Direct Marketing
Mailing Pieces:
Mailing pieces is a general term. It can mean a sales letter, a brochure, a post card, a free sample and many more things.
People still love to open mail. Make it interesting and they will open and read everything in your mailing package.
Later in this section you will learn about using 3D mailing, this is a new technique that uses a bulky version of a mailing piece. You can add it into an envelope and the customer then feels something inside the envelope and want to find out what it is. I still own some of the items that have been sent to me as 3D mail. The most memorable was a 50 caliber machine gun bullet. I can’t remember the product being sold, I believe it was a conference. I do remember getting the bullet.
Peak your client’s interest and you can make them a customer
Today’s mail is mainly bills and postcards or brochures. If you create something that is different and piques their interest you can get them to read your mail.
The pieces inside your mailing package are designed to do just this. Find out a way to grab their attention. Entice them to read your sales letter and look at your sales piece.
Offer them a free trial subscription. Gather their contact information and billing information so you can automatically bill them at the end of the trail period, unless they cancel. This makes is easy to make the sale without the need to repeat the sales presentation.
I have had mailing packages sent to me in Fedex and courier letter packages. This immediately attracts my attention Inside there is a sales letter, a sealed envelope, a brochure and order form. A very professional package that was used to get me to attend a seminar.
These types of packages take time to write and make but if sent to the right customer list they can pay off. Your response and ROI (Return on Investments) can be much better as the customer feels important when receiving a courier package. I don’d know what it is about a courier package but everyone loves them. If it can work in your business, use it. At least test it.
Build your mailing package to suit your customer
In our resource center we introduce you to suppliers that can help you build great mailing packages. You can learn how to develop every stage of the mailing piece. From simple packages to complicated multi mailing themes.
You can build a mailing piece that takes two or three mailings to complete. Each part builds to the final sales piece making the customer almost beg for your product or service.
Using the 3 step mailing piece can help to set the stage and then continue to sell the product or service giving you 3 chances to make the sale. This is a very successful process proven to work in numerous products and services. Our resource section can help you learn more about using this technique. It is a famous Dan Kennedy and Bill Glazer tactics.
What makes a good mailing Piece?
There are many opinions on the subject and most are correct to a certain point.
“Any advertising is good advertising” is an age old adage but no longer applies. Good advertising is targeted to your specific customer or client. There are many ways to target your clients. Here are but a few:
- Using mailing lists can narrow down your prospects
- Use current customer lists and mail to your current database
- Use surveys for your own clients or even to targeted lists of prospective customers
- Use the customer list of a company that sells to the same customer base that you have. You can share lists with each other
- Use co-op mailings adding non competing customer offers to help pay some of the costs.
These are just a few ways to target your prospects and customers.
What do you include in a Mailing piece?
The answer to this question is once again multi edged. The basic package should have the following as a minimum:
- A sales Letter
- A order form
- If possible a brochure of the benefits
- Testimonials (can be a separate sheet or written in the sales letter)
- A 3D freebie (optional but advisable for effect)
- A sealed envelope that they open if not decided. Your last chance offer. Add a discount or extra bonus for ordering.
Of course there is no set rule but a good mailing piece will have most or all of these items in it.