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Electronic communications might be prevalent now, but it is still hard to beat the effectiveness of traditional direct mailers. Postcards and letters’ tactile nature makes them stand out in people’s minds. However, not all such campaigns are equally potent. Below are tips for increasing your direct mailer’s response rates.

Contact Info Is Vital

Invite your direct mail recipients to contact you, and make it easy for them to do so by providing various forms of contact information: your mailing address, phone number, email address, and so on. You should make sure this information gets printed in large, bold lettering. You might even wish to incentivize people to contact you: a limited-time discount.

Simple and Engaging

Each of your direct mailer campaigns should have only one purpose, and you should keep that message brief and straightforward. For example, you might publicize a new product or an upcoming sale. Moreover, that item should sound exciting and beneficial.

Be Persistent

Send at least a few messages to each potential customer for every direct mailer drive you launch. Most people will disregard your mailings the first and second time, but eventually, many will read your message and give it due consideration. Also, be aware that the same logo should prominently appear on all your mailers.

Moreover, measure your response rates carefully and try to tweak your mailers as you go along. You might discover that you get more replies when you place a particular photo on your letter or use an unusual stamp. Keep using whatever seems to attract more attention.

Send Trigger Mailers with Targeted Mailing Lists

Perhaps the most reliable way to get responses is to use trigger mailers. Trigger mailers target individuals who fall into specific categories. For instance, Auto Trigger Mailers would go out to all customers in your area who have recently applied for auto credit. You could send someone a letter that tells them that all car dealerships are not the same and your dealer has the experience to help.

Imagine getting your competitor’s customers the day after they left the other dealer.

To know which kinds of trigger mailers to send to which individuals, you need to target mailing lists, which are databases that supply the names of potential customers in all sorts of groupings. Of course, you must get your targeted lists from an organization that’s reliable and reputable and one that Trans Union, Equifax, and Experian authorize.

Constructing an effective direct mail marketing campaign is a lot like preparing an excellent meal. The devil is in the details, and the secret is in the sauce. That being said, there are a few tried and true tricks you can apply to your campaign to cook up some success.

Marketing Tip #1 – A Mile in They are Shoes

Put yourself in the customer’s shoes. Knowing your target audience is as essential, if not more so, than knowing your product. Certain people are looking to drive an SUV, while others only see themselves in a car, truck, or van. Now think about how the most stalwart car lady would feel when asked to test drive the SUV. She will not want to, and she will not want to open a piece of mail that is equally unattractive.

Create a piece of mail your audience will want to open by designing it for them. Think about what your potential readers want to see. Whether it is: “Your loan is approved ” or “Final warning about debt consolidation,” you can make opening your direct mail like opening the door to the perfect vehicle by putting yourself in your customer’s shoes.

Marketing Tip #2 – Make It Shine

You can expect more when you sell a clean vehicle. The mail your potential customers opens is no different. After all, it is an extension of your sales team. You would not want unkempt, dirty salespersons who mumble speak to a customer, so don’t put washy words in a washed-out mailer. Develop compelling stories that motivate your writing and choose a reliable printer that does a clean, spotless job.

Marketing Tip #3 – Use a List

The phonebook is not a list. For effective direct mail marketing, you need a targeted list. One of the best products we offer is designed to help you overcome this issue, so you are at a high starting point. Our ™ Credit Predictor Program puts buy here, pay here consumers in your sites, saving you money by making your direct mail marketing campaign even more helpful.

Businesses need to communicate with potential customers. Saturation and targeted mailings are both effective means of direct marketing. These advertisements save money versus the cost of traditional first-class mail. Saturation mailings are delivered to every household in a particular geographic area, including those that may not need your specific product or service. On the other hand, a targeted mailing is designed to reach only those households within a particular demographic, such as age, credit, and income. This is particularly important for luxury, pre-owned vehicles, and Buy Here Pay Here auto dealers who service a relatively small subset of the overall car-buying public.

