Direct Mail Still Works . . .
by Kari Key, CONTACT Direct Marketing

Joe Prospect works in a job he only tolerates because it barely pays the bills. And, when five o'clock rolls around, Joe is out the door in the blink of an eye. As he fights rush-hour traffic, he switches to a CD when his radio station plays ads instead of music. An hour later when he gets to his apartment, Joe grabs his mail and a bite to eat. He slumps down in his favorite chair to watch TV, grateful for his DVR so that he can fast forward through the commercials. When he finishes his program, he turns off the TV and logs onto his computer to quickly check his email. A friend has forwarded a not-so-funny joke, which he quickly peruses before deleting the junk emails that are cluttering up his inbox. Finally, he thumbs through his mail and comes across an envelope with his name on it.

In today's technology-filled world it's difficult to get your prospect's full attention. In order to do so, it is important to use a targeted, personalized advertising medium like direct mail. It has evolved with technology and still stands as an invaluable part of an effective advertising media mix. When used successfully, direct mail has the power to breathe new life into all your recruiting efforts.

If you are not employing direct mail to its full advantage, it is time to reconsider how you are utilizing your advertising budget. A survey of 1,500 households conducted by InnoMedia, Inc. for USPS The Mail Moment Study produced the following findings:

• 56% of people surveyed say receiving direct mail is a "real pleasure"
• 67% feel that physical mail is more personal than email
• 98% of people bring in the mail as soon as it is delivered
• 77% of people sort through it immediately
• People spend an average of 30 minutes reading their mail

These statements are staggering when you compare them to the typical reactions elicited by such things as telemarketers. The fact that your prospect not only looks forward to receiving mail, but gives it their undivided attention once they read it, makes other advertising vehicles pale in comparison.

Since its inception, direct mail has offered a unique benefits to its users. It allows you to include as much or as little information as necessary. You can put it into the waiting hands of your ideal recipient, regardless of their age, income or location. Direct mail is also a tangible medium, which means it can stick around for numerous impressions and be passed on to person after person.

As we continue through the information age, direct mail's most valuable characteristic is that its flexibility allows you to direct potential students to numerous points of contact. The methods of response can be as varying as your target market. They can choose to utilize mail, phone or Internet response options. This freedom of choice allows a comfortable relationship to develop, which in turn helps the lead to be retained.

In turn, as you synchronize your direct mail campaigns with your other advertising efforts you will find that your leads increase on all fronts. To accomplish this effectively, it is important to use the same concepts and imagery throughout each medium during a campaign. Follow up TV and radio ads with direct mail campaigns. This repetition will reinforce your identity and message, creating a more permanent impression.

Partner direct mail with your online recruiting efforts. Direct mail can be used as a way to begin and email dialogue with a prospect. People are more likely to give personal information like an email address when contacted by mail, rather than by phone or email. When a prospective student gives you this information in response to a direct mail piece, you do not fall under the "unsolicited" category when your latest email blast lands in their inbox.

Direct mail is also a valuable tool to direct traffic to your Web site. On a direct mail piece your Web site takes center stage, as opposed to a search engine where you are crowded in with your competitors. Passwords or unique domain names allow you to track the Web site hits that come from your direct mail packages.

Take advantage of new online response technologies by incorporating them into your mail campaigns. By using such service options as Personalized URLs, you can take the personalization available through direct mail to a whole new level. Not only does the distinction of a personalized Web site wow your prospect, it allows you to track and respond to your leads in real-time as you gather important personal data. Then, you can turn around and used that information to analyze the effectiveness of your direct mail campaigns.

Now, more than ever, it is imperative that personalization be used in direct mail. Your target market is used to having everything personalized for them. Their Web pages, user names, music, cell phones, computers and more, offer an unprecedented level of personalization that speaks to their interests and ego. When you specify your mailing list demographic, make sure that the imagery, content, methods of response, and amount of information in your direct mail package match their needs and preferences. Utilize variable data and dynamic printing processes to speak to the recipient one-on-one. They will take notice.

Many people, like Joe Prospect, take time out of their busy lives to give their full attention to their mail. Shouldn't your direct mail piece be waiting for them in their mailboxes when they are ready to seek out the education they need? If you have abandoned direct in favor of online advertising, or if you think direct mail is outdated, it's time to think again. Direct mail has proven that it is here to stay and offers the educational industry a powerful tool to get students in the door.

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