Use B2B mail to both products and image.

The tasks of maintaining relations with commercial customers and calling on new prospects are taking on increasing importance in banks. Today's low interest rates and a competitive environment require that contacts with businesses lye both frequent and informative.

However, sending your calling staff out to meet with thousands of businesses is expensive, so consider using direct mail as a supplement. While it may cost several hundred dollars to make a single business call in person, direct mail can "visit" a client or prospect for a dollar or less.

Direct mail can reach as many prospects or customers as you like, as often as your budget can afford. While it won't replace a personal sales call, it can accomplish a number of tasks.

Your mailing can have multiple objectives, so long as they are realistic and reasonable. For example, direct mail can make it easier for the sales person to get an appointment, save time in explaining the details of services, and even generate leads which might otherwise be difficult to find.

The message

The sales message can take several approaches. One option is pricing. For example, you could make a specific interest rate offer, such as "Get a line of credit for your business at the prime rate for a full year" (or whatever margin above or below you feel is appropriate). Or, "Get a fixed rate commercial real estate loan at X.X% for three years."

Banks often are reluctant to make specific offers like these for business loans, but they can be very effective. You can add whatever restrictions, qualifiers or limitations you feel appropriate, but it is important to specify a rate for something. That's what motivates people to respond.

This type of offer can be made for such products as the line of credit, commercial real estate, development loans, equipment loans and other types, too.

Or, you might try using direct mail as a customer relationship tool, perhaps to introduce a new service. For example, promote your on-line business banking with a mailer to customers. It will help them control their banking more efficiently and reduce the time it takes your officers and staff to sell and set them up.

Testimonials also are very effective in direct mail. With or without a rate offer, show your customers and prospects how you have helped other businesses grow. It might be a customer whom you have helped finance inventory, buy new equipment or expand their facilities.

The testimonial is a more interesting approach than simply listing product features. And, if you choose them carefully, you can use businesses similar to those you are seeking, or perhaps well-known businesses that add credibility to your sales story.

Regardless of which of the above message approaches you use, direct mail can both expand your awareness and enhance your image in a number of ways. The richness of the graphics, the paper stock, the style of writing, the type of mail format can all help polish your image.

And, by maintaining continuity through a series of mailings over time, you can improve your awareness, even reaching prospects that your calling staff cannot.