Instead of sending generic sales pitches to the public, auto dealers can use targeted mailings to present their message to people in the market for an automobile. The letter should include information about how the features and benefits of its products or services are valuable to them. Targeting specific segments of particular demographic leads to a higher level of engagement and response rate as you inform the audience about an option that they may not have otherwise considered. The targeted mailing should also be in a form that prompts potential customers to open the letter, text message, or email. This approach will lead to higher sales as these potential customers see how the benefits of your particular product or service are superior to their other options.

This direct marketing approach requires businesses to identify and focus on their customer’s needs. A targeted mailing also requires staying abreast of the current state of the market. This is especially critical if interest rates and lending criteria impact the potential customer base. An example is how automobile financing options can vary for sub-prime borrowers based on changing economic conditions. The work involved in developing targeted mailings may not be readily available in-house. Businesses must also keep current on the latest direct mail techniques for getting people to read the message as their tastes and circumstances change. An experienced direct marketing company has the tools and experience to help determine the market that will be the most receptive to your product or service. Using a professional direct marketing company will help generate more leads that can be turned into sales at your automobile dealership.

Buying a car is no small purchase, which is why so many people want to do it. However, it is also difficult for many to complete such a transaction. Since the economic downturn, car dealerships have struggled with a decreased customer base. While there is no way to control consumers’ economic prowess, it is possible to encourage buyers with Buy Here Pay Here options.

Buy Here Pay Here is a unique setup exceptionally well suited for car dealerships. When a dealership uses this policy, it creates a more straightforward and powerful buying system for its customers. In essence, Buy Here Pay Here means that dealers offer cars and the financing necessary for customers to purchase those cars.

Other dealerships may have a wide selection of cars, but customers are expected to find financing. In these cases, customers will either pay in cash, use credit cards, or secure a loan from a bank. While these traditional methods can work, they limit buyers struggling to meet ends. Banks have been reluctant to grant loans to individuals, which is one reason why car dealerships have struggled since the economic downturn in recent years.

However, when a car dealership offers Buy Here Pay Here options, it is possible to bypass the outside financing and provide loans on the spot. Car dealerships can work with private lenders specializing in such transactions to do this. These loans are entirely legal and easy to operate. Better still, because these loans are not given at a standard bank, the eligibility criteria can vary widely, which means that even buyers with poor credit histories can get the money they need to buy a car. This way, buyers can come to the dealership, find a vehicle, and get the financing all in a single day. This streamlines the process for buyers and promotes overall sales, creating a situation where everyone wins.

When using Buy Here Pay Here, it is wise to invest in proper marketing to reach as many potential customers as possible. Phone and mail campaigns can be a great way to let the right customers know they can purchase a new car sooner rather than later. In this way, a Buy Here Pay Here dealership can achieve new levels of success.

No one wants to go through bankruptcy, but bankruptcy laws exist to protect everyday people. If you get in over your head with debt, bankruptcy is a way to get a fresh financial start. In the wake of bankruptcy, you are sure to feel like you will never be able to repair your credit. Nothing could be further from the truth. Once you have a discharged bankruptcy, which means that you have a Discharge of Debtor document from a court of law, you can start taking steps to repair your credit. Here’s what to do:

Review Your Credit Report – Sure, your credit report is going to be pretty sad following a discharged bankruptcy. Ignorance is not bliss, however, and it is crucial to stay on top of your credit situation from day one. By law, you are entitled to one copy of each of your three credit reports per year. Use the annualcreditreport.com website to do so. If possible, sign up for a plan that allows you to check your credit reports as often as you would like.

Apply for a Secured Credit Card – Immediately following a discharged bankruptcy, there’s no way you are going to qualify for an unsecured credit card. A great alternative is to try secured credit cards instead. With these cards, the amount of money you deposit with the lender equals your credit limit. You can then make changes, and the amounts owed are deducted from your deposit. There’s one hitch, though: The secured cards you use need to report your activity to the credit bureaus, or they will not do you any good. As time goes by, check with the lender to see about having your limit increased.

