Today, it’s no longer about those old, templated letters or phone dialing campaigns that… let’s be honest… were highly time consuming and largely ineffective in getting the attention of your clients. Social media has changed the way we promote and do business – all with better results at a fraction of the cost. So, why should you join the social media party and how can you make an impact through direct response marketing?
Direct Response Marketing – What is it and why does it matter to you?
One of the most important types of marketing, direct response marketing, uses social media tools to engage with and inspire an immediate action from the person you are communicating with.
The virtual or social world will continue to evolve and expand. So, if you are not taking advantage of modern marketing, you are probably missing out on a fast, inexpensive and effective way to reach your clients, build relationships, build trust and grow your business – merely with a few clicks on your social media.
The Benefits of Direct Response Marketing
So, what are some of the benefits of this type of marketing?
Increase Brand Awareness – If you have a business, you have a brand. If you’re an independent advisor – well, you ARE your brand. Remember that your brand is not just a logo, a splash of colours and a big sign on a building – you are the face of your brand.
Humanize Your Brand or Industry – Some customers are nervous about working with big corporations, however modern marketing allows you to humanize your brand, making a human connection.
Promote Content – Direct response marketing allows you to promote content which can be extremely powerful in marketing your business and making sales. It allows you to get your message out, reach new people, reach existing clients and promote your value as well as the services that you provide.
Engage Your Audience – It allows you to engage with your clients or audience, which in turn can build stronger relationships and trust.
Learn About Your Customers – This type of marketing can also help you learn more about your clients so that you can better understand their need, wants, interests, fears, goals and more – then deliver exactly what they are asking for to guarantee a satisfied client.
Target Your Advertising – It makes targeted advertising easier. You can drill down to very specific areas, interests, demographics, industries and much more. And what does targeted advertising help you do? Boost sales!
Establish Yourself as A Thought Leader – Direct response marketing allows you to establish your brand as a thought leader. Likewise, it enables you to brand yourself as someone who is innovative, maintains a service level that is above and beyond their industry competitors, or even someone who specializes in working with specific types of clients – all of which builds trust.
Stay Top of Mind – Staying top of mind is the next benefit. You want to be the first person your client thinks of when their friends on social media ask for recommendations for their financial planning.
Partner With Influencers to Grow Your Audience – It allows you to partner with influencers to increase your audience. This could be anyone in this industry that is already a thought leader – someone who has a large following and sway. For advisors, this could be lawyers, accountants, referral partners, mortgage brokers and so on. Think about who has a similar audience to you, who can be beneficial to your audience and whose audience you could be beneficial to.
Increase Website Traffic – Direct response marketing can help you increase your website traffic, especially if you consistently have new and valuable content that is on your website or blog.
Boost Sales and Generate Leads – And last, but certainly not least, it can help you generate leads. This is a way to generate leads in a way that is authentic, trustworthy and builds genuine, long-term relationships.
Modern direct response marketing is all about providing value and creating those client connections; developing the know, like and trust relationship that can help move someone from a prospect to a valued client (and even an advocate!). The truth is that social media is here to stay, so be sure to BE where your clients are so that you can continue to engage your audience, build trust and provide value.
If you’d like to know more about direct response marketing and how to optimize your business with this modern marketing tool, please contact your local PPI office.