The Guru recently received this inquiry:
Dear Guru:
Q. My direct mail advertising is not good enough to justify the effort and expense. I’m certain it can be improved but I’m just not sure how to go about it.
(Signed) Bank with three locations
A. Dear Bank with three locations:
There are four essentials to effective direct mail.
- A targeted mailing list
- A targeted offering,
- The creative approach, and
- Frequency.
Your mailings should be targeted; the more targeted the more effective. For example, if you send out a mailer to the public in general, telling them what a wonderful bank you have, it will not be nearly as effective as if you sent a mailer to senior citizens telling them about all of the wonderful services you have for senior citizens.
Tell them, for example, that you specialize in servicing the needs of senior citizens, such as bank by mail, or e-mail so that they do not have to go out to do their banking. Tell them about investment options that you have to assure 100 percent safety, without the risk of a fluctuating stock market. Direct your sales message exclusively to the needs and interests of senior citizens. While it may be true that other banks have the same products and services, you will probably be the only bank that segments the market into special interest groups.
It is true that you will require several mailing campaigns to reach customers with other interests, such as small businesses, newly married, college students and so forth. However the cost-effectiveness of target mailing will well justify the effort.
Here is a sure-fire method to be positive that your creative approach will get the seniors attention. Take your mailer ideas in rough copy and layout form and show it to several senior citizens, people who you think would be prospects for the services of your bank. Show them the mailer, and ask them if they would throw it away or walk into the next room and show it to their spouse saying, “Hey look at this, this is something we should do.” If the mailer does not generate the excitement you want, go back to the drawing board.
Just how often should you mail? Take a tip from successful advertisers in any field. You see the same ad over and over again. They have learned that frequency is a must. Mail to your market eight to ten times a year. For economy, design three different mailers and print enough to mail each mailer three times a year. Think in terms of a campaign, not a single piece. Most businesses do not have the time to come up with ten different mailers just to one market. Finish the campaign in one fell swoop and be done with it for the year.
Where do you get the mailing list? First decide just how much geography you can reasonably cover to get customers for your three branches. Get help from a mail list broker and tell them exactly what you are looking for. Get the list computerized and use professional mail list services for list maintenance, stuffing, addressing, zip coding, postage and other requirements.
(Editor’s Note: The Guru, Mort Barish is President of Barish Associates Inc. a marketing and advertising firm located in Gig Harbor. Call or email the Guru with your questions at 253 857 0157 or email mkbarish@earthlink.net.). | 
