Regular-old snail mail might seem positively quaint these days, stacked against Twitter, Facebook and other forms of instant communication. But while it does take a little longer to send a piece of direct mail to a customer, it’s time well spent: Direct mail carries its weight when it comes to boosting overall HVAC sales.

There are a number of reasons for the continued success of direct mail. It’s tactile — touchable. Its presence in your customers’ homes forces them to notice it. And designed well, direct mail merits more than a glance. It compels customers to dwell on your message or offer. Perhaps most important, direct mail can’t be instantly deleted with the click of the mouse.

Also chief among the advantages of direct mail: It allows you to customize your message, targeting different lists of customers with tailored offers or information. You might want to send one message to prospects, a second to customers you haven’t heard from in awhile and a third to your most loyal customers. You might want to send one message to residents in one neighborhood and another to folks in another neighborhood, based on income or other demographic information.

Full-service direct-mail marketing companies can help you create lists of households and businesses in your community to target. They also can help you tailor your message to various groups, even personalizing each piece of mail with recipients’ names.

Also key for many HVAC contractors: Direct mail allows you to more easily gauge the return on your investment than online or email marketing often allows. While it’s getting somewhat easier for online marketers to determine which online efforts lead directly to inquiries or sales, it is still easier to determine which direct-mail marketing products are getting you real results. And that means it’s easier for you to build on those products, maximizing your sales.

Of course, like any other technique, direct mail should be part of a larger marketing strategy that takes advantage of a variety of media and messages — and that includes social media marketing and other online tools.

As HVAC contractors, our messages and methods evolve with the times and our goals. But there is still a place for direct mail — simply because it works. If you have questions about marketing for your HVAC contracting company, I’d be glad to answer them. Contact me today.

 

By Ron Smith