The new year is traditionally a time of new beginnings. That being said, if you’re a marketer at a small or medium-sized automotive business, you might want to take a look in the rearview mirror to optimize your direct mail campaigns and start 2015 with a bang.
Begin by asking questions about last year’s direct mail campaign
And remember…
One good rule of thumb at all times of year is to keep seasonality in mind. For instance, if you’re based in an area of the country that typically experiences snow and plunging temperatures during the winter months, depicting a sunny scene in your new year’s promotions won’t exactly go a long way toward establishing a strong connection with your audience. This type of action might even have the opposite effect and make people wish they were far away from the cold – and your business as well. Not exactly what you had in mind.
Resolutions are a unique aspect of the turn of the year that you can parlay into virtually any type of promotion. If you operate a car wash, for instance, you can send out direct mailings focused on the idea of consumers resolving to keep their vehicles cleaner this year – and present yourself as ready and willing to help out. Alternatively, you can turn this theme back on your company itself and announce, for example, that you have resolved to provide better customer service in 2015. Ultimately, the details don’t matter as much as the fact that people will be more likely to pay attention to a piece of direct mail if it’s relevant.
The beginning of the year is also a great time to debut never-before-seen deals, products and services, so if you were planning to launch something new in December or February, you might want to alter your timeline a little. That being said, don’t shoehorn a new offering into being launched in early January if you simply won’t have time to get all your ducks in a row by then. After all, the last thing you want is to begin the new year with a flop.