Discussion:Too late to order and mail out tax postcards?
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Discussion Forum Index --> Business Growth Community --> Too late to order and mail out tax postcards?
| 14 February 2007 | |
| Hi - I wanted to send out 2 mailings of 5000 postcards each for 1040 clients. The first 5000 will not mail until Feb. 26 then the next batch to same folks about March 12 to the same people. Is this too late? Any opinions what is a good target market?
The company is called Postcard Mania. Both mailings would run about $3800. At average $250 per return need 16 returns to break even if I do them myself. | |
Will "the tax guy" (talk|edits) said: | 14 February 2007 |
| Do you need to send out 5000? We did a bulk mailing this season, sent out around 400 letters and got two clients and a couple of other calls. I think 16 new clients would be hard to get. We are going to mail out another 250 postcards this next week to a portion of our first list so I do not think it is too late. | |
| February 14, 2007 | |
| A direct mailing, targeted and timely, and of course with a good piece, will generally get a 2% response rate. Oversized postcards will get a better response than standard size.
I did a direct mailing oversized postcard to new movers and so far have a 2.5% response rate. I was very trageted in income demographics and geography as well. I do think that many will have already made appointments and or filed their taxes by the time your first piece hits. But a targeted piece emphasizing a "still need to file?" message could work if targeted well. Good luck. | |
| 14 February 2007 | |
| Beengel - What demographics, age & income,...affluent, and geography did you hit. I also tried to read your profile where you are located but it does not say.
Good luck on the EA exam. Thank you. RD | |
| February 14, 2007 | |
| I'm in MN. I am just starting my practice and working out of my home office. I also am only doing personal tax returns only, including Schedule C businesses.
For this year, I targeted new movers to the area in the last 9 months within 15 miles of my office, and I excluded areas that generally have college studnet housing. Income was $25000-$90000. Mn incomes are generally lower than much of the country, but my target is newly marrieds, new in the job market, and new homeowners that may not have a preparer in the area. I see these as good long term potential. | |
| 14 February 2007 | |
| Thanks Beengel - kind of how I looked at it. I also think i am getting a late strat at the mailing.
Here in SW FL the slow real estate market has trickled down into slow business for construction, mortgage brokers, realtors and others. I have a concentration in these types of business so I was looking at diversifying a bit and picking up more 1040 work. | |
| 14 February 2007 | |
| We did a targeted mailing to 2,800 the last week in January (to get early filers) and are doing 2,800 postcards to the same people next week (to get people who don't open their mail and people who don't think about taxes until later in the season). I don't want to mail in late March to get April 14th business.
P.S. I'm sharing some secrets of the mailing process and how to get 2,800 names and addresses for free at NATP's conference in Las Vegas this July http://www.natptax.com/annual_conference.html | |
| 14 February 2007 | |
| Kevin - if you do not mind - what were your demographics? and, how has your response rate been? | |
| February 14, 2007 | |
| for the record, I am counting conversions as new paying customers, not just an inquiry. | |
| 14 February 2007 | |
| Sure, I am targeting people age 50 to 70 ONLY. I don't care if they own or rent. I do not screen by income for the mailing. (retirees may have 28,000 in income but $600,000 worth of financial assets) I do financial planning, and the tax side drives the investment side of my business, so I don't want the 23 year old with no money, I want the person about to retire. Last year we did about the same and got about a 2% response - I don't have the numbers in front of me but something like 55 or 58 clients. I must have done amended returns for at least 5 of them, because I did a lot of them last tax season. | |
Fort Wayne CPA (talk|edits) said: | 27 April 2007 |
| I would like to learn a lot more about Direct Mail!
I would appreciate it greatly if anyone who has done direct mailings would shoot me an email at Mike.Sylvester@Verizon.net. Mike | |
| 29 April 2007 | |
| there are some great books out there, I have read several - I think the author's name is Kennedy? I have them at home, not here. Direct Marketing. | |
Rgtaxservice (talk|edits) said: | 4 May 2007 |
| Postage rates are going effective May 14.
.41 for a first class piece. | |
LAddington (talk|edits) said: | 20 June 2007 |
| Where do you obtain the demographic information? For new home buyers, do you search public property tax records? We talked about directing a mailing to incoming folks, but haven't found a good way to generate a mailing list. | |
| 20 June 2007 | |
| If you work with a list broker, you tell THEM what you want. If they can't segment the way you want it, you find another list broker who can.
I used to work with a list broker, now I work with a secret source which costs 90% less. I will reveal the info at my session on Beyond 250 - Marketing for more tax clients at the NATP conference at Caesar's Palace in Las Vegas this July. Move over Celine, a new day has come.
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| 21 June 2007 | |
| Now that tax season is over, what was everyone's final response rate on their direct mail campaigns this year?
I had one mailing that consisted of one postcard and had a 1% response rate. I sent this out in early to mid February, so it was sent out late. I'm sure getting started earlier and sending repeat mailings would have increased the response rate.
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Bottom Line (talk|edits) said: | 24 June 2007 |
| If you're looking for write-up clients, get a list of new businesses in your area and direct mail to them. You can get this from your state incorporation office and county occupational license office. There's probably a local organization that's doing "how to start a business" classes. Join it or offer to teach a class.
For QB consulting, I've had my best luck being a ProAdvisor. I haven't gotten around to getting certified because I haven't had the time. They started that program after I already had a full book of business. Get certified and tailor your personal info to get people to call you. List all the towns around you. My specialty is "one-on-one training in your office specific to your business". Try to find out when the "teach you QuickBooks in one day" seminars are. People come out of these more confused than when they went in. Maybe put flyers in the windshield wipers of their cars. | |
Www.cpa1.biz (talk|edits) said: | 26 June 2007 |
| Ha,
Sounds like good information Bottom. Thanks! | |
