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Worried that my first direct mail was a flop...help?

by TaborWriting
20 replies
Hi everyone,

As I mentioned last week...just did my first direct mailer. Dropped them in the mail last Tuesday, so they would have arrived last Thursday. I only have a budget to send 200 right now, so I know it's a small mailing and sample size. So far I have only mailed about 80 of them. (This may be the point where you tell me to chill out and wait).

My list includes the biggest companies in my city, as well as some non-local HVAC manufacturers. The list is composed of companies large enough to need some sort of copywriting or content writing.

I used a size #10 envelope, handwrote contact info in green ink, no return address, regular stamp.

Package includes a sales letter, a tri-fold brochure, and a business card.

My offer, maybe weak, is a free consultation. My goal was the brochure would be have enough information for them to contact me if they needed anything.

My concern is that, based on the metrics on my website, I have not even had anyone visit my site. Any visits have either been from here or direct referrals that I know were links I sent to my wife to proof read.

Even some people who I have contacted before and been in touch with several times over the last year, to whom I included a written note as well, haven't dropped a line.

Is there any way to know what could be the root cause? I know that I'm no John Carlton, but I do not believe my letter could be that bad as to end up in the shredder.

Could this just be par for the course based on the mailing size? I still have about 120 that I haven't mailed yet, and not sure if I should keep doing the same thing.

Thank you for any thoughts.
#direct #flophelp #mail #worried
  • Profile picture of the author gjabiz
    About this:

    Originally Posted by TaborWriting View Post

    The list is composed of companies large enough to need some sort of copywriting or content writing.

    .
    How do you KNOW this? And, who are they using now to fulfill their needs?

    I suggest that 80 is more than enough
    to tell you something.

    What that something is, I can't guess.

    I do advise you to send out 5 more. Personal letters to the person in the company who currently handles their communications.

    Leave the brochure out. Pretend it is your favorite Uncle, Jim.

    Write to a person, not a company.

    I would hesitate to send out too many more of the same thing which has given you NO response, I think you might want to try a different way.

    gjabiz
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    • Profile picture of the author TaborWriting
      Originally Posted by gjabiz View Post

      About this:


      How do you KNOW this? And, who are they using now to fulfill their needs?
      Thank you gjabiz (just a few more posts and I will be able to actually thank you),

      I have checked out the websites of most of the companies I have sent to, and they either produce content like I would like to write or sell complex things to other companies. Although I would like to write sales letters I am also looking to do case studies, white papers, brochures, articles, etc., while I get started.

      I would imagine they either use in-house staff, so my letter is addressed to marketers who need help with the demand. They either use in-house people, based on some cold calls I did last year on similar companies, or potentially they use an ad/PR/creative agency to produce other materials.

      Again, I appreciate the advice and I'll definitely look at tweaking or fine-tuning!
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      • Profile picture of the author angiecolee
        Originally Posted by TaborWriting View Post

        Thank you gjabiz (just a few more posts and I will be able to actually thank you),

        I have checked out the websites of most of the companies I have sent to, and they either produce content like I would like to write or sell complex things to other companies. Although I would like to write sales letters I am also looking to do case studies, white papers, brochures, articles, etc., while I get started.

        I would imagine they either use in-house staff, so my letter is addressed to marketers who need help with the demand. They either use in-house people, based on some cold calls I did last year on similar companies, or potentially they use an ad/PR/creative agency to produce other materials.

        Again, I appreciate the advice and I'll definitely look at tweaking or fine-tuning!
        I'll give you a set up that might help clarify.

        I'm Angie, the Marketing Director for XYZ company. Our business just experienced a tremendous amount of growth and we actually do need extra help until the budget supports the headcount. And now I've got to search for that help.

        Except we're swamped and I still have to manage everything on my plate, get to meetings, and get shit done, all WHILE trying to find that help.

        If your mail is not on the top of the stack when I've got five minutes to sit down and dedicate my attention to this stack, where do you think you are in my head? Nowhere.

        Do I look through all the mail that may or may not have arrived? That may not even be an option. Or it may be intercepted by an assistant or receptionist who decided it wasn't relevant. I don't even know you exist.

        So I call a friend and ask for a referral, or I dig through LinkedIn connections, or I call in an agency to help. Because I just need someone in front of me that can do the job I need them to do.

        How do you convey that to me, busy executive, so that I think of you when I'm in dire need?

        It's probably not a letter, a brochure, and a free consultation.

        Hint: it's a relationship.

        Exactly what Gordon was talking about above with hand-writing letters to an old friend.
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        Aspiring copywriters: if you need 1:1 advice from an experienced copy chief, head over to my Phone a Friend page.

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        • Profile picture of the author TaborWriting
          Originally Posted by angiecolee View Post

          I'll give you a set up that might help clarify.

          I'm Angie, the Marketing Director for XYZ company. Our business just experienced a tremendous amount of growth and we actually do need extra help until the budget supports the headcount. And now I've got to search for that help.

          Except we're swamped and I still have to manage everything on my plate, get to meetings, and get shit done, all WHILE trying to find that help.

          If your mail is not on the top of the stack when I've got five minutes to sit down and dedicate my attention to this stack, where do you think you are in my head? Nowhere.

          Do I look through all the mail that may or may not have arrived? That may not even be an option. Or it may be intercepted by an assistant or receptionist who decided it wasn't relevant. I don't even know you exist.

