Demo Site Model and Direct Mail

With all the direct mail and offline *experts* one would think I would get a reply out of 51 views. Oh well, campaign will still be getting mailed out and don't ask for results. You didn't want to help me so screw you ROFL!! Just kidding, I'm a firm believer of you reap what you sow...which is why I reap so abundantly

Well that is because you're asking people that like to read instead of DO. You aren't going to get many replies when you're asking for real experience, especially when it's something in a limited area that a lot of people never dealt with.

I have dabbled in direct mail but not much enough to know a difference in conversions with a red confidential stamp. I believ Ryan McKinney has a good direct mailing system down. We were talking a couple nights ago and I think he is getting like a 75% conversion but he's doing something different. Keep an eye out on his WSO on it.

I would imagine a confidential stamp would work well... people always want to see what it is, so why not? The main thing is you're doing it, so congrats on that.

That first part is not totally clear to me. You said, "your not finding interested people first.. I will build the site first". Not clear what you are doing, what form of mailing piece you are using. Every mail campaign has a large number of characteristics and they all work together, so its difficult to provide answers without all that information. Let's talk about the basics first, then the Confidential.

The objective is lead generation. A lead is someone who raises their hand and says "I'm interested"... the CTA action. A mailing list is a bunch of suspects first, then you should be segmenting and profile suspects to find the best candidates... now you have a targeted list. IOW, segment on criteria such as category of business, geo-location, annual sales, number of employees and other indicators.

The first mailing is a qualifier... the best prospects raise their hand, do the CTA and you followup immediately. And if you are doing small runs, strongly suggest you do followup phone calls to the entire short run list anyway. Higher conversions. Much higher.

My first advice is always to use a targeted list to maximize response and lower your costs. The best fisherman catch the most fish because they know where the fish hang out, it's not how fancy their boat is. Simple B2B letters that are real and genuine are most effective when uses properly.

Confidential Stamp

This is a device that's been around a long time. It's shop-worn and overused. If you use this on standard flyer or advertising mail piece, it's a big negative. With personalized mail, I would only use this if there is already an existing relationship and then only if it's truly needed.

The reaon is simple... "Confidential" can come across as a phony ploy, which is what it almost always is. So, if you sent me some mail with Confidential stamped on it, and I did open to find that in my own judgement/perception it is not really Confidential... what would I think about the sender?

What is it that could be inside that is really Confidential in a lead generation mail piece? Authentically confidential information is something like legal notices, or a loan application denial. These are business targets, not consumers being lured into a sweepstakes contest, so being authentic is my advice... Don't use Confidential.

I've had clients where I made only 2 changes and we tripled response rates. One of those changes was removing the Confidential stamp on the envelope.

There's a long list of other devices to get higher open rates, you just have to test. And some are not appropriate, even for personalized mailings.

If you are hand addressing... and you should also be targeting your list first, and doing the proper mail-merge personalization, here's the shortlist of what is working for my clients... those doing small runs of personalized letters and making followup phone calls to the entire list after 48 hours.

• Use really high quality envelopes. Thicker paper. Ivory linen embossed works well. matching paper.
• You can use an commemorative stamp, not the everyday first class.
• Hand addressed to recipient by Contact Name, but not job title
• No return address. The USPS will get it there if you have a correct address.

Nothing else on the envelope.

All the reasons for higher response rates are too many to list for the campaigns I create... and each campaign fits the business model, the pricing model, and the value proposal offered to be a match for the target list. No two are identical. I'm referring to business to business communication as a personal letter. Not flyers or advertising. The contents are a mail-merged customized letter or other content done in a variety of ways and all pointed directly to the named individual. There is a definite, specific value proposal offered with the right hook to get the CTA.

If you will go through this thread, link is below, you will find many people here doing variations of small run customized mailings for lead generation with great success.

List of WF Direct Mail Posts in I love Direct Mail thread

The most important advice I can give any new direct mail marketer on this forum... don't get hung up a specific all-purpose device like a Confidential stamp or even hand addressing. The basics, with all their minor details will get ignored while you hunt for some secret sauce or push button solution. Same advice for all lead generation... direct mail is highly effective when done well, and so is effective cold calling on the phone when its done well. It's the message you deliver and how it resonates with the target's pain point. And a basket of methods to get that message to the right targets is better than one single method.

Best regards,
Jan Gregory

Yes the Red stamp will get you higher conversion also
Red letters on the mailings

I am real offliner plus the red letters work for my own offline bussiness

I can only add this as a biz owner. If someone sends me a letter as you described in your op I would likely open it. HOWEVER You better put something pretty impressive inside!