20 {{ upvoteCount | shortNum }}
20 {{ upvoteCount | shortNum }}

Why Every Direct Mail Stat Out There Is Bullpucky

by TheBigBee
16 replies
This can be a super long post... Or super short. I'll choose the latter.

In the case of enveloped encased (wrapped) mail.

Every direct mail statistic you have read is bullpucky insofar as no one has devised and deployed a methodology to track direct mail open rates.

In the case of postcard (non wrapped) direct mail.

Every direct mail statistic you have read is bullpucky insofar as no one as devised and deployed a methodology to track impressions (views).

In terms of end of funnel conversions - direct mail is outperforming all other channels. Yet, there's no "holy grail." No solution to the problems outlined above...

Yet...

... That is all.
#bullpucky #direct #mail #stat
  • Profile picture of the author isaacsmithjones
    I'd agree to an extent...

    And it'd be great if someone could come up with a way to track those things.

    So I agree that it is difficult to compare ALL statistics side-by-side, but the important ones are all there.

    We know how many letters were sent out in a campaign, and we can track how many sales we received within a certain period of time.

    So if we know our ROI, and we can compare it to that from other media, then the other things don't really matter.

    But I must admit - if we could track the things that you mentioned, it would make split testing much quicker, easier, and cheaper.

    E.g. split testing teaser copy.
    Signature
    Why wait for sales to earn an affiliate commission?
    Earn up to £20 per phone call as a MyCallPartners.co.uk pay-per-call affiliate!
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[9408103].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author Aaron Doud
    You truly don't believe that people have for decades been split testing and tracking?

    Yes it is true that unlike email they can not track every action
    • Open
    • Read
    • Action Taken
    But they can track the end results.
    • Sales
    • Calls (separate numbers for each split or "Ask for..." "Mention blank")
    • Emails (separate for each split)
    • Website Visits (separate for each split)
    • etc etc
    So there is no "Bullpucky". Doing Blank equals more sales. If blank happens to be on the outside of the envelope (like handwritten and real stamps) it is assumed it increased the open rate (not just sales) and in fact if you compare the sales percentages you can even begin to figure out the math of how much it increased the open rate.

    So just because you personally do not understand how they do this does not mean the stats are "Bullpucky". Things can be tracks (actions taken) that when combined with split tests and common sense can lead to statements like "Handwritten envelopes increase open rates". Why? Because the thing changed and tested directly related to open rates.
    Signature
    Aaron Doud - Sales & Success
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[9408670].message }}
    • Profile picture of the author TheBigBee
      Whoa! Hey Aaron.

      The long version of my post would have been to discuss an idea I had regarding direct mail tracking + tech.

      What if a "tracking pixel" could be inserted into every piece of direct mail that told you when and where it was opened? How many big budgeted F 500 Co's would pay for such data?

      Personally - I'm really gaining my footing in DM. In my quest to get better I figured that type of data would be the Holy Grail.

      I could go on about the tech involved and such... But... Yeah....
      Signature
      FILL IN THE BLANKS!
      {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[9409508].message }}
      • Profile picture of the author Claude Whitacre
        Originally Posted by TheBigBee View Post

        Whoa! Hey Aaron.

        The long version of my post would have been to discuss an idea I had regarding direct mail tracking + tech.

        What if a "tracking pixel" could be inserted into every piece of direct mail that told you when and where it was opened? How many big budgeted F 500 Co's would pay for such data?
        I think I get it. You have an idea for a tracking pixel, and think there is value there. Is that right? It would explain why you think that the number of envelopes opened, is a useful number.

        The only way I can see that this would have value, is if you would find that 50% of the letters are getting opened, but nobody is buying. Then you would know that you have a great envelope, and a poor sales letter. Or an incongruent message on the envelope.

        And if only 5% of the letters are getting opened, but 50% of the letters opened, bought...you would know that the problem is in the envelope.

        Maybe it would be useful information...but it would be a tough sale. I would imagine a very tough sales process until it caught on.
        Signature
        One Call Closing book https://www.amazon.com/One-Call-Clos...=1527788418&sr

        What if they're not stars? What if they are holes poked in the top of a container so we can breath?
        {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[9411503].message }}
        • Profile picture of the author andylan
          Originally Posted by Claude Whitacre View Post

          I think I get it. You have an idea for a tracking pixel, and think there is value there. Is that right? It would explain why you think that the number of envelopes opened, is a useful number.

          The only way I can see that this would have value, is if you would find that 50% of the letters are getting opened, but nobody is buying. Then you would know that you have a great envelope, and a poor sales letter. Or an incongruent message on the envelope.

          And if only 5% of the letters are getting opened, but 50% of the letters opened, bought...you would know that the problem is in the envelope.

          Maybe it would be useful information...but it would be a tough sale. I would imagine a very tough sales process until it caught on.
          The above mentioned information is vitally important! I think it is only a piece of what could be taken from the data even for just the purpose of testing faster and having accurate data (another piece to the puzzle). To a business that uses enough DM it is crucial. Of course it has to be cost effective though. What other benefits can you see?? I use DM for my main source of sales (backflow testing) and I would like to know. It isn't something you would have to do for every mailing, just until you found the right one.