Apply for Unsecured Credit Cards – After establishing at least some history with your secured credit cards, you should start seeing offers for unsecured credit cards. As exciting as this will be, you need to proceed with caution. If possible, stick with cards that have little or no upfront fees. Due to your damaged credit, you may have to put up with annual fees and other charges for a while, but you may be able to avoid them if you look hard enough. As with secured cards, make sure your unsecured cards are reported to the credit bureaus.

Don’t Carry Balances – Acquiring unsecured credit cards after a discharged bankruptcy is a significant step, but it is also a slippery slope. The last thing you need is to end up in the same dire financial straits again, so don’t carry balances from month to month. Pay your bills on time and in full every month. From time to time, it may be okay to maintain a small balance for the next month, but this should be avoided.

As you move forward, keep checking your credit reports and credit score. Before you know it, your discharged bankruptcy will no longer be holding you back, and you will be ready to start enjoying financial freedom once again.

There is a monster out there. The troll under the digital bridge leads to your potential client’s inbox, and it is hungry for your marketing materials. Newsletter software has become intelligent, but so has the anti-spam software. It is very adept at identifying unwanted emails, and terabytes of valuable marketing are lost in the mix.

Escape the clutches of the spam blocker with real mail that bypasses anti-spam filters and gets opened. A trigger mail campaign applies new technologies to traditional marketing. The result is effective to direct mail that potential clients want to open. They open our letters almost every time. This results in a response rate of more than 10%!

There is a great deal of noise out there. This is a significant term in advertising, and breaking through it is the subject of many expensive debates. Our solution is a classic strategy that combats this current roadblock. Put it to use as part of your next mail marketing campaign and see the difference trigger mail it makes.

One of the ways we achieve these results is by using more than one bureau. Our competitors only use one. This helps our mailing list stand head and shoulders above other direct mail campaigns. Of course, our mailers are compelling and interactive, giving clients the option to respond via toll-free call with a real person or our secure website.

Even though our direct trigger mail system avoids the spam filter, it does not forego technology. We transmit every valuable lead to you via email immediately after revving an application. This puts you in direct contact with qualified consumers—your potential customers. If you prefer, your leads can be sent directly to CRM systems, as well.

To ensure our and your company’s good name, our direct trigger mail campaigns and call center adheres to all “Do Not Call” requirements. This is just another way we answer the new-age-old question: what is spam mail, and how do we manage it. It is also a way we set our marketing materials apart from anti-spam software.

Independent and franchise dealers, buy here, pay here dealers, and auto financiers can benefit from sending targeted direct mail to consumers with imperfect credit. A targeted direct mail campaign involves distributing focused messages to consumers who are likely to purchase a vehicle through the subprime market.

What a Prospective Consumer Needs A prospective consumer could have a variety of credit problems, such as improving their credit after bankruptcy, a car repossession, little credit history, or no credit history. A subprime loan helps a consumer begin building credit even if the interest rate is not as low as one would get with a higher FICO score.

What Information Works To market effectively through targeted direct mail, dealers and lenders should offer consumers valuable tips. They should be able to use them even if they do not do business with you. Each communication helps consumers become more aware of your brand, possibly turning them into future leads.

What to Say in Targeted Direct Mail Here are sample tips to offer your prospective subprime borrowers through the mail:

Make a pre-credit application. A consumer with poor credit or no credit can get a copy of a free credit report online and work with a lender or car dealership representative to determine what kinds of auto loan terms he might obtain.

Ask about a possible loan amount. Regardless of their credit situation, the issue will be how high the monthly payment is for many consumers. The total amount of a vehicle purchase financed over 3 to 6 years will significantly influence the size of the monthly payment.

Explore interest rates. A loan amount helps estimate a car payment, but the deciding factor is the interest rate. A higher interest rate can make a $300 payment soar to more than $400 per month.

Encourage borrowers not to commit to a payment that’s beyond their budget. This would exacerbate their existing credit problems.

