Whether hard copy or electronic, information supplied by businesses is supposed to be useful. The idea is that your potential customers find something of value to them, which answers their questions.
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Targeting promotional materials In marketing, the target market defines the need for information. In your business, there are obvious potential customers, and they're the people you have to provide with useful information. Important, particularly for new and small businesses:
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With promotional correspondence, you're essentially trying to generate interest in your business and services in this target group.
You're also drumming up new business, and you have to make every letter and email work for you.
With promotional correspondence, particularly email, the idea is to give clear information, not hit people with a lot of information they didn't ask for.
Your promotional information must be useful to the reader.
Nobody appreciates having their time wasted on non-information, particularly other businesses. Sending promotional correspondence can be expensive, too, so don't think twice about sending very basic materials instead of a glossy color brochure.
All promotional correspondence is governed by law.
All terms of business and claims made in your correspondence are prima facie evidence of terms of trade.
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It's exactly like advertising, which it is, really, just in another form. Your promo materials have to draw attention to your business as a whole, as well as selling your goods and services. What people see is supposed to give a positive impression of your business. The example below is a promotional email sent to a distribution list of potential customers in the plumbing business. The list was put together out of the local Yellow Pages. Normal promotional letters in hard copy are constructed the same way. Important Note: It's an unsolicited email, and may be considered spam, unless you put some bona fide business information in the header. |
Nobody reads spam if they can help it, so make sure your email is obviously a real business inquiry.
Your readers must be absolutely certain they're looking at a bona fide business promotion.
Give your own contact details clearly, so your potential customers can check out you and your business properly.
Example:
Header: ABCD Inc
Subject: Trade promotion: Discounts on sales of plumbing materials
Letterhead
Contact person
Contacts
Attention, CEO (name of business)
Promotion: Sales of plumbing supplies at top discount rates
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We're a new plumbing supplies business in the area, and we're making special offers for local plumbers. We're offering 10% markdowns on our trade rates for all businesses who have the same post code / zip code as ours. (Insert a list of offers, brief but interesting. This is promo material, and it's more important to generate interest than to create a shopping list.) If you don't see what you want, give us a ring, and we might be able to do a deal for you. We also do special rates on bulk basics, like elbow joints and other high turnover materials. Check out our sales website www.ABCDdiscountoffers.com, and see our online order facilities. We think you'll like the no fuss approach. |
Yours sincerely
SignedDisclaimer
Please note:
