NAVIS Direct Marketing
Direct Mail Management
Direct Mail Works
The average age group receives about 20 pieces of mail every week (US Postal Service data) - less than that for those younger than 35 and more than that for those over 35. Compare that with the number of emails we typically receive and you can see why direct mail is still a very effective media for reaching just about any market.
However, just like email, direct mail is only as good as the list it targets. NAVIS Direct Marketing will make sure your direct mail piece fully leverages your segmented list and also takes great care to incorporate a powerful message and implement appropriate timing. The goal is to reach the right person with the right message at the right time.
The List
The list is the single most important aspect of the entire program. Why? The list you use in any direct marketing effort is responsible for 75% of its success. A mediocre direct mail piece with a good list will work far better than a great direct mail piece and a bad list. Great care will be taken to segment your guest and prospect data into clusters that have the best probability of booking a reservation.
The Message
This is what will "speak" to the recipient of your direct mail piece. It includes:
- Format. Is it flat or 3 dimensional? What color is it? Does it include some sort of
promotional giveaway? What does the format say about the message and your company? NAVIS Direct Marketing has had experience with all formats and will recommend the best approach that fits your budget. - Personalization. Using "Hello, Robert" will help to increase the readability and the response rate of your direct mail piece. NAVIS Direct Marketing will personalize your piece when possible so that it speaks directly to the recipient.
- Targeted Message. Instead of sending the same mailer to everyone, send the
golf message to the golfers, the beach message to those that are coming for the beach, the antique car show pass to the car fanatics, etc. NAVIS Direct Marketing has the capability to customize each mailer with a unique message and graphic. First, a template is created and the various messages and graphics are created and tagged. The digital printing process enables each recipient to receive their message, with their graphic, with their name. This is what targeted direct marketing is all about. - The Offer. Give the recipient an incentive to respond. Provide a discount, a
free night, a ticket to something, a free tank of gas - whatever is within your budget. Use your imagination, but pick something that would appeal to the recipient. - Urgency. "Call this number before August 6 to receive your discount." Without some sort of expiration to your Offer, the recipient will push it aside and possibly forget about it. Get them to act quickly.
- Copy. The direct mail piece should be easy to read and eye catching. Graphics, headlines and bold headings are what the eye goes to first. The small type gets read last. Keep it simple with small words and not too much
marketing hype. - Contact Information. Including a toll-free number allows you to accuratley measure the number of calls coming in from that piece. A unique web address lets you track the traffic it generated. Personalizing the web address, such as www.mysite.com/Robert, will help to really attract the reader.
- The Experience. Remember, you're not selling a rental proerty, you're selling the guest experience. Paint the picture with the mailer - entice the guest. That's what will utlimately get you the booking.
The Timing
Ideally, you want to communicate your message to the recipient at the exact same moment when he or she has decided to book the reservation. Of course, your message can help to influence their decision, so the best thing to do is reach out to your prospects and guests freuqently. This will help to build mind share so that when they are finally ready, they think of you.
Fortunately, NAVIS Narrowcast can tell you when a person last called, so that might be a good time to reach out to them again.
You might also consider timing that focuses on your shoulder seasons. Communicating the right offer to the right people at the right time can help to bring in more bookings and fill your properties during those slow periods.
The Direct Mail Management will include the ability to automate your direct mail according to check-in date, check-out date, birthday, call-in date or other calendar event.
Results
As with the other components of the NAVIS Direct Marketing program, the Direct Mail Management will focus on results. Each campaign will be closely tracked and the results reported in detail.
Other NAVIS Direct Marketing Services include:
