Have you ever received one of these lame direct mail pieces (click to enlarge) that are designed to look like a heartfelt note from a long lost friend? Each envelope is painstakingly addressed by hand in imperfect (human) handwriting, which compels you to open it.
Ten points for step one of any piece of marketing, which is to gain attention.
Inside is what looks like a page ripped out of a newspaper with a sticky note attached that reads:
[Your first name], Check this out!! - J
It creates curiosity, right? Who the hell is J? Is it John? Jimmy? Maybe it's Julie! Hmm . . . I wonder why whomeveritis would send me a clipping about a local car dealer from a rag called Automotive Insider.
Let me Google it.
So . . . Automotive Insider is a promotion run by "automotive marketing pioneers" at The Premier Group. Okay, I see. The sole intent of the pioneering piece of marketing was to try to sell me something. Something I'm not even interested in.
There is no "J." My friends aren't thinking about me. And I was a damn fool for opening it. Ha, ha . . . you caught me. Jerks!
Someone please get on the phone with all of these desperate companies and help them out before they piss off more people and destroy any chance in hell of making a sale. Tell them I sent you. :)
Posted August 20, 2008
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Tom is timely, thought provoking and all about the new brand vision packaged as a Seinfeld stand up. I went to school on his ideas.
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Not only did I receive one but I spoke to the owner of the company. At first I thought it was clever because it does fool you into reading it. So I can see how you might be offended. I liked it because I'm a tough cookie to fool. So it's a numbers game. Some will be mad and others will be fooled into reading.
His ROI is sick. As far as getting people to move forward. But what that does to the brand (car dealership) is another issue. Of course I can honestly say I've never seen any auto dealer do anything right so maybe it doesn't matter?
Posted by: BIG Kahuna | August 20, 2008 at 07:33 PM
Maybe it's me. Maybe because I'm old and I'm from a different time and place. But remember the phrase "familiarity breeds contempt"? This is more like "immediate familiarity breeds immediate contempt".
I put this one on the same list as telemarketers who begin the conversation with my first name. Excuse me - do I know you?
Immediate hang up and immediate trash can.
Posted by: Jeff | August 21, 2008 at 06:43 AM
Tom, just curious. Did you open the envelope before or after you checked Google?
Sometimes I spend more time trying to figure out who or what the letter is about than I do opening it, reading it and dumping it in the trash.
Anyone else do this?
best,
bonnie
richmond, VA
USA
Posted by: bonnie larner | August 21, 2008 at 03:25 PM
Bonnie-For any unfamiliar looking piece of mail, I look at the return address, who/how it's addressed, and the way the postage appears (standard indicia, etc).
If it's somewhat intriguing, I'll open it. Otherwise, Death By Circular File!
Posted by: Jeff | August 21, 2008 at 09:46 PM