Direct marketing

Campaign planning and management

We start by first understanding and profiling the target audience, and then formulate an integrated direct marketing plan in line with our aspirations for the ideal customer. Essentially, who are we looking to target, how should we best communicate with them, and how will we measure the results of the campaign?

Database research, build and management

We research and build a bespoke database with the specification customised to your specific potential customer and influencer. We use sophisticated postcode mapping software to pinpoint where they are geographically located. We define the type of customer and any other relevant criteria. For example, for business-to-business marketing, we identify companies by the size of their business turnover or number of employees. For consumers, we identify potential customers by their lifestyle characteristics and socio-demographic factors.

Using our unique research and validation system, our in-house specialist researchers qualify and validate the key decision-makers and their contact details, including – most importantly – their direct email addresses, to ensure a high quality, up-to-date database of relevant potential customers.

Bespoke database versus off-the-shelf mailing list

Our bespoke databases provide the following benefits compared with just buying a mailing list:

• Quality of data – by telephone validating every company, we minimise wastage (brochure, mailing and postage)
• Relevant contacts – by speaking to every company to establish the correct decision-makers for your product or service, and where they are based, we make every record count
• Direct email addresses – by telephone researching the direct email addresses for the decision-maker contacts, we reinforce the postal mailing by delivering your message right to their screen and track and follow up their interest
• No limit to usage – once we have built your database, there is no limit to the number of times that you can use it
• Meets data protection rules – our mailing and email procedures ensure that your database is managed to comply fully with data protection to protect the interests of our clients
• Kept up-to-date – some records within your database will be updated free-of-charge as part of our ongoing work, although from time to time we may recommend refreshing the database, but this is not essential

Postal and email marketing

Understanding your potential customers is also key to how we communicate with them. We also know that, statistically, more people will open and read an emailshot if they have received a mailpiece in the post first. Our in-house design team creates brochures, mailpieces and emailshots tailored to the target audience. All of our postal mailings comply with data protection and are undertaken in-house to ensure the highest quality and accuracy. All of our email marketing is conducted in-house through a secure proprietary system, which provides full campaign tracking and complies with best practice and all data protection requirements.

Telephone follow-up research and lead generation

As part of the overall direct marketing campaign, our in-house dedicated research team conducts professional telephone follow-up to obtain feedback on the direct marketing activity, ascertain interest in the client’s product or service and generate potential leads. We provide full reporting of activity carried out and all telephone conversations completed.

Confidentiality

Each of our direct marketing projects is completed on an individual basis specific to each client and we treat all information as highly confidential. All leads are communicated only to the client that commissions the project. We regard this as a cornerstone of our integrity and professionalism.