Robert BlyA traditional B2B direct mail package consists of an outer envelope, sales letter, brochure, and reply element. But you can often boost response by adding yet another element to the mailer. Here are seven that have worked well for me and my copywriting clients over the years:
No. 1: ‘Mist Eliminator Enclosed.’
We were selling a pollution control device — a mist eliminator — made of knitted metal.
The mailer consisted of a small sample of the knitted metal material. The sales letter was printed to look like a shipping tag and tied to the metal sample. The outer envelope read “FREE Mist Eliminator Enclosed.”
Findings: samples of products, sections of products, or materials are effective.
Reason: they add bulk to the envelope, and they grab the recipient’s attention.
No. 2: RFP enclosed.
A mailer selling industrial mixers included a simple form the recipient could use to request a proposal and quote on equipment for his application.
It generated more qualified inquiries and better closing rates, because the prospect provided the manufacturer with the key information they needed to quote on the best mixer for the job.
No. 3: ‘Burn This Coupon.’
A chemical company selling a fireproofing compound coated a sell sheet and reply coupon with the product.
The copy then invited the prospect to try burning the flier — which didn’t burn, demonstrating that the product works.
No. 4: ‘Brick’ mailer.
A construction company sales manager sent prospects a brick in the mail with his business card silkscreened on it.
When he followed up with a phone call, and the assistant asked who was calling, he said, “Tell him I’m the guy who sent him the brick.”
No. 5: ‘Sticker shock’ PDR.
Physicians’ Desk Reference sent a mailer offering the new edition to previous buyers who owned older editions — based on the proposition that the customer’s current PDR was now out of date.
In the mailer, the publisher enclosed an adhesive label and told the recipient to stick on their current book. The message on the label: “Warning: This PDR is Out of Date and Should Not be Used for Prescribing.”
It worked because the label dramatized the proposition in a tangible way with interactivity when the recipient peeled off the label from the mailer and affixed it to the book. Result: triple the sales of the previous mailers.
No. 6: Ad reprint enclosed.
Instead of a sales brochure, enclose a reprint of one of your ads.
The ad is on the front. On reverse side, use an FAQ to answer questions and overcome objections in a plain-speaking way.
No. 7: Article reprint enclosed.
Instead of a sales brochure, include a reprint of an informative article you have had published in a magazine or journal.
This works because an article from a publication has more credibility and useful content than one of your sales brochures.
I prefer using a shorter article that can fit one or two sides of a sheet of letter-size paper.
That way, it is informative reading, but not overwhelming reading.
