Column
How to capture attention and get the envelope opened
Lessons learned from a “cheesy” direct-mail campaign
campaign got me to open the envelope
and keep it top of mind. I dissected the
campaign to show you how it tackles three
elements that lead to direct mail success.
1. The envelope stood out. Features
that make an envelope stand out are its
size, its colour and what’s written on it
– the more targeted the better, usually.
This simple, unaddressed mailer nailed
it, with its ill-timed theme, money-sized
shape and generic message. There
were literally only five words printed on
the envelope.
2. There was something valuable
to me inside the envelope. Nobody
A recent Canada Post report reveals that
about 74 % of Canadian consumers
always or sometimes notice direct mail
advertising. It also found that direct
mail gets noticed, opened and read.
Our brains are hard-wired to pay more
attention to it. The other day, I got a
really cheesy printed direct mailer in a
#7 coin envelope (3.5” x 6.5”). I took one
glance at the envelope and was ready
to toss it into the blue bin. But I stopped
myself. Why? Because I could tell by the
feel and the weight of it that it had more
than just paper in it. And my marketing
curiosity was piqued.
I took a guess at what was inside. I knew
it was something with a magnet and
figured it was a calendar. I was right.
According to Canada Post, 86% of
Canadian consumers open mail that's
personally addressed to them. I studied
the envelope. For starters, it wasn’t
addressed – at all. It was a generic
envelope, the kind you might find at the
dollar store. There was no branding and
no return address. The envelope was
printed in two colours (red and green)
and read: “A Special Gift For You!”
Integrated direct mail and digital
campaigns elicit 39% more attention
(time spent) than digital campaigns
alone. Clearly this was a Christmas
mailing, yet I received it January 31st.
46 | April 2019 | GRAPHIC ARTS MAGAZINE
If this was intended to capture my
attention, it sure worked. The question
was, were all of these direct mail “faux-
pas” intentional?
Now I was even more curious. My first
thought was that it came from a local
printer – or perhaps it was someone
selling insurance. I was wrong on both
counts. It was from a real estate agent
who guarantees he will sell my home
– or buy it himself! Since we just moved
into our home two months ago, I was
once again ready to toss this poorly
targeted and poorly timed “gift” into the
blue bin. And then I flipped it over. Once
again, it captured my attention. On the
back of what I now consider a poorly
executed campaign that got lucky, was
a printed liquid and dr y imperial
measures guide. It included all the
measurement equivalents for spoons,
cups, fluid ounces and grams. Even
pinches and dashes! I’m pretty sure that
most of my fellow Gen X female home-
based business owners would want
quick, visible access to this in their
kitchen. So this was now destined for
the front of my fridge.
Yes, the sad little mailing was growing
on me, so I dug a bit deeper. Was I a
target demographic? Or was this dumb
luck? Whatever it was, this cheesy
wants to feel duped. If they’ve taken the
time to open the envelope, reward them
with things that actually matter to them.
Like a chance to win something, dis-
count codes, digital content, keepsakes,
even cheesy magnetic calendars with a
handy printed kitchen guide.
3. I was compelled to act – now
or later. This agent guarantees that
he’ll sell my home or buy it himself.
That’s a pretty compelling reason for
me to act now – except I’m not selling.
However, whenever I’m ready, I know I
can contact this agent for a free in-home
evaluation by either calling him, or
through his free, quick over-the-internet
home evaluation.
Final thoughts
So was this a well-planned targeted
email from a savvy real estate marketer,
or was this just a cheesy campaign that
got lucky and captured my attention?
Would you have opened the envelope?
Joanne Gore is a B2B marketer who’s
passionate about print and has spent the
last three decades helping companies
maximize their marketing and
communications efforts. Founder of Joanne
Gore Communications, she helps companies tell their story to a
new generation of print and business buyers.
Email: [email protected]
Follow her on Twitter: @joannegore121
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