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Direct mail isn’t just for small businesses! Freelancers can benefit from using direct mail to pitch new clients and keep existing ones in-the-loop. It’s an inexpensive marketing technique that’ll help you stand out from the crowd AND improve customer retention!
People love to get letters. That’s why direct mail still works: a personalised letter is likely to be opened and at least glanced at.
Freelancers can take advantage of this by using direct mail to send innovative, branded pitches to catch the attention of businesses in need of help.
Whether you’re a graphic designer, HR consultant, or freelance writer, there are ways you can use direct mail to help potential customers see you as a professional to do business with.
Here’s how to use direct mail as a freelancer for best effect:
Create A Brand
You might work alone, but that doesn’t mean you’re not a brand!
Creating a strong brand will help potential and existing clients to recognise your communications. It also gives your freelance business a professional edge.
It could be something as simple as paying a few pounds for a website domain, and having an email address at that domain name (instead of a Gmail!). This shows your clients that you take your work seriously.
A brand doesn’t need to be fancy. Choose some complementary colours, and invest in having a logo designed. It won’t cost much, but it’ll make a big difference to how customers view you.
Your branding can then be extended to your direct mail campaign. Use your brand colours and fonts to bring a cohesion to your flyers, business cards, and presentation packs that you send out.
Research For Best Returns
You might have big ambitions as a freelancer, and that’s great! However, direct mail works best when it’s personalised.
Try starting off with local direct mail campaigns.
Identify the companies you’d like to work with, and target them with a personal message. Find out the best contact for your services – such as the Head of Marketing if you’re a graphic designer – and send the letter to them.
You could even go one step further and include company-specific information in your direct mail pitch. For example, a designer could come up with a few new logo ideas for the company.
This will show your potential client that you’ve researched them, and that you’re keen to work specifically with them. It’s not just a blanket direct mail campaign: you’ve taken the time to consider how you can help that company.
Keep It Simple
You need to catch your potential client’s attention within a couple of seconds. Otherwise, your direct mail will just go in the bin!
Put across just one point about your service. What is the one problem that potential client has, that you can solve?
Always talk about the problems you can solve your client, rather than just about you and your brand. It helps to establish a relationship with the reader, and also puts them immediately into a more receptive ‘buying’ mode as they can see exactly why you are getting in touch.
You can always include your contact information and website, with a call to action for people to look online or get in touch to find out more.
This means your potential client won’t feel like they’re being ‘sold to’ but instead invited to have their problems solved for them. Who can resist such an offer?!
Use Direct Mail To Capture New Clients
Direct mail is so under-used by freelancers – which gives you a distinct advantage! Any company that receives a piece of direct mail from you will see that you take your business seriously.
Get started today – design some new flyers online, or make up those business cards ready for your next networking meeting!
