Epsilon Targeting, the leading provider of consumer information for targeted marketing solutions, recently released the 2011 Channel Preference Study, which shows that through economic turmoil, technology advances and channel proliferation, direct mail continues to deliver as consumers’ preferred means of receiving marketing messages.

The 2011 research shows that despite direct mail’s reputation for being “old school” or expensive, it is the top choice of U.S. consumers for the receipt of brand communications in almost every category, ranging from health to household products, to household services, insurance and financial services, including credit card offers. The preference for direct mail also extends to the 18-34 year old demographic.

Key findings from the study include:

• 36% of U.S. consumers said direct mail is the preferred channel to receive financial services information

• 26% of U.S. consumers said direct mail is more trustworthy than email

• 50% of U.S. consumers said they pay more attention to postal mail than email

• 60% of U.S. consumers said they enjoy checking the mailbox for postal mail, highlighting an emotional connection

In-depth information from the study is provided in a report titled, The Formula for Success: Preference and Trust. The report can be accessed free of charge at http://www.epsilon.com/channelpreference2011.

Jorge Villar is President of Response Mail Express (RME), with more than 26 years of direct marketing experience, he is known in several industries for his ability to create mail packages that garner the highest response rates. He is responsible for the Seminar Success program that, for the last 17 years has accounted for more than 65% of the events being held in the nation with over 14 million individuals making reservations. Mr. Villar has also been very successful marketing to physicians and business owners regarding Success Planning and Asset Protection. Response Mail Express, and parent company DME, is a $100+ million marketing powerhouse, housing over 600 employees in their 2 state-of-the-art facilities in Florida. Their marketing ideas are presently being utilized by over 10,000 clients, including: top producing advisors, estate planning attorneys, large financial organizations, health care organizations, universities and many other industries. Mr. Villar is a frequent key note speaker at national financial symposium and training conferences.

Academy Guest Blogger
American Academy of Estate Planning Attorneys, Inc.
9444 Balboa Avenue, Suite 300
San Diego, California 92123
Phone: (858) 453-2128
www.aaepa.com

If you have an email marketing program through an ESP (email service provider) you have access to powerful analytics, and you should pay attention to this data every time you send an e-news.

Why? Because it helps you develop better email programs, although you have to know what to look for and how to act on the data you receive. Email marketing analytics focus mainly on things such as open rates, click-throughs, bounces, and spam reports.

For example, the average open rate, or percentage of people who actually open your email, is 19.8% for emails delivered through professional services. If your e-news has less than a 20% open rate, you need to make some changes. One thing to review is your subject line. Many times, a general subject line works better than a specific one. It could be that “January Estate Planning News” works better than “401(k) Accounts and Estate Planning.”

Regular personal contact can also enhance open rates, especially if your rates are low because your audience hasn’t added your address to their address book. Ask all of your associates who have personal client contact to promote the benefits of your e-news and to encourage clients to add your email address to their address book.

Click rates are another indicator of how well your e-news is engaging your audience, showing you how many people click through to your website. Pay attention to these click rates and how they vary from one e-news to the next and from article to article. The average click rate for emails delivered through professional services is 3.7%. Your e-news template will have an area for your website link. You can encourage people to click on it by including a phrase such as “To learn more about us click here,” but a better tactic is to create links within each article that land people on a specific page relevant to the article.

Watch your bounce rates and spam reports. A “soft bounce” indicates that a person is away or their mailbox is full, but a “hard bounce” usually means that the address no longer exists. If a recipient has not opted in to your emails, or has forgotten that they have, they may report the mail as spam. ESPs will scold or cancel you if you have high bounce or spam rates.

So, keep your list clean. Study your subject lines, open rates, click rates, bounces and spam data. Successful email marketing is all about continuous improvement.

Jennifer Price
Director, Member Services
American Academy of Estate Planning Attorneys, Inc.
9444 Balboa Avenue, Suite 300
San Diego, California 92123
Phone: (858) 453-2128
www.aaepa.com

Here Are Critical Questions to Ask and the Tell-Tale Signs (Part III)

1. Are all of their services done in-house? This is a big one and a critical question. If they sub-out all, most, or any of your mailing there is automatically a higher risk to you because there is no quality control. They may not have the expertise, or no infrastructure to support. You are now paying a middle-man, and you are asking for trouble with so many hands in the pot.

