|
Once upon a time, when they were first introduced, pURLs were viewed by many as a fancy way to sell something to customers. Today's smarter pURLs offer customers some benefits, too.
For example, pURLs are the perfect landing spot at which customers can both pick up targeted information and offer feedback to a favorite store, charity or membership organization. In other words, pURLs aren't just a marketing gimmick, they can take their part in the social media revolution by providing another venue for that all-important "conversation" with customers. Yes, we mean surveys.
What Can pURLs Do for an Organization?
Direct mail still has a dramatic appeal to many customers, especially when it's personalized. That's why organizations are eager to capture detailed opinions, preferences, complaints and viewpoints from consumers, donors and customers.
Carefully crafted surveys can generate the data organizations need, plus facilitate data storage in CRM databases. Golden pURLs are the perfect tactic, both for capturing data accurately and for convincing customers to participate in the survey conversation.
As Steve Fretzin, president of Sales Results Inc., puts it, "It's not just about you convincing a potential client that you are right for them. You need to let them talk as much as possible so you can learn about [them] and, in turn, tailor your approach to fit their specific needs."
What Can pURLs Do for Customers?
When a prospective customer visits his or her personal online website, just the right survey waits to be filled out. Let's suppose, for example, that a nonprofit organization delivers a pURL soliciting donations. It's an easy step to add on three or four targeted survey questions, and then bolster response by offering a highly personalized calendar as the survey-response gift.
Even better, with pURLs, premiums can be sent after the survey is completed. These back-end premiums not only generate equal response to the costlier front-end premiums of direct mail, they are much easier to personalize and, therefore, more meaningful to the customer. Meanwhile, the personalization information itself can be a data generator.
Help Clients Understand the New Shape of pURLs
Some creative thinking about the benefits of pURLs to customers will reveal their value and make pURLs a win-win. As marketers, it's up to us to help clients understand what's in it both for them and for their customers.
Crystal Uppercue is the marketing manager for EU Services, a 400-employee direct marketing production facility based in Rockville, Md. Download a free whitepaper about cross-media campaign planning at www.euservices.com.
For example, pURLs are the perfect landing spot at which customers can both pick up targeted information and offer feedback to a favorite store, charity or membership organization. In other words, pURLs aren't just a marketing gimmick, they can take their part in the social media revolution by providing another venue for that all-important "conversation" with customers. Yes, we mean surveys.
What Can pURLs Do for an Organization?
Direct mail still has a dramatic appeal to many customers, especially when it's personalized. That's why organizations are eager to capture detailed opinions, preferences, complaints and viewpoints from consumers, donors and customers.
Carefully crafted surveys can generate the data organizations need, plus facilitate data storage in CRM databases. Golden pURLs are the perfect tactic, both for capturing data accurately and for convincing customers to participate in the survey conversation.
As Steve Fretzin, president of Sales Results Inc., puts it, "It's not just about you convincing a potential client that you are right for them. You need to let them talk as much as possible so you can learn about [them] and, in turn, tailor your approach to fit their specific needs."
What Can pURLs Do for Customers?
When a prospective customer visits his or her personal online website, just the right survey waits to be filled out. Let's suppose, for example, that a nonprofit organization delivers a pURL soliciting donations. It's an easy step to add on three or four targeted survey questions, and then bolster response by offering a highly personalized calendar as the survey-response gift.
Even better, with pURLs, premiums can be sent after the survey is completed. These back-end premiums not only generate equal response to the costlier front-end premiums of direct mail, they are much easier to personalize and, therefore, more meaningful to the customer. Meanwhile, the personalization information itself can be a data generator.
Help Clients Understand the New Shape of pURLs
Some creative thinking about the benefits of pURLs to customers will reveal their value and make pURLs a win-win. As marketers, it's up to us to help clients understand what's in it both for them and for their customers.
Crystal Uppercue is the marketing manager for EU Services, a 400-employee direct marketing production facility based in Rockville, Md. Download a free whitepaper about cross-media campaign planning at www.euservices.com.
|
Secrets of Direct Marketing Testing
PURLs for Profit
