Direct Mail Question

[Andy Crofford]

I am planning on sending out a mailing to local business owners. What I am wondering is who do I address the mailing to if I don't know the name of the manager/owner?

Your input on this is appreciated.

Thanks,
Andy

[ken_p]

Originally Posted by ACrofford

I am planning on sending out a mailing to local business owners. What I am wondering is who do I address the mailing to if I don't know the name of the manager/owner?

Your input on this is appreciated.

Thanks,
Andy

Use the company's full business name and address. Im sure the front desk officer would know to whom to give it to.

[Andy Crofford]

Originally Posted by ken_p

Use the company's full business name and address. Im sure the front desk officer would know to whom to give it to.

This is what I was going to do but wanted to confirm I was correct.

Thanks for the fast response.

Andy

[artwebster]

It doesn't take much time to call a list of companies and ask a small question - "Hi, my name's Andy and I have been asked to send a letter to the person who handles your twxyz - who should I address it to?"

This seldom fails if you sound like you really do have a letter and really do want to send it.

[JustaWizard]

Hey Andy - another Warrior recently told me to look into Sales Genie (salesgenie.com) for a free trial subscription (to date I've only rooted around their site) because he says you can get access to a nationwide database of business names including business owners.... maybe your first free trial will yield results and warrant a subscription? I don't know, but....

... I hope that helps!

David
PS: certainly personalization *should* help with the results.
PPS: use POSTCARDS since they don't have to be opened, in the U.S., use the online service and just upload your leads and Publisher file (or whatever) and THEY do all the "stamp licking" and physical mailing.
PPPS: if your upload verbiage looks (is) handwriten, that can also help in some cases to get noticed and past gatekeepers...

[Loren Woirhaye]

The two-step system of mailing postcards proclaiming
your amazing widget/free-report (ie. recession buster
info) is a good one. You use an 800 VM number on there
- don't assume business owners are computer savvy,
and get their info.

Pop the report in the mail and phone them a few days
later (or have your "girl" do it) to see if they got it.

Then you go from there. "have you had a chance to
read it yet? Ok. Obviously this is a way for our
firm to generate business - so would you mind if
I asked you a few questions about yours? It will
only take a few minutes..."

And so on. Consultative salesmanship stuff.

I know it doesn't sound as easy as mailing a bunch
of salesletters but it's generally cheaper and will get
you just as many leads PLUS more exposure at a
lower cost.

Lumpy mail can probably beat the postcard response
but it's costlier in several ways. Even hand-addressed
envelopes will likely beat the postcard, but for every one
of those you send you could send 2 or 3 postcards
when you consider the time/cost of hand-addressing.

Writing postcard copy is a different topic.

[CocoChanelle]

Originally Posted by Loren Woirhaye

The two-step system of mailing postcards proclaiming
your amazing widget/free-report (ie. recession buster
info) is a good one. You use an 800 VM number on there
- don't assume business owners are computer savvy,
and get their info.

Pop the report in the mail and phone them a few days
later (or have your "girl" do it) to see if they got it.

Then you go from there. "have you had a chance to
read it yet? Ok. Obviously this is a way for our
firm to generate business - so would you mind if
I asked you a few questions about yours? It will
only take a few minutes..."

And so on. Consultative salesmanship stuff.

I know it doesn't sound as easy as mailing a bunch
of salesletters but it's generally cheaper and will get
you just as many leads PLUS more exposure at a
lower cost.

Lumpy mail can probably beat the postcard response
but it's costlier in several ways. Even hand-addressed
envelopes will likely beat the postcard, but for every one
of those you send you could send 2 or 3 postcards
when you consider the time/cost of hand-addressing.

Writing postcard copy is a different topic.

I have a friend who sells postcard marketing and she's wants to use postcards with the free recorded message concept. Any ideas on postcard headlines or what to say in the recorded message script?