Either downsizing, restructuring or layoff. I agree this happens in most companies but it occurs most often in manufacturing companies. It is most common to hear on the radio how many plants are laying off workers.
In this mailing I did target the HR personnel.

Another question I am seeking answer for is how do you target companies using email? Will the response rate be greater or lesser? I would like some answers from people who use this medium. Thanks

The key to improving your response rate is to target as specifically as you possibly can and then make sure you have a great offer written very specifically to the target audience.

You need to address the issue that your target audience perceives as being of highest value/highest priority, and you need to have the copy written by someone who really knows direct mail/response. The secret is to have really great copy, and it's not something that amateurs generally do well.

Calculate the dollar value of getting a 2.5 or 3.0% response rate versus 0.5% or less. That's what you should be willing to pay a really great direct response copywriter. (Of course, the first thing the copywriter will ask you is who the target audience is, and then they'll try to get you to narrow it, narrow it some more, and then narrow that even more!)

I've seen a response rate over 12% with a highly targeted list and great copy.

Aria,

The response rate you can expect in direct mail will range between 0%- 2% depending on the relevance of your offer to the audience.
In order to increase it you would have to customize your offer as per specific needs of your segmented public.
Then the copy comes in.

Adam

These are the things that improve response rate from the work you send out:

o Attention value - does your piece have it?
o Instant Message - can respondants see the benefit immediately?
o Impact - does it have that wow factor
o Writing Style - is it in the right tone for your audience?
o Promise a specific benefit - do you have a USP?
o Credibility - are you and your mailing credible?
o Easy to Understand - well is it honestly ?
o Action - is there a strong call to action ?

[Note: all this is in a model you can get free from my website, just click on my name and follow the link]

o Are you sending it out to the right audience ?
o Are you sending it out at the right time?
o Is your offer what they want to see ?

You have some great advice in all these posts, accept a small percentage of it, and you should improve the response rate.

Good Luck

Thanks to all of you for your response. I appreciate all your response. It is important to narrow your target as suggested by Adamcustom and Fred. Also, I appreciate Andrews list of things I should consider when mailing peices. I would like to know what the rate of response would be based on these criterias using internet marketing?

Thanks to everyone for your input. I appreciate it.