Whistl Magazine Autumn 2018

News

All abroad Expanding internationally or exporting can bring great opportunities to grow your business but it needs careful planning. Michael Boulton, International Sales Director at Whistl offers a fewtips on shipping overseas.

UK Doordrop spend remains stable despite uncertainty

For every 100 doordrops received, 10 are passed on and shared, and each piece is revisited three times. In fact 14% of doordrops continue to live in the home after fourweeks. Doordrops live longer

Between2013and2017theannual doordropnet spendby UKbusinesses remainedstabletotalling£263min2017, comparedto£260min2013despitepolitical uncertainty and legislativechangescausedbyGDPRandBrexit.

Sell yourself Make sure you tell people that you now offer international delivery, otherwise you could find the uptake of orders from overseas countries is a lot lower than expected. Online marketing through social media, blogs and email offers a cost-effective solution, just remember to target those customers in countries you’re trying to reach. Give customers choice Think about offering optional extras. For instance many international customers want the extra security of parcel tracking so that they knowwhen their items will arrive. Loyalty bonuses for returning customers, day-specific deliveries and free shipping can also help increase the uptake of orders abroad. Formore information about international shipping options and advice about exporting overseas email moreinfo@whistl.co.uk or visit www.whistl.co.uk/ international

Do your homework Ask yourself whether now is the right time to start doing business overseas. Investigate whether there is a clear and growing demand for the type of products or services you offer and a base of potential clients with the interest andmoney to buy. It’s also wise to explore the regulatory environment and whether there’s any red tape. Develop a strategy Before you can ship products, you’ll first need to decide your pricing strategy for shipping. Are you going to absorb some or all of the cost, pass the full cost of shipping on to your customers, offer free or flat-rate shipping or a range of options to suit the time, tracking requirements and budget of your customers? Whatever you decide, make sure it’s covered by your budget and is attractive to customers.

and cost-effective and is a lot easier than managing deliveries yourself. Make sure your carrier provides the international connections, service options and flexibility you need. Check the red tape There is legislation to comply with and it can be complex, however, with help and advice from the government and trade bodies set up to support British exports, and working with the right delivery partner, the red tape associated can be easily untangled. Check whether there are any importing restrictions on the products you sell to the countries you want to deliver to so that you don’t end up with a lot of disappointed customers! imperative you know exactly what they will be and factor them into your overall budget. This could influence the countries you offer international parcel delivery to, especially for small businesses that may only be able to provide the service to EU or European countries, for example. Set a budget Shipping rates will vary from country to country, but it’s

Annual volumes of direct mail have fallen considerably over the same period from6.6 billion in 2013, to 5.7 billion in 2017. Press andmagazine advertising has also fallen over the same period. However doordrops, a proven acquisition channel for advertisers seeking reach and volume, continue to show resilience despite a long-term decline in othermedia. “Traditional print media provides consumers with a personal experience – something tangible they can interact with, take with them and go back to at their own leisure. Its unique nature makes it a robust advertising medium and the figures over the past few years Marketing Association. “Whilst industry volumes have declined over a four-year period, this will in part be a result of improved campaign planning, printing and targeting techniques, which are reflect this,” stated Rachel Aldighieri, MD of the Direct

beneficial to the reputation of the medium.” While the extent of GDPR’s impact on advertising mediums will likely be revealed over the coming years, it is unlikely that it will have a negative impact on doordrops. Aldighieri added: “Unlike many othermarketing channels, doordrops are GDPR compliant from the offbecause

they do not require any personally identifiable

information. We’re already noticing a

newwave of interest in the channel from client organisations and we are

confident that this will continue.” JICMAIL, the industry’s flagship measurement system launched at the beginning of the year, now gives mail a level playing field for the first time, enabling doordrops to be accurately compared with other channels.” saidAldighieri.

Choose the right delivery partner

Transport and distribution are key considerations when planning for international trade. Choosing the right delivery partner is essential to ensure your exporter’s operation is efficient

To find out howdoordropmarketing can help you boost business, email moreinfo@whistl.co.uk or visit www.idoordrop.com

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Whistl Magazine • Autumn 2018

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