Targeted direct mail marketing is a proven way to communicate passively with subprime consumers. If you use targeted direct mail to reach the auto market, strive for a clear and consistent message. Consumers want helpful information without a particular slant they can use when making financial decisions, or they will throw your message in the trash.

If you are recently discharged from a Chapter 7 or Chapter 13 bankruptcy, you may initially believe that getting a new (or “new to you”) vehicle with any financing is out of your reach. While, naturally, getting an auto loan after bankruptcy may present a few more challenges than an A-paper borrower, it is still a viable option that you will want to approach with care.

People Need Cars

Often, particularly for those in Chapter 13, the bankruptcy terms can span from three to five years. This means that many people will need to purchase a vehicle as soon as the discharge is settled. Alternatively, possibly even earlier. While there may be a humbling aspect to negotiating terms on an auto loan after bankruptcy, you have paid your debt and still deserve a fair deal—even though you may not get the best deal. This means you will want to shop around and explore various options at the dealership and other sources. For instance, credit unions will often extend an auto loan after bankruptcy under the right conditions. Also, buy here pay here outlets can often negotiate a decent rate when called upon to do so. You do not have to settle for the first deal that is extended.

Bankruptcy is Not Uncommon

Given the current overall economic climate, as well as individual communities that have been hard hit, auto dealerships and financial institutions are becoming more and more interested in finding ways to finance an auto loan after bankruptcy. No longer is bankruptcy seen only for the irresponsible; many families have faced insurmountable hardships that were only resolved through the court safety net. To this end, establishing good credit and getting vehicle financing is beneficial in the long run.

What You Can Do

Like many things in life, time and good behavior can pay off. Getting an auto loan after bankruptcy is often one of the best things you can do to begin to rebuild your credit. First, an auto loan comes with collateral—the vehicle. This means there is a way, one way or another, to get financed. Even if you have to pay the higher interest rates, you will be on your way to improving your credit and can explore refinancing as you gain on-time payments with the loan.

Getting an auto loan after bankruptcy may be a bit more challenging, but you are in great shape, and you should look at this as a critical step in your road to economic recovery

Attracting the right sub-prime consumers can make a world of difference in running a car dealership. Given today’s lackluster economy and job market, that is truer now than ever. Without reaching out to and getting responses from people with less-than-perfect credit, the odds of getting ahead are slim to none. Of the many ways to generate viable leads and prospects, direct mail marketing is among the most effective.

Zero in on Viable Sub-Prime Prospects

To be effective, direct mail marketing must be geared toward a specific demographic. Therefore, the first step in the process is identifying local consumers who have sub-prime credit. This can be achieved by effectively using demographic information, which is readily available from various sources. You can always pull the data yourself, but it is more natural and practical to include it in whatever direct mail marketing service you choose. With the correct list of prospects in place, your direct mail marketing efforts will be off to a great start.

Get Inside Your Target Buyer’s Head

When creating a piece of direct mail for marketing purposes, you need to get inside your ideal customer’s head. This is much easier said than done. What kinds of things will prompt a subprime buyer to open a piece of mail? Odds are you have little or no idea. Why should you? You run an auto dealership; you are not a marketing guru. By investing in effective direct mail marketing services, you can leave this crucial step to the professionals. They know that certain things increase response rates significantly. For instance, allowing an embossed plastic card to peek out of the window of an envelope brings to mind credit cards, which many sub-prime consumers do not qualify for. The idea that they might be approved for a line of credit to buy a new car is often enough to get them to do the most important thing of all: open the letter and read it.

Drum Up New Business with First-Rate Mail Marketing Why stuff envelopes full of letters and marketing pieces that are written in a hit-or-miss fashion? By opting for professional mail marketing services, you are far more likely to enjoy a considerable return on your investment. Indeed, professionally created pieces result in two to 10 times as many responses. Imagine what that could mean for your business! To get ahead, sign up for these services as soon as possible.