A lot of marketing is designed for brand image, rather than effectiveness. This grabs attention, but what if you need more? Can your direct marketing make customers think and react to your message subconsciously? Of course.

Most customers don’t know remember where or when they first encounter a brand; they build their perception over time wth repeated exposure. Once developed, then, the brand gets instant recognition that allows the sales message to come through. This is the advantage enjoyed by companies who engage in regular brand, product and selling message advertising. If you are one of those marketers, use these tips to your advantage:

1. Either or Scenario option: Your customer already knows who you are; limit their the message to two options. The best choice is your product or service and the worst choice. Make a sharp delineation to make the clear choice your product or service.

2. Story: Reinforce that best choice by using a real-world story to show how that product or service helped real people. Make the story clear and to the point.

3. Message: Keep the benefits list short and simple. Don’t overwhelm with technical jargon or meaningless statistics. Sell the benefits and use that in your message.

4. Problem solver: The best selling stories show how a product or service solves a problem. Make sure the message is not that your product or service is a “nice” to have, but a “must” have. Feature one major benefit per piece..

5. Images, graphics and color: Create an emotional response using powerful images. With variable data printing, these images, colors and copy can even be personalized to specific customer types.

Make an emotional decision

Direct marketing should appeal to the emotional side of the buying decision. Too much information can even stall or end a buying decision. Highlight the big benefit solves their problems, and that’s it.

Contact the data experts at Darwill to find out how we can help your business align with best practices for targeting and for personalization.