2. Will my mailings have a local feel to them and will they include personalization to be more effective? Many small printers and letter shops do not have the latest equipment to produce good quality personalized mailings. To be more effective and stand out from your competitors, you mail has to have your local address and it needs to have your prospect’s name personalized throughout your letter, not just on the address block. Laser Personalization equipment (made by Xerox and Kodak) is expensive but well worth it to the professional marketing companies that understand the importance of better response rates and your image.

3. What other clients or industries do you work with? You will get some insight from who else they work with by their answers because they may be merely printers and not marketers; advertisers and not ‘sales’ promotion oriented or they are a list company not a true direct marketing organization.

4. Are the samples of your mailing sent to me from the beginning of the run? Many companies, to save money and cut corners, change the stock of your mailer once they get past the initial part of the production run. This saves them money by using inferior materials (paper and envelopes) for the rest of your mailing. You mailing now arrives in pretty bad shape in the mailbox after that cheap material goes through the rigorous postal delivery machinery, processing and handling. Do you care about your image? You need to. It is the first impression you make to your prospective clients.

5. Do you offer personalized letters vs. postcards? If you ask any professional direct marketers or attend any of the DMA (Direct Marketing Association) tradeshows, you will learn that letter packages are the most effective and the most widely used direct mail format in the marketplace. Do you ever see single postcards at Hallmark stores? No, you see greeting cards that get mailed in an envelope. It’s more personal that way. Statistically, invitation or letter packages yield better results; historically about twice as many reservations. Your marketing material is the first contact with your target audience. This is where the consumer population begins to form an image of you and your company. Postcards are just not perceived to be as professional with consumers. Everything important, personal or confidential arrives in your mailbox concealed in an envelope. Our goal is for your seminar invitation to be received as personal mail and not perceived as ‘junk mail’ or an advertisement.

Jorge Villar is President of Response Mail Express (RME), with more than 26 years of direct marketing experience, he is known in several industries for his ability to create mail packages that garner the highest response rates. He is responsible for the Seminar Success program that, for the last 17 years has accounted for more than 65% of the events being held in the nation with over 14 million individuals making reservations. Mr. Villar has also been very successful marketing to physicians and business owners regarding Success Planning and Asset Protection. Response Mail Express, and parent company DME, is a $100+ million marketing powerhouse, housing over 600 employees in their 2 state-of-the-art facilities in Florida. Their marketing ideas are presently being utilized by over 10,000 clients, including: top producing advisors, estate planning attorneys, large financial organizations, health care organizations, universities and many other industries. Mr. Villar is a frequent key note speaker at national financial symposium and training conferences.

Academy Guest Blogger
American Academy of Estate Planning Attorneys, Inc.
9444 Balboa Avenue, Suite 300
San Diego, California 92123
Phone: (858) 453-2128
www.aaepa.com

Here Are Critical Questions to Ask and the Tell-Tale Signs (Part II)

1. Can I look you up on a Financial Dunn & Bradstreet report or Hoovers? Are they financially stable to do business with? If they are not, they may tend to cut corners to make money. They might have to in order to survive. Not on your dime, right? You lose in that scenario and will wonder why your mailings are not working. Get their facts; look them up for some overall company information. You may be surprised.
2. How many employees do you have? Not that size says it all but in the mailing business it is their overall human resources that really matters. Do you know how many folks it takes to get out a 7,000 piece mailing? Effectively? Trust me, not a few. Try it someday in your office. You’ll understand my point immediately. It takes many experienced and trained individuals to go through approximately 12 different and critical steps and procedures that are involved in every successful mailing promotion – to do it correctly with quality that is. Need proof? Visit a reputable and established direct mail marketing company and see it for yourself.
3. Cheap is cheap. Pay less, you get less. The American way of business, “you get what you pay for.”  This applies to marketing services also. But do you know what you are really paying for? Many professionals have no clue what happens with their mailings in these print shops or local letter shops. Many take advantage who have no clue about the printing and mailing business. Don’t be one of them. Be diligent.
4. How much do you spend on research and development? What works today will not always work tomorrow. What are they currently testing to ensure your long-term success? Are they on top of the latest direct mail innovations to help you promote yourself and get you the best results with your mailings? It costs a lot of money to do that. A cheap shop will never spend the money. They use their business as an ATM machine instead. They do not invest in innovation or progress.
5. Do you have a track record or factual data on what has worked in the past? Can they offer proven personalized letter samples, high response lead generation promotions, tested seminar locations, attention-getting mail designs and features that increase response? Ask if they have resources that will help you become a more effective and successful marketer. You do not have time or money to waste. I heard once that becoming a better marketer will enable you to become an exceptional producer. Can they help you accomplish that?

