Today we have access to all types of incredible technologies.  Each technology offers varying benefits to the end user.  The technologies that are capturing our attention, whether we are in the board room or the class room, involve social media.  One of the main reasons is that social media allows us to easily reach people– locally and globally.

However, I encourage you to remember the power of a simple letter or post card to easily reach people, specifically your target audience, in your own backyard or across the globe. Yes, I’m talking about good old fashion, direct mail.  Direct mail can be used to generate leads/inquiries, sales or repeat sales.  For example, I’ll use a retailer that has been around for more years than I can remember – Sears.  As a result of being a Sears credit card customer, I continually noticed their successful execution of the best marketing techniques in existence today.

One of the techniques/tactics Sears continually uses to entice people to buy items is the offering of name brand premiums.  This is also known as, “Gift With Purchase.” Additionally, they use premiums to motivate people to buy more during a particular transaction.

Sears has successfully offered special discounts, prizes, or gifts to coax me into making a purchase.  They have also used discounts with graduated percentages based on the size of a transaction.  Yet another technique/tactic Sears has used is adding expiration dates to “Gift With Purchase” deals in an effort to create a sense of urgency.

Each on of these techniques/tactics has worked on me, moreover millions of others, which means if you implement them properly, you’ll get a similar or better result.  The bottom line is making sure that your marketing efforts include many different approaches.  Relying on only one marketing effort can be detrimental to the long-term success of your enterprise.

Think about it for moment.

Let’s pretend you have spent all your time marketing yourself with social media tools in the last twelve months.  Keep playing along with me.  Just suppose, when you wake up in the morning, you decide to watch the morning news and, to your dismay, your favorite reporter says, “Facebook, twitter, and Linkedin have been infected by one of those crazy viruses and will be inaccessible for one month.”  What would you do?

Whether or not you think that will ever happen, I implore you to implement various marketing activities to generate traffic, bring in leads/inquiries, convert sales, and win repeat business.

To your success,

Ron

P.S. I’m curious.  Would you accept a $25 restaurant gift certificate in return for finding out if a major insurance company can save you money on your auto, home, and life insurance? Please respond with the “Yes” or “No” by sending me a direct message on twitter.  Just click here.  I won’t be replying to the message.  I simply want to know your answer.  Thank you in advance!