Get Personal: Letters vs. Direct Mail

Jun 14
08:34

2005

Lisa Packer

Lisa Packer

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One of the reasons direct mail works is the personal aspect. It’s ostensibly a letter from you to your prospect. Because of this, the more personal you make it, the better your response will be.

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If you’re mailing to 100,000 people,Get Personal: Letters vs. Direct Mail Articles putting your prospect’s name on your letter is about as personal you can get. But there are times when you can – and should – send out highly personal letters to individual prospects.

Say you sell gardening supplies, and driving to work one day you notice a home with a lovely garden, but dying roses. You find out who the owner is and send her a letter complimenting her on her wonderful garden, along with tips on rose care. Or, you meet a prospect at a business networking function. You get back to the office and send out a letter referencing your conversation and outlining what your business can do for his.

But unlike direct mail, you don’t ask for a response. Instead, tell the recipient that you’ll be calling in about a week to talk about how you can help them. Then follow up with that phone call.

Now, instead of a mass mailing, you have a personal contact and the beginnings of a relationship. This kind of letter will have double or even triple the response rate of a typical mass mailing. Sure, it’s more time consuming, but that fact is what makes it work so well.

So what are you waiting for? Get personal!

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