Lumpy Mail Gets Your Message Through

When it comes to your gravy, lumps are bad. When it comes to getting your marketing message through the mail room, past the gate keepers, and onto your buyer's desk, lumps are just the ticket. I love direct mail for small business marketing and I'm particularly fond of something I call "lumpy mail." Lumpy mail is a direct mail piece or package with some dimension to it. A box is lumpy mail. A balloon arrangement, a kitten, a hoola hoop. You name it. The point is you just can't ignore a piece of lumpy mail.

It's getting harder and harder to get your message through all of the advertising clutter so sometimes you need to up the ante and make a real statement. A lumpy mail package screams notice me, open me.

A lumpy mail campaign can give your marketing message center stage attention. Of course, you've still got to deliver the performance. But half the battle is finding an audience.

How to run a lumpy mail campaign

Go to your core marketing messages. You core point of difference or benefit. The primary things you promote when you want to tell your prospects why they should hire you.

Now think of some unique items, trinkets, or packaging that you can use to help communicate your point. We'll jump through hoops to get your business ? the hoola hoop. We're the key to your success ? a box of keys. We provide total solutions ? a box of Total brand cereal. We've got the tools to help you get the job done ? a box of play tools. It's very important that you can create a very strong image and metaphor for the message you are trying to communicate.

Repetition

Like any good direct mail campaign, repetition will improve your results. I usually suggest looking at three installments in your campaign. If done correctly this will usually leave the recipient eager to perform whatever call to action you request at the end of the campaign.

A building series

A very powerful way to construct your campaign, particularly if your audience is not too familiar with you, is to create your three pieces in a story fashion. Each piece builds on the last and delivers an integrated message. You can use this method to build intrigue. Many times I will send the first piece in a lumpy campaign without a company name, logo, or return address. Generally, I will imply that there is more to come. The impact of this technique can be pretty strong. In some cases your prospects will actually look forward to getting the next piece. People love a good mystery.

The Call to Action

Like any marketing campaign, decide what you want the final outcome or call to action to be and deliver it in the last piece. If you want them to call your office, take your call, visit a website, attend a workshop, make it painfully clear what the price of the game has been.

I've actually had clients tell me that prospects who wouldn't even return their phone calls, eagerly made appointments and sometime still displayed the items they were sent throughout the campaign in their office. People don't get this kind of attention from much in their lives and they want it. More than ever your prospects crave two things ? content and contact. A lumpy mail campaign had the potential to deliver both with a bang. (careful with too much auditory impact)

How Much For Those Lumps

A lumpy mail campaign can get relatively expensive when compared to, say, a postcard mailing so its important for you to consider two things when you are designing yours. How many clients you can serve and what the lifetime value a new client has to your business.

Most small businesses only need a handful of new clients at any given time to thrive. Lumpy mail is perfect for that kind of growth. Carefully target 10 new businesses at a time, throw the kitchen sink at them and watch your appointment rate soar to about 70%.

If you are in a business that sells a one time $19 product then you can't really spend to much to acquire a new client but if your business can generate thousands of dollars from a long term, loyal client then perhaps spending even $100/new client running a creative lumpy mail program makes a ton of sense.

So get to your local toy store to get the creative gravy flowing and pass the mashed potatoes already.

Copyright 2004 John Jantsch

About The Author

John Jantsch is a marketing consultant and creator of Duct Tape Marketing, a small business marketing system. You can reach him at John@DuctTapeMarketing.com.

---

Creative and Profitable Ways to Use Autoreponders

An interested visitor who has been strolling through your site... Read More

Email List Management

How do you get the most out of your list?We... Read More

The Most Simple Way to Mask Your Email-address

We all know that spammers are looking for your email-address.... Read More

Autoresponders, Which Autoresponder Is Right For Your Business?

An autoresponder is a software program that automatically sends a... Read More

The Gold Is In Your Mailing List

Let me ask you a question, "What is the most... Read More

Build Credibility With an Email Course

When you are an expert, you sometimes forget that others... Read More

The Magic Of Email

These days email is taken for granted and used perhaps... Read More

Building Relationships Takes Time: Overcoming the Overnight Surge Urge

Whenever we talk to a new or a "we hope... Read More

Is the IronPort Whitelist Actually An Extortion Tactic?

It appears that Mr. Gates' prophetic prediction that charging marketers... Read More

Internet Tip of the Week: Seven Rules of Email

Now there is no law that says you have to... Read More

Lost: 200 emails gone missing. Last seen on the 25.10.2003

Sound familiar? Ever wondered what happens to those unopened emails... Read More

Organizing Your Mailing Lists For Your Email Promotions

With all the safelists and different methods for using them,... Read More

Let The Email Wars Begin

Things just got a lot hotter in the hyper-competitive world... Read More

Interview With Michael Murray: Autoresponder Basics

This interview is with Michael Murray, the author of a... Read More

Writing Newsletters Online: How to Get it Right

A strange thing has been happening to newsletters online. They... Read More

Avoiding Blacklisting: Making Sure Your Email Gets Through

We all know that email is probably today's most popular... Read More

Confessions Of An Info Junkie

I love the Internet! Information about any topic that piques... Read More

8 Ways to Get More Email Addresses On Your List ... Today

Whether you've got 100 or 100,000 people on your email... Read More

Email Advertising - How Ad Tracking Helped Create a Killer Ad

I recently undertook an email advertising promotion, using a number... Read More

11 Creative Ways You Can Use Autoresponders

1. Pick 4 or more articles you've written that have... Read More

E-mail Whitelist Etiquette

A big-time dilemma is brewing online. In an understandable attempt... Read More

How?s Your E-mail Etiquette

In a fast moving global economy, e-mail offers you the... Read More

Should You Publish a PAID E-zine?

Many of my clients ask me whether they should publish... Read More

Seven Ways to Dramatically Increase Your Email Marketing Profitability

1. The Power of SevenWhen choosing a price point for... Read More

One Great Way To Generate A Lot Of Cold Hard Cash From Your Opt-In Email List

I bet you want to know what that one great... Read More

NCOA for Email - Is Your Email Address List Clean and Up-To-Date?

Introduction Shrewd marketers devote a great amount of attention to... Read More

Consumer Thinking and Email

In an article based on research done by emaillabs, MarketingSherpa... Read More

A Single Email Is Never Enough

"Repetition is the key to advertising (marketing)". Those words were... Read More

Email Marketing - The End Is Nigh!

Consider if you will the resources, the time and the... Read More

7 Key Items To Include In Your Email Signature File

One of the most important and often overlooked methods of... Read More

How To Create Gold With Email Promotions - Part 2

Don't forget people are so busy now they will only... Read More

How Can You Be Sure That Your Marketing Efforts Will Generate Profits?

There are several ways to ensure that your adverts are... Read More

Email Marketing and Web Communication: Ten Key Tips to Get Your Messages Read

There's an old saying 'Manners maketh the man (or woman)'... Read More