A mailing we received last week reminded us of the importance of having an offer.
We received a mailing from a major national bank announcing the fact that they were opening a new branch in our town. That was it....just an announcement. No invitation to come in, no special offer if we opened an account, no invitation to a grand opening celebration. Nothing. This mailing was simply an announcement that they had opened a bank branch and our reaction was typical....who cares?
When we finished looking at the mailing we did just what they asked us to do. Nothing. And we suspect that few others who received the mailing did anything either.
One of the most important elements of a successful direct mail package is the offer. By offer, we mean something of value to the recipient. Most people look at a direct mail package with a question on their mind....what’s in this for me? Why should I do what the mailer is asking me to do?
If you don’t offer something of value to the recipient he or she is very likely to not be interested in it.
The bank mailing we’re referring to was probably mailed to everyone in our market, 30,000 to 40,000 households. It represented a significant cost to the bank. How unfortunate they didn’t include something of value.
What might they have done?
How about an offer of a free checking account? Perhaps your first order of checks at no charge. How about a discount on a safety deposit box for the first year? Perhaps an invitation to stop in and get acquainted.
When you prepare mailings for your business be sure that you have an offer of something of benefit and value to your reader. Something that will likely cause them to do what you’d like them to do. The better your offer, the more results you are likely to achieve.
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