Top 11 Personalized URL Campaign Mistakes

Avoid the most common cross media marketing errors

After executing PURL campaigns in every size and shape, the experts at JFM Concepts have come up with the following list of 11 PURL campaign mistakes. If you have a few more to share, please let us know about your experiences.

  • Going to print before the URL or DNS is pointed.

    Once you've printed or emailed a marketing message, you cannot change the PURL and if the DNS or URL changes, you have just spent a lot of money for nothing.

  • When using a DNS record, not pointing the www.dns.yourfirm.com as well as dns.yourfirm.com.

    People often add the www, needed or not.

  • Relying on having time from mailing to arrival to complete web design.

    According to Murphy’s Law, the Post Office will always deliver the next day on bulk mail when you do not want them to.

  • Not making the PURL the obvious call to action.

    In order to capture the interest of those who take no further action, it is critical to drive prospects to the web. To succeed, the personalized url must be prominently displayed on the piece.

  • Relying on only the PURL & name to drive response.

    PURLs are a great tool, but they work best when supported by other variable content such as prospect specific art & copy.

  • Having a weak call to action.

    Prospects need a reason to visit the web. Something they cannot buy or easily acquire, especially information, is very strong.

  • Using too many clicks on landing page.

    The K.I.S.S. principle applies to landing pages as well as the print or email design. Why take four pages to accomplish what can be done in just one?

  • Asking too many survey questions.

    Asking more than 5 or 6 questions, or using more than one web page, will cause a dramatic increase in abandonment. Ask only the questions that are crucially important.

  • Not starting a two way conversation.

    The web landing page is an ideal mechanism to gain insight into your client by having the visitor tell you what they want, not just what you want to know. We do not know what we do not know.

  • Not planning for follow up.

    Make a plan now to assure that there is a system ready to go to contact the leads generated.

  • Forcing prospects to enter an email or phone.

    Unless the offer is very strong, mandating that visitors provide an email and/or phone will dramatically increase the abandonment rate. Is this information really critical and how do I know? If you have no immediate plans to utilize the phone and email, it's not critical.