How would you optmize this direct mail campaign?

I would design a high-quality, persuasive post card... and mail it to homeowners who live in more expensive homes.

That's the view from 30,000 feet. Lots of details to work out.

Alex

Hi Terry,

I know a shed builder that used Google Earth to identify areas where specific households were lacking sheds but had assets sitting out in the weather....boats...trailers...extra vehicles etc.

They ran specific direct mail campaigns into certain neighbourhoods. They were also doing local television promoting the various benefits of what they were offering.

So as... Alex mentioned, quite unexpectedly, about a view from 30,000 feet

The business was looking from above.

It could be a good way if somewhat labor intensive to generate a map of household without decks.

There are a large number of residential investors in Australia who look for smaller homes on larger blocks that can either be knocked down or raised and front and back decks added.

They hunt out homes that they buy, pop a couple of decks on ---- reside in it, whether they live there or not --- and then flip about 18 months later for healthy profits. There are various tax advantages here if you are selling a residence as opposed to an investment.

Given the value of the sale perhaps they can invest in a team to identify properties that need decks.

They could also approach pool builders to see if there are some host/beneficiary relationships that could be built.

Best regards,

Ozi

You have a really narrow target audience. Of course creation of well designed broschure and sending it directly to those who can be interested is great. But in this way you won't be able to capture all your target audience. Of course you should work on your web presence. Do you have a website or groups/pages in social networks?

Ozi, it's funny, The Google Earth idea popped into my head out of the blue early this morning. I just don't know how it would help in this case.

I know I can pull a relevant list based on home value, household income etc so that's not an issue. How to reach out to those homeowners is the question.

If budget were't and issue, we would just blast out a postcard with a great offer to the whole list every month, but that's not an option.

I'm thinking we could do a split test. Group A, send varying messages to the same addresses once per month.
Group B, send one consistent message to a different addresses each month.

I'm the new guy on the block when it comes to direct mail, so I sure appreciate everyone's help!

Cheers!

Terry

Hi there,

We had a similar client-getting puzzle and here is what we did,

We sent them an Android tablet with a custom video introducing the client, the process, the tools, the results and actual local client testimonials.

You may think it's expensive, but investing a couple of hundred dollars in a 20,000 client is chump change.

Our results were spectacular in a niche where there is stiff competition on the mail side. I should mention the device delivery was followed up by an energetic phone call.

You can get Android tablets for pennies on Alibaba and you can get a freelancer to root it so you have a truly custom tablet that looks like a million euros.

All the best,

Sasha.

If you can do a JV with someone with access to your customers you can:

1. Exchange offers to each others list.
2. Do a profit share - you only pay if there is a sale.
3. Some other arrangement for access to someone else's list - You find out what they want and get it for them.

JVs will always give a better response that a cold direct mail.

If you're brokering the deal, you can take a share of the profits. There's no risk for your JV partners and no up front payments unless you charge a retainer.

Hi, I would try to think along the lines of a contest based on a survey. More than likely a scratch and win contest. You offer a great prize, they have to answer a survey which is a list of questions (not many) related to your product. You get them to give you info and you get their emails for follow-up and more. EDDM in high income areas and a QR Code.

HelenVendo - he does have a website & Facebook. My client is a guy whose focus, rightly so, has been on building awesome decks, not awesome marketing. He is now taking the first steps to build up the marketing side of his business.

Sasha - the Android angle is a great idea, but due to the overall expense, we would need to find a way to narrow down our list.

Ewen - I will definitely carve out some time today to think about how we could adapt your example: that's gold!

I'm seeing a lot of great ideas and while some may be a difficult fit for our circumstances, I will certainly file them away for future reference.

Thank you so much!

Terry

Terry,

Here's another one for filing or acting on.

It is pretty easy to get data on property transfers and the rateable value of the land or value of the purchase.

When people buy a home they get enthusiastic about renovations and tend to want to change things quite soon after purchase.

If you can observe the properties that change hands in your target areas and identify if they have a deck or not then you have something to work with.

The properties with decks you offer an obligation free "deck check" to identify the condition and any maintenance issues that could cause failure.

You can pain the picture of what a collapsed deck looks like and how you do the assessment free.

A deck that is older will need re-surfacing an this can be a way to generate revenue if that is the case.

If the deck is in good condition you can still suggest that in 3 years, 5 years etc it will need this maintenance and you put them in a follow-up sequence.

The homes that you identify don't have any decks you send another postcard much like Ewen's example where you spell out the increased value in the property, increased enjoyment, increased status, etc that adding a deck to the property would produce.

