Thursday 24 May 2012

2 Tips for Better Direct Mailing Campaign Results

B2B leads, business tips, C-level executives, direct mailing list, list of C-level executives, mailing listEmail marketing yields a good amount of B2B leads. A large percentage of marketers agree to this, and even statistics show that it is more effective at generating revenue and finding new B2B leads. That being said, it looks like direct mail is about to be left in the dust as it is expensive and inefficient. However, some marketers are seeing a revival in direct mail and other still use it for marketing purposes. If you’re using direct mail, then here are some tips for your campaign.

  • Proper targeting for better results – When using direct mail for marketing and generating B2B leads, it is important to know which industry you want to focus on. You can’t just randomly send mail to every business contact listed on your direct mailing list, no, you have to be precise and accurate just like a sniper with a single shot left in his rifle. Although you have a lot of chances to do so, metaphorically speaking, your single shot should matter and get results. So when you’re using direct mail to generate leads, get yourself a direct mailing list that is targeted to the industry you want to focus on. If you’re targeting C-level executives, then get a mailing list of C-level executives. Accuracy matters in direct mail as you will have to really be visible in the correct mailbox, and not just to everyone else.

  • Relevant content for high chances of success – A large percentage of direct mail remains unopened, and there’s no telling just how much of it has been tossed out the window or into the trash by prospects who don’t want to even bother with such mails after getting past the first few lines. That being said, if you are using direct mail and sending them out to your B2 leads; make your content relevant and interesting to your prospects. Your content should capture their attention when they scroll their eyes over the first few lines, something that keeps them reading on and wanting to finish the letter. If a prospect is interested, he/she will most likely respond to your direct mail and you may have yourself a warm B2B lead on your hands.

Direct mail is still worth giving a shot, even if it does turn out to be expensive and sometimes inefficient in lead production, as well as getting feedback from prospects. However, as a marketer, every avenue for marketing that is available counts and can help in producing both leads and sales.

Friday 18 May 2012

Top 4 Mistakes to Avoid in Newsletter Headlines


business list, business list service, US business listThere could be a mind-boggling number of reasons why some of your B2B newsletters doesn't get good readership rates. One of these reasons could sometimes be your choice of headlines. You may not know it, but you might be making simple headline mistakes that have a profoundly-negative impact on your business list contacts. Here are the top four headline errors we should avoid.

1. A Lack of Originality. Poor newsletter response rates can sometimes be due to unoriginal and unimaginative headlines. If you rely on worn-out bits and pieces of marketing speak to stimulate your business list contacts’ interest, then you’re just wasting your time and effort in your newsletter campaigns. Develop your own headlines and make sure that they represent the characteristics you want to project to your recipients.

2. Being Too Predictable. When you’re at a point where your readers begin to anticipate and predict your upcoming headline with frightening accuracy, your approach to newsletter writing is in desperate need of a major overhaul. Avoid reusing the same or identical headlines. Instead, try to approach your labeling from a new angle or perspective. So, if you’ve already used the phrase “how to…” in newsletters to contacts in a US business list, don’t use it anymore.

3. Using Weak Words/Phrases. If your newsletter headlines don’t pack a strong punch, chances are your content won’t get much attention. Try using, but don’t overuse, more powerful phrases like “the truth about…” or commands like “boost output” in your headlines. Make sure your choice of words is appropriate to the type of contacts in your business list.

4. Becoming Excessively Promotional. Every reputable email marketing expert or business list service provider will tell you to avoid too much self-promotion in your campaign. As such, you should also refrain from using promotional newsletter headlines. Your headlines should avoid mentioning your offers and instead capture the value you want your readers to get from your newsletter.

Thursday 10 May 2012

List Tips: High-Quality Business Lists and List Providers for More Chances of Success


Having a reliable list provider and high-quality lists of leads can take you far in the business world. Many people are in search of good list providers / database providers in order to procure lists like business lists and marketing lists in order to increase their sales and find more prospective customers, or companies to target. Through the use of a business list, one can gain the much needed advantage of acquiring the contact information for company executives and other decision makers within said companies, and other relevant data needed to decide whether a company is a viable candidate to do business with.

With that in mind, lists provide you with a competitive edge, especially when the competition out there is fierce and ever growing. With proper usage and a good marketing team working for you, you'll find that a simple business list can be turned into a boon of sales for your company. Everything can go the right way of you play your cards correctly, figuratively speaking. However, you won't really be making much progress if your list provider only does mediocre lead generation and provides low-quality leads and lists. That is why when you are considering purchasing lists from a list provider, always make sure that the company you want to buy your business lists from has all the right equipment and means to do lead generation as how they generate leads can truly affect the quality of lists you buy.

So, remember these things: First, a good, high-quality business list can get you far, especially when you want to increase your sales. Second, always make sure that the list provider you choose is a capable one and provides you only with both high-quality lists and leads. Ensure the success of your marketing campaign through the use of good lists.

Thursday 3 May 2012

How to Develop Effective Exit Strategies in B2B Email Marketing


A good marketing plan leaves no loose ends untied. Just as how your plan prepares how you enter your target market, it should also describe exactly how you would leave. Some email marketers tend to overlook this important part of the campaign and fail to come up with effective exit strategies. Here are three ways to incorporate exit points in your email prospecting business leads campaign.

Include opt-out link. Having an easily-visible opt-out link as part of your email as well as providing clear instructions on how your recipients can end their subscription is a good practice to keep in mind. Not only are you legally-obliged in some cases, like US business leads, to provide these items in your email, but you’re also able to show how highly you value your subscribers’ interest by giving them this choice.

Automate the process. Another way to make a graceful exit from your prospects’ inbox is to automatically stop sending emails to contacts who have not responded to a specific number of emails. Regardless of their reasons, it’s clear that sending any future emails to non-responding subscribers is pointless. Before you implement this strategy, it’s best to consult email marketing consultants or your business leads provider regarding the appropriate conditions to end some subscriptions.

Conclude your campaign. Once you decide to wind your campaign up for whatever reason, you should make it a point to notify your subscribers accordingly. Your subscribers should feel that you truly appreciate their interest and participation in your campaign as well as to have the option to subscribe to future emails from you. This is an ideal way to maintain good relationships and preserve continuity in generating business leads if you decide to resume or launch a new email campaign.

In email marketing, exit strategies are as crucial as your entry points. Consider the issues discussed above to make the appropriate plans. The key thing to remember is to always have the option to unsubscribe available to your subscribers and to base your exit strategies on the idea that opting out is not a setback but an opportunity for you to take advantage of.