1-800-706-MAILcmcmail@swbell.net
sitemap Home - Contact Us
| About Us | Our Services | Postal Rates | Indicia | Helpful Tips | Directions | Contact Us | Download/Upload List | In The News |
| In the News | |||
 Back to 4th Qtr News
Creativity Counts - So Does Great Strategy Fall 2004 Picture this: You just received a beautiful, 4-color, glossy, over-sized postcard that just jumps out of the mail pile and screams, "pick me up!" So you do, and it feels good in your hand and there's a picture of a beautiful couple strolling hand in hand down a sunset beach. It really grabs your attention so you turn it over, and beauty screeches to a halt. Its a mailing for a dating service. The thud of the trashcan echoes as you think about how happy your marriage has been the last 10 years. This is a perfect example of a mail piece gone awry, yet the problem is all too common. So many times, mailers will spend so much time creating a piece that they forget about the important aspects of direct mail - the offer its compatibility to the list. Time and time again, studies have proven what many in the industry call the 40:40:20 rule. Simply put, 40 percent of a mailing's success depends on the mailing list, 40 percent is dependent upon the offer and a mere 20 percent depends on creative. Take a look at the visual provided to put into perspective what a small slice of the pie this really is.
What the 40:40:20 rule proves is that while a well designed piece is great eye-candy, the campaign will quickly flatline if the offer is not compelling and the mailing list targets the wrong people. When planning a mailing, a savvy direct mailer strives to think like the customer. Here, the WIIFM rule overwhelmingly prevails. What's In It For Me. Plain and simple, that is what people think when they read direct mail. A catchy slogan may get your piece a first glance, but if the offer fails to deliver there won't be any ROI to speak of. And the same holds true for the list end. Even the best mailings haven't got a chance of success if they aren't going to interested parties. Plus, an old mailing list decreases the chances of the right people seeing your mail. Let's go back to the example. If only this dating service had paid as much attention to their mailing list as their creative, the outcome of the mailing would probably be much different. Not to say that there isn't room for creativity in direct mail - there certainly is. Captivating copy and compelling graphics are important in the initial battle between reading the mail or throwing it away. But its only 20 percent of the puzzle. |
|||
