Nurture Sales Leads with Direct Mail Marketing

Direct mail is a cost-effective way to make sales and generate leads. But it's also an excellent way to keep your brand name in front of customers, and to nurture leads until they become customers.

At my direct mail lead generation firm, our definition of a qualified lead is someone who meets four criteria:

Authority: They have the authority to buy
Readiness: They are ready to buy now
Budget: They have the budget to buy
Need: They need your product or service

Anyone who meets some of these criteria but not all is simply a lead that needs to be cultivated. This process is called lead development, lead nurturing and lead cultivation.

One way to discover if your prospect meets these criteria is to ask some qualifying questions on your business reply card or website landing page. That way, you know how much time, energy and money to spend on each inquiry.

But what should you mail to businesses that are not ready to buy right away, businesses that you want to cultivate? Here are some ideas for mailings that you can use throughout the year.

* White paper discussing industry trends or problems
* Technical bulletin
* Customer satisfaction survey
* Case study
* Product catalog
* Invitation to attend a trade show or customer event
* Media clipping (article written about your firm)
* Article reprint (written by your firm on a topic of interest to your customers)
* Announcement (new product or service, or change to existing)
* Newsletter (make sure it is customer-focussed)
* Annual report and quarterly reports
* Christmas card

Alan is a business-to-business direct mail copywriter and lead generation consultant. As President of Sharpe Copy Inc. (http://www.sharpecopy.com), Alan specializes in helping businesses generate leads, close sales and retain customers, using cost-effective, compelling direct mail and email marketing. Alan also uses his direct mail advertising services to help charities raise funds and raise awareness of their causes, using fundraising letters.

