Ask A Helpful Question In Your Direct Marketing Material
Consumers purchase products for many reasons. Improving some aspect of their life ranks among those reasons. Direct marketing presents an opportunity not only for a retailer to make a sale but also for the customer to procure something that may help make life a little better. Of course, the marketing strategy must get across the product's value. A declaration can do so, but a question might work a bit better. Asking the right question in direct marketing material could lead a consumer to think about how a product helps. If the customer begins to see solutions after answering the question, he or she might become more inclined to buy.
Publishing the Right Question
Direct marketing often centers on printed material. The delivery methods can vary, but the goal remains consistent. A printed flyer sent in the mail intends to catch someone's eye. The text on the flyer helps clarify the mailer's message. A statement promoting the value of, say, a vacuum cleaner, can be effective but limited. "10% off for a new vacuum" might only appeal to someone already in the market for a new model. Posing a question, however, may cast a wider net by hooking someone unhappy with his/her current vacuum cleaner but hasn't decided to buy a new one. After all, the current model works but doesn't work that well. Here lies a chance to ask a question: "Do you want the quickest and best vacuuming day experience?"
The Question Gets Them Thinking
The above question addresses concerns held by someone struggling with a messy carpet. Maybe that person's current vacuum cleaner lacks power. No matter how many times he/she goes over a certain spot, getting dirt off the carpet proves nearly impossible. And the vacuuming sessions take a long time, and the result is never acceptable. The posed question zeros into such a customer's needs. More importantly, the question poses an open-ended solution to those needs. There's a faster and more reliable vacuum cleaner available, and it could make your whole day better.
Visuals to Support the Question
Even a thoughtful marketing-oriented question has limitations. Adding visual content lends the question support. Underneath the question, the marketing material could present an illustrious full-color picture. Seeing the vacuum cleaner with all its attachments and components provides a subliminal answer. The question poses the problem, and the image poses the solution. Such a fundamental direct marketing strategy could work wonders for any product. Just make sure the materials look professional, as they need to impress.