Musings Of A Marketer

Every detail in direct mailing is important. But have you ever thought of an envelope as the detail that might sell your offer? Below are some hints on how certain details may work in your favour.

• Start teasing the audience already with the envelope
• Start with your best offer
• Use pictures and graphs to make the offer more visible and catching
• Surprise, or even shock the reader. Show something unique, strange, unconventional. Make the reader want to open the envelope and see what that is about
• Use pictures of people. That’s another kind of a testimonial - brief version
• Use facts and figures to make it more solid
• Use transparent “windows” that show what’s “in the house”
• You can use those windows on both sides - people have a custom of playing around with an envelope before opening it

It is recognized - not unjustly - that emails have won the bigger share of direct mailing from physical mails. Naturally, the advantages of Internet over physical communication are obvious and very strong. However, how fair is it to put an end to simple old-fashioned way - sending out mails by post?

There are a number of reasons for companies to still consider using this way of communication:

• The numerous spam messages that people receive over email has made them very cautious about the time they spend reading (or even opening) the messages that come unsolicited. Unlike emails, people still like receiving physical mails. Most of the mails have the chance to be open - the rest is for the sender to make them read mails to the end - and, naturally, act upon reading. This probably depends also on the country - my statement is valid for Russia, but not sure about, say, the U.S. (there are 100 commercial mails per month sent in Russia, versus 20 mails per day in the USA)
• With physical mail you have a chance to write more. A long but well written mail means you have something to say, while the most perfectly composed commercial email which is too long - will most probably not be read to the end.
• You have more tools to make your mail stand out: with emails you have a chance to appeal to 1 or 2 feelings out of 5 (hearing and sight), while with physical mails people can touch, smell or even taste. Pictures, enclosures, attached samples make their work on calling the readers to action soonest
• You can play with the quality of the paper, thus communicating the image of the quality of the actual product/service that is in the offer
• Physical mail is not necessarily about the paper and the text. You can send out catalogues, samples, souvenirs, books, toys etc.

You just have to be as creative and targeted as you possibly can. You can turn this old-fashioned way into something really innovative and fun for your audience…

It is well understood that the beginning of a direct mail is very important - that is where the first glance of a reader falls, that is where he/she decides whether he/she is going to read on or not.

As important is the body of the mail - that is where the reader will decide whether he/she likes the tone of communication, the appropriateness of the offer, and the value of it, of course.

Where in this grade of importance lies the ending of the mail differs from time to time, but the actual vitality of it is unarguable - sometimes it is the most important, sometimes all parts are equally vital. Depending on the creativity, the author can even make any part, or any phrase the most selling and vital.

Here below are some tips for improving the P.S. of a direct mail to make it work for you (from Ray Jutkins):

1. Be either “hard” or “soft” but never be vague. You either suggest that the readers “think” or “do”. You’ll have to choose one of the ways depending on the situation at hand
2. Remind the reader of a special offer, or a gift for responding
3. Stress the guarantee policies, to make the reader feel safe about placing an order
4. Talk about what they’ll earn, or win, or save by doin business with you
5. Repeat the service/product benefits. Choose no more than 2 or 3 bullets with key advantages
6. Repeat your contacts: your phone number, fax, email, postal address etc. Push the customer who has finished reading, to do his/her emotional purchase right away
7. Make a specific limited offer. Deadlines do draw attention and call to quick action. An offer can be limited by quantity or time. Time would be preferable, since it is more transparent for an outsider, and thus, easier to follow
8. Use testimonials in the end. References from person with whom the readers can indentify themselves will increase the attractiveness of the offer immensely
9. Summarize the message in one paragraph. Bring out the most valuable positions in the offer to this ending paragraph. Remember to KISS the reader (”Keep it Short and Simple”)
10. Repeat your call to action one last time in the end. Make this final push that will make the reader reach for the phone

Just come across an interesting move from an advertising agency here in Russia, in Saint-Petersburg.

Loki & Bartleby agency sent some sort of a ransome note to the companies they saw a potential to cooperate with. The note was written in a style you see in crime movies – letters cut out of some printed media. A courier would deliver a black envelope to the potential clients. The ransom note was inside, with the text saying: We know where the ad idea you are looking for is. If you want the idea in life call this number. Do not try to call other agencies or else your idea will only suffer more.

The difference is just that the note is not anonymous

The black envelope would add to the mystery of the situation.

Very nice idea, not really sure how efficient in the end but a very amusing and eye-catching one…

The agency reports, 30% to 40% of the receivers called without any further action from the agency. Here below is the ransom note.

Loki & Bartleby ransom note