Jorge Villar is President of Response Mail Express (RME), with more than 26 years of direct marketing experience, he is known in several industries for his ability to create mail packages that garner the highest response rates. He is responsible for the Seminar Success program that, for the last 17 years has accounted for more than 65% of the events being held in the nation with over 14 million individuals making reservations. Mr. Villar has also been very successful marketing to physicians and business owners regarding Success Planning and Asset Protection. Response Mail Express, and parent company DME, is a $100+ million marketing powerhouse, housing over 600 employees in their 2 state-of-the-art facilities in Florida. Their marketing ideas are presently being utilized by over 10,000 clients, including: top producing advisors, estate planning attorneys, large financial organizations, health care organizations, universities and many other industries. Mr. Villar is a frequent key note speaker at national financial symposium and training conferences.

Academy Guest Blogger
American Academy of Estate Planning Attorneys, Inc.
9444 Balboa Avenue, Suite 300
San Diego, California 92123
Phone: (858) 453-2128
www.aaepa.com

Email marketing can be a valuable, low-cost tool to help you keep in touch with your clients as well as potential clients. But it has to be managed in accordance with the email industry’s established rules and “best practices.” Perhaps the most important thing to pay attention to is your list itself.

If you haven’t been keeping your list clean via monthly updates or if you have a list but you haven’t used it in, say, nine months or so, your emails could get labeled as spam. This can result in your ISP (internet service provider) blocking your emails from being delivered. This can also damage your “reputation” in the minds of the ISPs, since they assign a score to you which is akin to a consumer credit score.

Here are some tips to help you with building, then managing, your email list.

• If your email list is old, meaning you haven’t used it in the last nine months or so, it’s time to clean things up. Assuming that all of your email contacts have “opted in” (given permission for you to email them), consider using an email delivery service that boasts a high delivery percentage and reports on the open rates as well as bounced rate. Disable the email address in contact records that opt out or bounce back.
• If you’ve been sending emails regularly (every month or two) and you haven’t had any spam complaints, your list is probably OK. Presumably, these people have opted in to receive your emails, which of course is a best practice. Best rule of thumb is, as mentioned above, remove all the opt outs and bounce backs to keep your list as clean as possible.
• The old adage, “it’s better to ask forgiveness than it is permission” does NOT ring true with email! Get creative when it comes to getting permission to communicate with the email herd you build. Generally, getting permission from clients or prospective clients at speaking engagements (by offering a newsletter or the delivery of some other valuable information) or offering something of value on your website that requires permission in order to deliver what you offered—is the easiest way to obtain permission.

Remember, your list is a valuable asset. Manage it accordingly, keep it clean, set systems in place to add to the list whenever you can, and deliver your emails as promised in terms of frequency and value-added content.

Jennifer Price
Director, Member Services
American Academy of Estate Planning Attorneys, Inc.
9444 Balboa Avenue, Suite 300
San Diego, California 92123
Phone: (858) 453-2128
www.aaepa.com

Ever since the Supreme Court case, Bates v. State Bar of Arizona in the 1970s, lawyers have had the right to advertise their services like any other commercial enterprise. Gone were the days of Tombstone ads, playing golf and going out to lunch several times a week just to woo new clients. While the full range of ethical marketing tools has been available to law firms for some time, the recent growth of the internet has been a game changer.

The old marketing paradigm was based on outbound campaigns that bombarded consumers with sales information hoping it would lead to a sale, or in the legal setting, getting retained. However, the internet has completely changed the consumer’s shopping habits. When the prospect is interested in retaining legal counsel today, the odds are that he is going online to a search engine, like Google to find out about his options. Surprisingly, more than 91% never leave the first page of Google in their pursuit of information. That’s why being visible or highly ranked on the search engines is essential if your law firm is going to harness this new marketing platform.

Studies show that consumers look on average at 4.8 attorney websites online BEFORE they contact a firm. 89% of people who use the internet go online to find an attorney and 65% begin their search for an attorney on the internet. When you combine those statistics with the research out of the University of Southern California showing that consumers trust the information on the internet more than referrals or recommendations from friends and family, you know that this internet thing is here to stay.

Failing to optimize your website and make it search engine friendly is a huge mistake most law firms make. The purpose of your online presence must be to be visible, drive traffic to your site and capture contact information from interested prospects. Dominating your market online should be at the top of every law firm’s marketing efforts. Otherwise, you stand the very real chance of extinction in this new digital age.

