Pro Installer May 2016 - Issue 38 | Page 60

60 MAY 2016 PRO INSTALLER PRO SUPPORT www.proinstaller.co.uk BOOST YOUR DIRECT MAIL MARKETING Direct mail marketing could be the way forward for your business, if your intention is to reach potential and existing customers in a tangible, physical way that digital methods cannot achieve. There are four tips to remember: WHERE TO START Ensure that the print design of your direct mailer is attention grabbing, brand appropriate and visually carries your marketing message. This can only be realistically achieved by a professional graphic designer or online print design templates. During the concept stages of your direct mail design test different colour schemes taking into account the psychology of colour. Ask colleagues, friends and customers for feedback. WHAT TO SEND High quality printing should be a priority, but a decision needs to be made on what product you’re going to send from folded leaflet printing, personalised invitations, printed leaflets or brochure printing. This will depend on your budget and the content - is the effect you are trying to achieve more suited to a creative or professional look? The use of good quality paper if it’s a letterhead, or alternatives to card (such as PVC) for loyalty cards. If you want to get creative ask for recommendations. CHOOSE YOUR PRINTER CAREFULLY This is probably the most important decision you will make in the process of setting up a direct mail campaign. Make sure you acquire a sample pack from a number of printers before deciding which on e best suits your needs. Do your research because like with any other industry the quality ranges quite drastically. Budget will obviously come into the reckoning, but have some flexibility. ers’ existence, and in order to get a realistic outlook on what you can hope to achieve from a direct mail campaign, you should set up a test distribution: How to Test Your Direct Mail Campaign. If the feedback you get from a sample of say 1,000 is negligible, then you need to ask serious questions as to the effectiveness of your print and direct mail campaign. DON’T OVERLOOK THE COPY The power of your message can swim or sink on the strength of the copy it is carried by. Not everybody is a born writer, and for this reason it might be wise to consider the recruitment of a professional copywriter. There are plenty of freelancers available that can write a small section of copy for an affordable price. TEST THE WATERS Return on investment is often the bane of many marketing manag- Visit PrintUK.com or call 0845 2993 923 800,000 FAMILY FIRMS IN CONSTRUCTION Family firms across the UK are setting their sights on expansion following another hugely successful year for the sector. New research by Oxford Economics for the Institute for Family Business (IFB) Research Foundation reveals the vast contribution family firms make to the UK economy – employing over 11.9 million people and making up 87% of all private sector firms in the UK. There are now more than 800,000 family firms in the construction sector, making up almost one in five of all businesses in the industry. Family businesses also account for 94% of all private sector firms in the construction sector - one of the highest concentrations in the UK. Since 2013 family businesses have increased employment by 6% and turnover has also seen a strong rise, increasing by 2% to reach £1.3 trillion. In addition, family firms paid £125 billion in taxes and contributed over a quarter (26%) of the UK’s entire GDP. Speaking about the new findings, Peter Armitage, Chairman of the IFB, said: “The report sheds light on the sheer size and scale of the family business community. It’s an important reminder of how vital family-run firms are to the UK – serving as the backbone of our economy, with family firms making a phenomenal contribution across all sectors, industries and regions. “Family businesses have always been at the very heart of the UK economy and based on the steady rise in their recruitment and turnover, it is clear they are here to stay. It’s encouraging to see family firms with such a buoyant attitude towards their future expansion - almost half of family SMEs expect to grow over the next two to three years.” Growth and expansion is a top priority for many SME family firms with just under half (49%) stating they aim to grow over the next twelve months. Looking to how they will turn this ambition into reality just under a half of firms (43%) say they will invest in improving the skills of their workforce to support growth, with a third (33%) planning to boost productivity through investing in new machinery and premises. Looking beyond their traditional activities to diversify their business and customer base, 42% of family firms are planning to move into new markets and 37% are developing and launching new products and services. www.ifb.org.uk