It’s starting to look and feel a lot like summer. As the mercury rises, Mischa Communications has spent the last couple of weeks keeping you cool with tips for cold calling and cold emailing — but we’re not done quite yet. Before we return to regularly scheduled sweltering heat, we’ve got one more medium to light a fire under your marketing strategy: cold direct mailing.
Direct mail can be tricky enough when you’re targeting your current customers, but when you’re sending an envelope to someone who’s likely never heard of your small business before, it’s even more important to get it right. Here’s how.
Get Extra Personal
The average household receives 848 pieces of junk mail each year — and 44 percent of it is thrown away unopened. Unless you want your still-sealed missive to end up in the local landfill, you’re going to have to make it look … not junky.
Personalization counts. A generic white envelope addressed to “current occupant” with no return address and a bulk mail stamp screams “throw me away.” However, that same envelope, hand-addressed with your intended target’s name, bearing your company logo in the upper left-hand corner and featuring a real stamp, can be just the thing to catch your recipient’s attention.
Is it junk? Is it not junk? Since they have no way to tell, they’ll have to open it.
Step one is complete.
Introduce Yourself
If your recipient opens that carefully-lettered envelope and finds a generic sales flyer inside, congratulations: You’ve just contributed to killing a small part of a tree (and your customer’s time, and your chances). It’s going straight in the trash, and your time and money have both been wasted.
Instead, begin with a personal introduction:
“Hi, X. My name is Y and I represent company Z. I wanted to reach out to you to tell you about [insert fantastic company benefit here]. I think this is something that can really benefit you and your family because [reason or pain point]. I can’t wait to speak to you about this — I can be reached at [contact information]. Looking forward to hearing from you soon! Sincerely [your name, followed by your signature. Your actual, handwritten signature.]
We never said this was going to be easy. Hand cramps are the price you pay to get a new customer!
Include Some Swag
Everyone loves surprises, so don’t leave your recipients holding an introductory letter and nothing more. Instead, add a little treat — even something as simple as a company-branded pen or notepad can make a difference.
You’re not justproviding fuzzy feelings by offering up some freebies. In fact, according to science, you may be playing on the “Rule of Reciprocity.” You gave them something, and now they feel obligated to give you something in return: a follow-up call, a visit to your website, etc.
Lead Them Straight to Your Door
Like cold emailing, cold direct mail is passive. Once the message is out of your hands, you have no control what the recipient does with it — or do you?
Consider adding a simple phrase to the end of your mailings, like “You’ve won a prize.”
Don’t tell them what they’ve won; make them work for it. “Go to this link and enter your code to see what you’ve won.” “Present this letter during normal business hours for a free spin on our prize wheel.” “Visit our booth at the upcoming trade show to collect your free gift.”
The element of mystery will lure many recipients straight to you. Once they’re there, you’ve turned your passive mailing into an active conversation. Sure, some will come just for the freebie and bail as soon as they’ve collected their loot, but even if you only convert a small percentage, it’s better than nothing!
Important: If you go this route, make sure there really is a prize, or you may run afoul of advertising laws.
Contacting cold prospects — whether by phone, email, or direct mail — takes plenty of dedication. You’ll hear “no” plenty more times than you’ll hear “yes,” and a lot of times, you won’t hear anything at all. But the more best practices you follow, the better chances you have of making a sale and creating a customer for life!
Whether you’re talking to cold prospects or hot leads, Mischa Communications has the script you need to follow. We’re waiting for your call!