The internet has finally come of age. After all the hype and spurious "dot com" booms, it has settled down to become a very useful business tool, in addition to all the other tools that a modern business uses. Where would we all be without telephones, fax machines and photocopiers? The internet is just another business tool. It is also very useful for research purposes, to see what your competitors are offering. Also, selling prices are often lower on the internet as companies large and small jostle for your business.

It is often cheaper to produce your own simple web site than to produce a glossy catalogue, for instance, and it is then much easier to keep it updated. Some companies use direct mail simply to drive traffic to their web site, where the actual sale takes place. Others use it so that the customer can view pictures and a specification of their products, while still placing the order by telephone or by post.

You need a web site
If you do not have a web site of your own, however simple, you must take steps to rectify this. Web space is now inexpensive and most people are able to either produce a simple site themselves or find some enthusiastic young person to do it for them. You can then invite all potential customers to visit the site and view your wares. Think of the internet as an interactive part of your marketing, rather than an end in itself.

Almost every business now has some kind of internet presence. Internet access is growing rapidly amongst home users. Around 50% of households now have internet access, with their own e-mail address. Surprisingly, many older people are also delighting in being "silver surfers", so the internet is embracing the whole population. If your customer includes an e-mail address on their order form or reply card, you can then e-mail them to confirm despatch of their goods or use it to follow up their enquiry. make sure that your DATABASE includes a field for the e-mail address.

E-mail
An e-mail address is now as important as a telephone number was a few years ago. Many people now feel much happier with e-mail than the telephone or post, so you will be losing enquiries if you do not have an email address. People lead busy lives and are less patient than they were. They sometimes want to respond quickly. Make sure that you have an e-mail address that ties in with the name of your busines, such as Fred@Bloggsplumbers.co.uk. Some of the free internet accounts have very long or strange names, such as: fred.12487@bloggs.freecheapdoodah.org.net, which would put most of us off using it!

You can also use the internet to contact existing customers, using e-mail as a kind of electronic direct mail. Providing that they have asked to hear from you, this is fine and is a good way of keeping in touch. Beware, however, of firms offering to send millions of e-mails on your behalf, for a few pounds. This is now considered to be "spamming" and is actually illegal in many countries, including the UK. It is also a waste of money, as your offer is seen by so few actual potential customers that it very unlikely to succeed. Most people who use e-mail on a regular basis will have blocked such "spam" and it will just end up in their deleted folder with all the baldness cures and porn site adverts.

Use Direct Mail to keep in touch with your customers
Using e-mail is fine for keeping in touch with a regular customer, but nothing beats the efficiency of direct mail - both for getting new business and for keeping in touch with your existing customers.

Thank you for reading this article, which, hopefully has proved useful to you. If you would like further advice on any specific aspect of leaflet production or direct mail, please feel free to contact us.

Please feel free to reproduce this article elsewhere if you wish, as long as all links remain intact.

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