“Print Marketing is Not Cost Effective for Me”
The last time I did any print marketing was over 10 years ago and I wish I would have stopped even before that. For a number of years I would do direct mail pieces to folks I didn’t know and didn’t know me.
I used professionals to design the pieces they guaranteed 1-2% results. I designed my own, same types of results 1-2%. We purchased lists that were for specific zip codes, broken down by various categories, those that owned real estate and those that didn’t and those in particular income brackets. All the effort made the effort NOT cost effective.
Then mailed to past clients, again professional designed and with the so called right script and then pieces that we designed. Some would call, drop a note or call. I always had the feeling these folks would all do mortgages with me anyway. Similar results, not enough to make the effort cost effective.
What is cost effective, a handwritten note thanking someone for a referral, thanking someone for doing a mortgage application with me or in those instances that an apology was needed. The big problem for me, the amount of time it would take, but I never really got to speak to them.
The best by far, was a personal phone call for all the reasons above. As many know, I track everything and have set up a tree of life from each referral and often have to make many calls for a referral and I go right down the tree, thanking each person in the chain, right to the original source. Yes, it takes time, but it is well worth the result. Even if I don’t get to speak to someone, leaving a message of thank you for their original referral goes a long way and lets them know, I didn’t forget about them.
image courtesy of stuart miles/freedigitalphotos.net
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