Triggers - When to mail - why now?
For years everyone in the industry has conducted
seasonal tests. The professionals know the 'best
times to mail' depending on whether they're
mailing a catalog, asking for a donation or trying
to sell a diet pill.
Most companies that rely on direct mail have
elaborate charts that indicate the reduction in
response, from 'prime time' on a monthly basis ...
and they use those statistics to determine
whether to remail the same name again with
basically the same offer (often a catalog with a
different cover).
Most sophisticated non-catalog, nonphilanthropic
mailers send out monthly mailings
to take advantage of the added responsiveness
created by mailing 30-day 'hotline' mailing lists.
But that's not the whole story. There are events
that occur in a person's life that trigger
responsiveness.
Two obvious triggers are having a new baby and
moving to a new home. Each of these life-events
creates a need for a wide variety of new products
and services. These would include a new crib for
the baby, and possibly a lawn or pool service for
the new home.
In addition to generating specific needs, these
'events' make a consumer more responsive to
direct mail in general. I've written an extensive
article entitled "Why new move mailing lists
work" (you can read it at davidavrick.com)
which details the psychological factors that
create this mail receptiveness.
Similar psychological factors create unique
'mailing cycles'. The perfect time to sell you a
Medicare supplement insurance policy is just
before you turn 65 - regardless of the month of
the year. When the company you work merges,
or is acquired by another firm, that's the best
time to try to sell you a subscription to a business
newsletter or magazine.
The Apollo new credit card issue mailing list is a
great case in point. Yes, the names are a 'hotline'
because the consumer just responded to a direct
mail bankcard solicitation; but this type of
mailing list also works because it's a triggering
event in the consumer's life. All of the sudden he
has 'new credit' and is thinking about buying
'stuff'.
If your trigger mailing can answer the question:
"WHY NOW?" it will be much more successful.
If your Medicare supplement mailing says;
"because you're about to turn 65 and begin
participating in Medicare" it's going to resonate
with the reader. If your mailing talks about
"you're going off to school shortly" or "if you
take advantage of this offer before your birthday
next month you will save..." you're on your way
to increased response.
It's because we know that triggers 'work'
that many specializes list are created, such as
new moves, new credit card issues, new business
filings, birthdays, new births and even new
bankruptcy filings. Rather than simply thinking
about the 'best months to mail' or 'hotline names'
. . . start thinking about how you can use triggers
to improve your direct mail campaign.
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© 2012 - Avrick Direct, Inc.