In The News:
table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.marketwatch.com/news/story/WideOrbit-Welcomes-Angela-Bandlow-Chief/story.aspx%3Fguid%3D%257B6911573C-60F3-4704-BC0E-9BF97BBB4758%257Dcid=1272701488ei=VIkmSeCZDKKO6APQ-tRFusg=AFQjCNHQHB6adtSNDRyDdHQPzpFR5k-38wWideOrbit Welcomes Angela Bandlow as Chief bMarketing/b Officer/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fMarketWatchnbsp;-/font nobr10 hours ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1SAN FRANCISCO, Nov 20, 2008 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- WideOrbit Inc. is pleased to announce that Angela Bandlow has joined the company as Chief bMarketing/b Officer. b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table
table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.marketwatch.com/news/story/JHA-Hires-Leo-Tinkham-Vice/story.aspx%3Fguid%3D%257B8AC13C65-AF4C-4FD4-8C0E-6DB5338C72B9%257Dcid=1272673916ei=VIkmSeCZDKKO6APQ-tRFusg=AFQjCNHgz-7sXAfz38vxc0X9vfm-DYMEMwJHA Hires Leo Tinkham as Vice President, bMarketing/b and Business b.../b/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fMarketWatchnbsp;-/font nobr12 hours ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1In this role, Tinkham will lead JHA#39;s bmarketing/b activities and be involved in the development and delivery of value-added services for reinsurance clients. b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table
table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.marketwatch.com/news/story/Boscobel-Marketing-Communications-Wins-Best/story.aspx%3Fguid%3D%257BFFCF4F2F-ACB7-49E2-9D9D-EA3FE461FD24%257Dcid=1272584877ei=VIkmSeCZDKKO6APQ-tRFusg=AFQjCNFUsqceDUyjFyEetGHgk21V3usQnQBoscobel bMarketing/b Communications Wins Best Overall #39;Stevie b.../b/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fMarketWatchnbsp;-/font nobr18 hours ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1Boscobel won top honors in the category of Service Businesses Up to 100 Employees in Advertising, bMarketing/b, and Public Relations. Joyce Bosc, president of b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table
table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.marketwatch.com/news/story/Macys-Ace-Marketing-Promotions-Inc/story.aspx%3Fguid%3D%257B43AF11A5-9737-4189-905A-83E2C9A81574%257Dcid=1272572772ei=VIkmSeCZDKKO6APQ-tRFusg=AFQjCNGLFWClGLoOkZ_xo3bTFms-WKwWkAMacy#39;s and Ace bMarketing/b amp; Promotions Inc. Partner to Make the b.../b/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fMarketWatchnbsp;-/font nobr19 hours ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1the innovator of Proximity bMarketing/b(SM) -- representing the convergence of advertising and merchandising -- today announced that the Company has partnered b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table
table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.marketwatch.com/news/story/2020-Marketing-Offer-RewardStreams-Lifecycle/story.aspx%3Fguid%3D%257B23E5D12F-F6ED-41D8-99DA-A87757885313%257Dcid=1272636684ei=VIkmSeCZDKKO6APQ-tRFusg=AFQjCNFP4I4vlEe1EfOd7PNfKRoW6g0Cyg2020 bMarketing/b to Offer RewardStream#39;s Lifecycle bMarketing/b b.../b/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fMarketWatchnbsp;-/font nobr15 hours ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1The agreement allows 2020 bMarketing/b to execute a complete range of sophisticated loyalty and incentive and programs using RewardStream LMP as their core b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table
table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd width=80 align=center valign=topfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifa href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.cbc.ca/technology/story/2008/11/10/f-sapieha-mediaplayers.htmlcid=1272624622ei=VIkmSeCZDKKO6APQ-tRFusg=AFQjCNG-Xp4reUHVnW04dtHXKsq98uX49Aimg src=http://news.google.com/news?imgefp=Fy5jVDaCdMYJimgurl=www.cbc.ca/gfx/images/news/photos/2008/11/10/ipod-touch.jpg width=80 height=77 alt= border=1brfont size=-2CBC.ca/font/a/font/tdtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.mercurynews.com/business/ci_11034850cid=1272624622ei=VIkmSeCZDKKO6APQ-tRFusg=AFQjCNHyzDhfTLe1BBH-2F2EusxkgDKJ9gMicrosoft#39;s Zune jams to new bmarketing/b beat/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fSan Jose Mercury News,nbsp; USAnbsp;-/font nobr9 hours ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1Zune#39;s latest campaign, said Chris Stephenson, a bmarketing/b general manager for the company, stresses that quot;mixviewquot; is designed to be quot;a reason to download b.../b/fontbrfont size=-1a href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/business/388410_msftzune19.htmlcid=1272624622ei=VIkmSeCZDKKO6APQ-tRFusg=AFQjCNFGXfwLOF75kmkd_XMY4CN2rhWleQMicrosoft slashes prices of several Zune music players/a font size=-1 color=#6f6f6fnobrSeattle Post Intelligencer/nobr/font/fontbrfont size=-1a href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.informationweek.com/news/personal_tech/ipod/showArticle.jhtml%3FarticleID%3D212100949%26subSection%3DAll%2BStoriescid=1272624622ei=VIkmSeCZDKKO6APQ-tRFusg=AFQjCNGLbZDn31uHO4FYxsvCZOCtsttM3QMicrosoft Cuts Zune Prices For The Holiday/a font size=-1 color=#6f6f6fnobrInformationWeek/nobr/font/fontbrfont size=-1a href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://gadgetwise.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/11/19/microsofts-gift-for-the-holidays-zune-price-cuts/cid=1272624622ei=VIkmSeCZDKKO6APQ-tRFusg=AFQjCNE145JzaKMuzAsLXcm2NmDdXzd17AMicrosoft’s Gift for the Holidays: Zune Price Cuts/a font size=-1 color=#6f6f6fnobrNew York Times/nobr/font/fontbrfont class=p size=-1a class=p href=http://news.google.com/news?sourceid=navclientie=ISO-8859-1rls=GGLG,GGLG:2005-22,GGLG:enncl=1272624622hl=ennobrall 42 news articles/nobr/a/font/div/font/td/tr/table
table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.bizjournals.com/sanjose/stories/2008/11/17/daily70.htmlcid=1272722473ei=VIkmSeCZDKKO6APQ-tRFusg=AFQjCNHuMkaFhYVtr6ECsI0sUCBDiA0pOQLazar mixes bmarketing/b savvy, financial expertise at Atheros/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fBizjournals.com,nbsp;NCnbsp;-/font nobr8 hours ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1“I kid him that I think he’s actually a bmarketing/b guy in an accountant’s body, “ Szilagyi said. “I don’t have to explain to Jack what’s going on because he b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table
table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.eptrail.com/news/2008/nov/21/marketing-district-picks-officers/cid=1272821744ei=VIkmSeCZDKKO6APQ-tRFusg=AFQjCNFaFKKmweU0ANHs99Xfbh8zCPxO7QbMarketing/b district picks officers/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fEstes Park Trail Gazette,nbsp;COnbsp;-/font nobr2 hours ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1By Juley Harvey Although the final tally of votes certifying the voter approval of the Local bMarketing/b District (LMD) is not due until today, b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table
table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.marketwatch.com/news/story/Crohns-Me-a-UCB-Website/story.aspx%3Fguid%3D%257B4D256E65-670B-4161-8F02-659AD915186A%257Dcid=1272653220ei=VIkmSeCZDKKO6APQ-tRFusg=AFQjCNHAHg2c00kBH3Y8xgd36yeoKaHKbACrohn#39;s amp; Me, a UCB Website Created by Heartbeat Digital, Wins b.../b/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fMarketWatchnbsp;-/font nobr14 hours ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1Held at New York#39;s celebrated Tavern on the Green, the night honored the medical industry#39;s most creative and innovative bmarketing/b campaigns. b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table
table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.marketwatch.com/news/story/Windsor-Capital-Group-Welcomes-Craig/story.aspx%3Fguid%3D%257BF318DD3B-CABF-4863-9C4D-1514072A40A7%257Dcid=1272688267ei=VIkmSeCZDKKO6APQ-tRFusg=AFQjCNGnk5UKPLUNZaOU0fhx6tkAvTOr5AWindsor Capital Group Welcomes Craig Stechman to Lead Their New b.../b/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fMarketWatchnbsp;-/font nobr11 hours ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1Stechman has recently taken over as senior vice president of sales and bmarketing/b position. In him, WCG found a person whose vision aligns with the company#39;s b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table
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