I’m thinking of sending out some direct marketing to my database. What kinds of things work/don’t work?

I’m starting up a cosmetics brand. I’m thinking of sending out some direct marketing to my database. What kinds of things work/don’t work when you send DM messages to customers?

Direct marketing has to be stimulating, and in your case scintillating, to build warm and welcome associations with your chosen brand name.

Building a cosmetics brand requires much more than a smart start and a slogan. It requires very close selection from your database of the customers who are going to become your unpaid viral staff members.

Taking any new product to market is both an exciting and challenging venture after you have done the basics – identified the customers that are going to learn to love your product and developed a cost-effective production and distribution system to convert customers into loyal advocates.

There are five key messages that work wonders in this process of brand building:

1. Tell your audience about the reason that you have brought this wonderful new cosmetic to them.
2. Establish the quality assurance, testing and ethical practice attributes of this new cosmetic.
3. Offer a prize for the best review of the new product that includes glamorous travel or a celebrity makeover.
4. Ensure widespread promotion in stores that will stock the brand by giving retailers additional replacement stock every time they return the reviews that have been turned in by satisfied customers, claiming a sample pack of the related cosmetic creams, sprays, etc.
5. Use social media to create customers who register online to receive one of the sample pack vouchers and recommend the brand via Facebook and Twitter to their friends.

And one last thought. Samples need to be generous and well supported with point of sale service teams if people are going to come to love to buy your new cosmetic range. Go for it!