They go in a different followup sequence.

This is a pretty low-cost approach and you can do small mailings to selected properties.

One of my businesses does a very low volume mailing where we put samples in the hands of decision makers in educational institutions.

There is a good response rate and once we have established a relationship there is usually ongoing purchases.

In your case I think the deck business thinks they build a deck and it is once and done.

They may want to send out someone to call on past purchasers to just do a "deck check".

The purpose of that visit is to get referrals and to assess the performance of the deck.

At that point the person doing to visit can offer "deck cleaning" - refinishing etc

The mailing should be a component of a whole system of generating new business and getting repeat business even if it is just a re-finish job.

People are house proud and none more so than when they have just bought one.

Find the buyers and whether that have a deck or not they will be closer to purchasing an improvement than someone who is just "used" to living in their home.

Best regards,

Ozi

Hot Tub sellers would be another group to co-market with.
They might have customers with no decks, or decks that are not structurally sound enough for a tub.

Google Earth can also be used to expedite the estimate/design process.

You would target these by Zip Code. But, if he wants that kind of homeowner, who doesn't already have a deck, maybe he could customize his mailing.

With google, he could snap a pic of the house (as noted in the thread) and then create a couple of designs for that home. At that price he isn't selling decks...

he is selling ADDED on living space...
a retreat
an entertainment center
an outdoor family restaurant
a sanctuary
a nature center...

The deck should match the house and surroundings and by having samples of his previous work, and using the owner's house in the promotion, they can see the possibility.

If he were doing simple 5k decks, then a shotgun mailing may work ok, but at his specialty prices, he can afford to have a custom made mailer sent which will have a greater impact on the home owner.

gjabiz

Leverage past, recent, and current installations.

Homeowners who are spending $20k+ on decks will be living in neighborhoods that are filled with other people who can. Everytime one is sold, they should be giving a discount or incentive (like a $$$ or percentage) for neighbors who buy a deck, in exchange for using them as a model home.

Anytime a deck is going to be be built a postcard should go before or during the installation inviting all neighbors to stop by on a specific saturday or sunday and see the new deck. A BBQ, free kids toys, etc can all bet arranged and paid for by the company.

A $20,000+ deck project should easily be in the range of $2,000-$3,000 cost per sale and $500+ cost per lead so holding these neighborhood model home events along with postcard notifications will be one of the lowest cost and best performing lead sources possible.

So I’m thinking we could send out a quick blanket mailing to a qualified list with the purpose of catching the low-hanging fruit; those who already intend to add a deck.

Next, we develop a really nice brochure and send it out to a more qualified list. Using our main list, we could look at Google Earth to identify high-value homes with wooded lots or water features, but no deck or a small deck. As Giabiz mentioned, it’s not a deck, it’s a sanctuary etc., nice touch!

Once per month during the season, we send out cards to new home owners who fit our metrics.

When we do get a job, as Bob mentioned, we have a deck opening party and offer the host a discount off the final price.

This is exactly the information I was hoping for. Thanks so much to all.

Terry

I think it was mentioned, but they increase home value.

Also, custom features help when it comes time to sell a home.
"Oh, that one, honey, because it already has a deck."

Don't forget yard signs while they are building the decks.
And, logoed trucks that are there in the morning and the evening when
neighbors are coming and going to and from work. A friend did split shifts
when he had a sprinkler business.

what would they get for $20k (or more)? only decks?

how about a semi-translucent leaflet with a nice deck so that would give them the impression of how their backyard would look like if they had that deck

subscriber data will play a vital role while designing the mail campaign, obviously income / affordability is the single most wanted factor to look for.

I really don't have anything to add, just restating. I think the tablet thing is brilliant and rooting basically means they make it so it only does your stuff, so it no longer goes on the internet, it's only lets say a digital brochure of your decks. To people who don't understand technology it's like magic, and on a side note, doing this for people as a marketer, as a service, that might be awesome.

I also doubt immensely you are going to get any sales directly from any mail campaign, so a direct mail campaign that "sells the sizzle" like "19 Ways your Deck may collapse" then "FREE inspection", written on an ugly looking postcard could work absolute wonders. Bring in some expert looking blue collar guy who has some sales acumen, basically looks like an authority on the subject, have him go over some technical jargon, watch their eyes glaze over and hand him a huge check.

Let me know if that's all clear, please ask if there's anything that's not.

1. Identify your market
2. Focus your message on benefits
3. Create an easy and direct call to action
4. Designing the piece
5. Testing the offer — sub-lists and tracking codes