Robert Armstrong
President & Co-Founder
American Academy of Estate Planning Attorneys, Inc.
9444 Balboa Avenue, Suite 300
San Diego, California 92123
Phone: (858) 453-2128
www.aaepa.com

Here Are Critical Questions to Ask and the Tell-Tale Signs (Part I)

1. Who do you get your mailing list from? No reputable direct mail company supplies their own list, they have to “rent” it from a big, national, reputable and approved data compiler. If they do not reveal who and/or can’t give you the phone number and a contact for you to verify your list order, do not proceed. Cheap, inaccurate mailing lists are abundant and are used because they cost less which helps them cut corners and costs.
2. What type of equipment do you use on your floor to process the mailings? Demand an equipment list. Old, antiquated folders, inserters and cutters can account for up to 20% of wasted or damaged letters that are already pre-addressed and printed… that means hundreds or thousands of your mail pieces may be in their dumpster. Just think, if copiers in your office have paper jams, imagine thousands of letters going through 3 pieces of poor equipment at a cheap shop. It’s the same dynamic that material is wasted and never re-printed again. You lose.
3. Do you track the mail once it leaves your building? It’s called Planet Coding and it costs extra money with the post office to have this. Many printers and direct mail letter-shops cannot afford or will not pay for that service because they do not want that expense. You lose when your mail leaves their shop as you will not be able to track it if there is a delivery issue.
4. Can I visit your facilities? Many will discourage you from visiting because they do not want you to see their physical business location. Google their business address and see what their building looks like; most people would be shocked to see some of these facilities or shops that are selling mail. A personal visit from you will reveal many things.
5. How many pieces of mail do you process per month and how long have you been in business? This should reveal if they are just along for the ride or make a fast buck or if they are committed long-term to the industry. If they have lots of volume, that means they have lots of clients doing business with them and are a trusted vendor. Ask to speak to their larger clients to get a reference. Those big accounts have a lot to risk, so if they spend a lot of money with them they probably did their due diligence in selecting that mail company.

Jorge Villar is President of Response Mail Express (RME), with more than 26 years of direct marketing experience, he is known in several industries for his ability to create mail packages that garner the highest response rates. He is responsible for the Seminar Success program that, for the last 17 years has accounted for more than 65% of the events being held in the nation with over 14 million individuals making reservations. Mr. Villar has also been very successful marketing to physicians and business owners regarding Success Planning and Asset Protection. Response Mail Express, and parent company DME, is a $100+ million marketing powerhouse, housing over 600 employees in their 2 state-of-the-art facilities in Florida. Their marketing ideas are presently being utilized by over 10,000 clients, including: top producing advisors, estate planning attorneys, large financial organizations, health care organizations, universities and many other industries. Mr. Villar is a frequent key note speaker at national financial symposium and training conferences.

Academy Guest Blogger
American Academy of Estate Planning Attorneys, Inc.
9444 Balboa Avenue, Suite 300
San Diego, California 92123
Phone: (858) 453-2128
www.aaepa.com

In my mind and the minds my leadership team there has always been an underlying question:

“Why, despite a consistent response rate hovering around the 1-2 percent mark year-over-year, does there always seemed to be a number of mail recipients who would not respond to a seminar invitation?”

Several years ago, we engaged the services of Waypoint Data Systems to conduct a comprehensive review of past seminar responders. The goal: Identify key demographic markers that would indicate the likeliness of a prospect to attend a dinner seminar. In the process of that modeling exercise, Waypoint reported that less than 2-in-10 Americans had attended more than three (3) dinner seminars. This meant that the 2 percent average response rate was not due in any measurable fashion to chronic seminar attendees – commonly called “plate lickers.”

It also identified a segment of the population that was NOT going to respond to traditional seminar marketing efforts – despite their overwhelming need for financial and estate planning advice.

What are these people looking for instead?
The answer presented itself in the application of the product development strategies identified in the best-selling book, ¹Blue Ocean. The basic idea behind the Blue Ocean Strategy is that an organization may experience higher growth and increased profits by creating new demand in an uncontested market space instead of trying to compete in a market space that is already overcrowded with competitors. For us, that means developing new ways to market to consistent audiences, like Concierge Consultation.

What do you do to overcome these challenges?
We have our own processes, but we also like hearing what everyone is doing or would like to do in the future to handle this issue.

