smallbusiness.co.uk: Helping your business think big

SMEs trying to appeal to customers need to think like them when designing a direct marketing campaign, claims one marketing expert.

The Chartered Institute of Marketing (CIM) says that SMEs should make any form of communication to a potential customer personal, something which should not be difficult for a small organisation.

David Thorp, director of research and information at the CIM states that businesses will benefit from putting themselves into the customer's position.

'You only have a few seconds to grab the reader's attention before they bin the letter or delete the email, so make sure the letter is concise, clear and creates interest,' he advises.

Businesses need to offer an incentive, which they should make as irresistible as possible as the recipient must be to be motivated to act quickly.

According to Direct Mail Information Service, the UK's source of information on the direct mail industry, research conducted in 2005 showed that the overall volume of direct mail has increased by 87 per cent in the last ten years.

There are currently no comments on this article