          I think it's a good conversation to be had BigBee
          {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[9421038].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author Aaron Doud
    In the end the only data point that really matters is sales.

    I suspect any such tracking would be cost ineffective.
    Signature
    Aaron Doud - Sales & Success
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[9409601].message }}
    • Profile picture of the author DABK
      2000 sent pieces, 60 open, 21 buy.
      2000 sent pieces, 185 open, 21 buy.
      2000 sent pieces, 111 open, 35 buy.

      2000 sent pieces, unknown opened, 21 buy.
      2000 sent pieces, unknown opened, 21 buy.
      2000 sent pieces, unknown opened, 35 buy.

      In either case, if you double the number of pieces you send, you double your sales.

      If you vary one item, and only one item, for increasing opening rate and assuming you send enough pieces, you can increase sales. Everything else being equal, the increase is due to the the increased opening.

      Yes, you will not know the exact numbers, but you don't have to. You can give your base a random number, and everything else will be a number derived through a bit of math, based on the random number.

      And, you will be able to work with that. You can call the base opening number
      N, and everything else N times 1.05 or N times 0.92, or whatever the sold difference expressed in percentages.

      Added, I don't think they'll pay for tracking opening, since you can get great results without knowing that.
      {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[9410444].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author yukon
    Banned
    Careful now, your thinking too hard.

    Simply add a unique coupon code (sticker) to each post card & you can track your open rate right down to the GEO location (address, etc...). Done.
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[9411211].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author Jonwebb
    its beta to track open rates anyway....


    the only thing that matters is sales. And that's traceable.
    Signature
    "How to value a business or Website for purchase"
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[9413315].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author Aaron Doud
    Also just want to point out I have no idea how you could track opens without expensive tech.

    To do it you would need a sensor (light or maybe air) that would sense when it opened and have a way to send that information (cell data maybe).

    There would IMO be no other way to do it that would not actually be tracking them taking action.

    And if you were going to pay that much to track opens why not sure pay for FedEx which you know with 100% certainty will be opened? Or pay for someone to hand deliver it to the person which should be opened?
    Signature
    Aaron Doud - Sales & Success
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[9413356].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author TheBigBee
    Sorry all. I brainfarted again. We just push each other to think on higher levels. This post was born of; "ok we did well in DM, how can we get better?"

    My job as CEO is to push my marketing team, tech, and sales team to not only produce, but remain curious. To be creative. To take risks. We can't make a company of significance if I'm doing all the brainfarting.

    So the "what if..." found its way here.

    Another post where I was hoping to provoke discussion and failed.

    My apologies.

    Growth hacking is where I will spend my time. Time to build new relationships and such.
    Signature
    FILL IN THE BLANKS!
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[9418168].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author TheBigBee
    Not to mention that any statistician would tell you the data in DM is flawed inasmuch as open rates are unknown rate. How can you improve response rate if open rate is unknown.

    Thankfully, in our company, data wins arguments.
    Signature
    FILL IN THE BLANKS!
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[9418188].message }}
    • Profile picture of the author savidge4
      [QUOTE=TheBigBee;9418188]Not to mention that any statistician would tell you the data in DM is flawed inasmuch as open rates are unknown rate. How can you improve response rate if open rate is unknown.

      Thankfully, in our company, data wins arguments.[/QUOTE]

      Tell that to my wife! ha ha

      I understand what is being said here on both sides. sure you have the number of sales. you send 1000 pieces and get 30 sales.. well dang that's 3%. However in an electronic parallel, email; you can trace all these things open rate etc. and improve.

      I believe it is MisterMe that has a email offering that gets him a 30% or so response rate. Not that you cant tweek a mail piece to improve results. but has anyone ever done a mail piece with a 30% response rate? I know if I hit 5% not to buy any lottery tickets for the next 6 months because my luck just ran out.

      It would be beyond awesome to know what your open rate is. I would venture to say that there are some companies in the world that would pay more than a pretty dollar to get their hands on that.

      You could set the tracking piece in the envelope. it activates apon closure. You then place the reader / counter at Garbage dump facilities. so it scans each truck as the go in. each closed envelope gets counted, The envelopes would have to be tyvek, so they could not just be ripped open, but opened in a consistent manor for tracking purposes.
      Signature
      Success is an ACT not an idea
      {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[9418358].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author AmericanMuscleTA
    Hmmm... I wonder if you put, "Real $100 Dollar Bill Inside" on the outside of an envelope if you'd get 100% open rate.

    Something tells me a couple of people who would think it's a marketing gimmick with no real $100 Dollar Bill inside and throw it away without opening it.
    Signature

    David Hunter | Duke of Marketing
    www.DukeOfMarketing.com
    www.BibleAndFriendsYouTube.com

    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[9422837].message }}
    • Profile picture of the author BigSnakeSituation
      Aaron is totally correct. You can track open rates but its going to be extremely expensive. For instance you could insert a $5 check. Who's not going to try to cash that, go to the bank in 30 days and wholla, you have your open rate. Better yet, attach a walmart gift card. Where they have to call you to activate. With these techniques you will get the most accurate DM open rate known to man while incurring some staggering cost illustrated by Arron Doub.
      {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[9422904].message }}

Trending Topics