Jorge Villar is President of Response Mail Express (RME), with more than 26 years of direct marketing experience, he is known in several industries for his ability to create mail packages that garner the highest response rates. He is responsible for the Seminar Success program that, for the last 17 years has accounted for more than 65% of the events being held in the nation with over 14 million individuals making reservations. Mr. Villar has also been very successful marketing to physicians and business owners regarding Success Planning and Asset Protection. Response Mail Express, and parent company DME, is a $100+ million marketing powerhouse, housing over 600 employees in their 2 state-of-the-art facilities in Florida. Their marketing ideas are presently being utilized by over 10,000 clients, including: top producing advisors, estate planning attorneys, large financial organizations, health care organizations, universities and many other industries. Mr. Villar is a frequent key note speaker at national financial symposium and training conferences.

Note: This blog entry is a shortened version of a comprehensive White Paper on this subject. To receive a copy of the full document, please contact Josh Danielson at jdanielson@responsemail.com.

Bibliography
¹Blue Ocean Strategy, (Boston: Harvard Business School Press 2005), ISBN 1591396190

Academy Guest Blogger
American Academy of Estate Planning Attorneys, Inc.
9444 Balboa Avenue, Suite 300
San Diego, California 92123
Phone: (858) 453-2128
www.aaepa.com

I spent an hour or so a couple weeks ago talking to an attorney who focuses on Pet Planning. She is quite successful in her efforts and I wanted to know more about how she attracted such a great flow of business. There were no huge secrets in what she had to say:

1. Be passionate about the pet niche or any other niche you are making an effort to serve. Be clear about what the estate planning challenges, needs and solutions are for the niche. It’s also very important to identify exactly what it is about the niche that causes you to connect to the needs people in that niche are worried about.
2. Connect with referral sources. In the case of the Pet Niche, are you making the professionals who work at the Humane Society, training or grooming providers or Rescue Shelters easier in some way. Find something that you do, that could take a little of their load off and provide it. Help them understand what you do. Ultimately, in addition to referrals, they can feature you as a guest speaker on the estate planning topic that they need to hear more about.
3. Go back through your existing clients and educate them on this new or renewed focus you have for the niche you’re passionate about.
4. Make the topic part of your consultation. Look at your Client Intake Forms and customize a corner or add a few questions about whether this prospective client has a pet, how many, what kind, how old are they, what’s the plan for them down the road… you’re guaranteed to find the person lights up and talks more about their pets that they often do their children!

Let your prospective clients, clients and centers of influence catch a glimpse of what you find important. Be human and take an extra moment to share a SMALL bit about why it is you have such a soft spot for the same thing they do.

Jennifer Price
Director, Member Services
American Academy of Estate Planning Attorneys, Inc.
9444 Balboa Avenue, Suite 300
San Diego, California 92123
Phone: (858) 453-2128
www.aaepa.com

Social media sites make it easy to brand your business. Unlike traditional forms of marketing, social media marketing allows you to instantly communicate your message to your prospects. It is with this ease of use that can also get you into a PR nightmare. Would you know what to do if someone in your office makes an offensive or inappropriate social post? More importantly, how do you react if someone in your social network sees that post and reports you? It’s time you learn the Social Media Playbook for how to handle Social Media PR blunders.

Step 1: The best offense is a good defense. If you make a mistake, and people see it, own up to it. The best thing about social media is that it provides for a quick communication turnaround time. Get right into the conversation and apologize if anyone was offended.

Step 2: Offense sells tickets, but defense wins games. Your social media offense comes in the form of the updates you make to your social media profiles, and it’s gotten you a certain number of fans. But make a bad defensive move, and you can lose a fan, follower or connection. Even when you stand by your post, insulting or arguing with your social media prospect or customer is the fastest way of losing a point in the social media marketing game.

Step 3: Pain is only temporary but victory is forever. Addressing this social media blunder internally will help avoid future social media disasters. Talk to your staff about what you consider appropriate material for your social media marketing updates. Also, it is important that the staff you designate this responsibility to is well versed in the laws and policies of each social media accounts you are utilizing.

Step 4: Stick to the game plan, but audible when necessary. Having an internal game plan for social media marketing and sticking to it is the key to victory. But sometimes, calling an audible is a necessary part of the game (most of us know in football terms, this means calling a play on the fly). Social media allows people to publish instantly and with ease. It’s important not to let the approval process slow you down from responding to an URGENT social media matter. A simple apology or acknowledgement can go a long way.

Step 5: Practice makes perfect. Don’t be afraid to get in the game. The more your post, the more familiar you’ll get with the social media landscape, and the less likely you’ll find yourself in a social media PR nightmare.

Vera Galace
SEO & Social Media Manager
American Academy of Estate Planning Attorneys, Inc.
9444 Balboa Avenue, Suite 300
San Diego, California 92123
Phone: (858) 453-2128
www.aaepa.com