Helping Brewers of Great Beer Market Their Way to Success

Why I Love Direct Mail

If you've followed me for any length of time, you are probably wondering, what's with this guy's love affair with direct mail?

My guess is you're wondering if there is something in it for me.

No, there's nothing in this for me. I'm agnostic about media. The type of media I recommend is the type that works.

Nevertheless, I will let you in on a little secret: my background is rooted in direct response. 

But, before I jump into the details, if you're unfamiliar, direct response marketing is where you live or die on results. It's completely measurable. The person would have to come to my client with my direct mail piece and make a purchase.

I'm guessing you can see this is the antithesis of branding—getting your name out there, trying to bring people to recognize your logo.

But don't take my word for it; when I repeatedly say direct mail works, I'm not relying on a gut feeling but on hard facts.

For example, I would mail to my clients' customer lists, and they'd spend $12k to $15k and generate hundreds of thousands, and sometimes millions, in sales. I did this over and over again for decades.

I was a mystic in specific industries. 

Here's the story: initially, my clients loved me and my results but were extremely worried that their competitors would find out, copy what I did, or worse, I'd start working with them.

I bet you're thinking, wait a minute! You always stress the importance of sharing your wins publicly, and no, I wasn't, and I should have been!

Don't make the mistake I did!

So here's the best part. One day, I was with a client who was using me for some other ads. I suggested direct mail, and he told me, "It doesn't work."

Now you need to know that I've worked with him for at least six months, meeting every week and spending hours together, and things are going well. He's walking out with me, and he mentions his 'best friend' George and how 'he's killing it with direct mail. ' Do I know anything about direct mail, or do I know someone who does?

Let's face it: I'm in shock! 

I don't know what to say! I swallow hard; my head's racing. George, and more specifically George's boss, is my client, and he's sworn me to secrecy. 'Don't share the amazing results you've been generating for me, month after month after month.'

Okay, I think you'll agree with my decision. I decided it was okay to tell him, "Yes, I know George; in fact, I'm the one who's doing his mailings."

You're going to love this! We ended up turning around, and we immediately fleshed out a mail campaign. With my first mailing, they obliterated any sales record and had so many more people ready to buy than they had staff. 

That's just the tip of the iceberg; I mailed for that client in multiple locations for approximately 15 years straight. That's why I love direct mail, and for you, why I stress you MUST build a client list.

Today, as someone in the Spirits business, you need to build a list, an email list, and please consider an actual mailing list too.

If you’ve got a list, I can show you how to make money with it, sound like a plan?