          So I call a friend and ask for a referral, or I dig through LinkedIn connections, or I call in an agency to help. Because I just need someone in front of me that can do the job I need them to do.

          How do you convey that to me, busy executive, so that I think of you when I'm in dire need?

          It's probably not a letter, a brochure, and a free consultation.

          Hint: it's a relationship.

          Exactly what Gordon was talking about above with hand-writing letters to an old friend.
          Angie, thanks for your thoughts. My materials (not that they're being seen apparently) try to address that need, so at least that's good.

          If I could ask a follow-up question: the relationship point is great, but if these leads are not even opening the envelopes, is a hand-written letter going to make a difference? In what cases would direct mail work? Just for the people who happen to have time to open?
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          • Profile picture of the author angiecolee
            Originally Posted by TaborWriting View Post

            Angie, thanks for your thoughts. My materials (not that they're being seen apparently) try to address that need, so at least that's good.

            If I could ask a follow-up question: the relationship point is great, but if these leads are not even opening the envelopes, is a hand-written letter going to make a difference? In what cases would direct mail work? Just for the people who happen to have time to open?
            Keep in mind that none of that was a stab at you or how good your materials are.

            It was simply an example of what's happening on the other side of the curtain when you're stuck wondering what went wrong.

            It could be that your letter DID get into their hands but they don't have a need.

            Let me put it another way: do you buy an extra gallon of milk when you don't really need one....just in case? Do you get an oil change 1000 miles early...just in case?

            These are things you do when you need to do them, more often than not. It's pretty much the same thing in a corporate office looking to hire - you go looking to hire when you need to do so - contractor or employee alike.

            So the question is not "is this even getting into their hands?" but "how do I get in front of these people and provide value so that they'll think of me when they have need?"
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            • Profile picture of the author ewenmack
              Instead of assuming and pitching in one step,
              sort for those that have a want.

              Here's an example which created a $90,000
              per month software as a solution company.

              It was sent via email.

              Take special note to the last sentence.

              Best,
              Doctor E. Vile

              --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

              still looking?

              What software have you been looking for for years,
              but never been able to find, or even worse, one you are stuck with.

              Just reply back and let me know as
              I may have an alternative for you.

              Thank you,
              Dane

              P.S. Why am I writing?
              I'm a entrepreneur with a passion for making useful software that people actually
              love to use. I thought I would start with what you want, rather than what I think you want.
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            • Profile picture of the author RickDuris
              Originally Posted by angiecolee View Post

              So the question is not "is this even getting into their hands?" but "how do I get in front of these people and provide value so that they'll think of me when they have need?"
              That's the key question.

              Here's the idea and I guarantee if you do this and you do it right, you'll be flooded with work.

              Mail to your local companies, individually to the various people in their marketing departments, an invitation to a seminar.

              The title of the seminar?

              "How Your Company Can Become a Content Marketing Machine"

              The seminar will be a half-day, PowerPoint-type event. You're the presenter. This is a live, in-person event. (Do not do a webinar.)

              Make sure you small talk with everyone there.

              Now you've provided value and now have the beginnings of a real relationship...

              - Rick Duris

              PS: Are you ambitious? Contact the attendees in advance and find out their copywriting and content marketing strategy and all the other details as you see fit.

              Establish the relationship ahead of time. And you can also schedule lunches, dinners and meetings afterwards.

              PPS: The benefits of this strategy to a copywriter who wants local work are too many to list.
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              • Profile picture of the author ThePromotionalGuy
                Taylor,

                According to Manta, Tulsa, Ok has 47,118 business in your area...

                ...And you mailed to 80 of them.

                When you've mailed to the 47,118th one and still no response, then I'd say your direct mail campaign was a flop.
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              • Profile picture of the author TjarkHartmann
                Originally Posted by RickDuris View Post

                That's the key question.

                Here's the idea and I guarantee if you do this and you do it right, you'll be flooded with work.

                Mail to your local companies, individually to the various people in their marketing departments, an invitation to a seminar.

                The title of the seminar?

                "How Your Company Can Become a Content Marketing Machine"

                The seminar will be a half-day, PowerPoint-type event. You're the presenter. This is a live, in-person event. (Do not do a webinar.)

                Make sure you small talk with everyone there.

                Now you've provided value and now have the beginnings of a real relationship...

                - Rick Duris

                PS: Are you ambitious? Contact the attendees in advance and find out their copywriting and content marketing strategy and all the other details as you see fit.

                Establish the relationship ahead of time. And you can also schedule lunches, dinners and meetings afterwards.

                PPS: The benefits of this strategy to a copywriter who wants local work are too many to list.
                When I first looked at your idea, I had to step back a little bit.

                Why hasn't anyone thought of this before?

                I think it has something to do with two things that Jay Abraham, Dan Pena, and all high-performance people say:

                1. Most people don't think big enough.
                2. Most people are constrained by conventional thinking.

                So, in this case, conventional ways to get clients are: direct mail, cold call, e-mail. Nobody (and I mean nobody) expects a beginning freelance copywriter to host a seminar. And that just adds to the huge advantage you can have.

                Starting out, the biggest challenge is to prove that your services are valuable and needed. There's a lot of resistance. Especially with a lack of portfolio or results. They don't know you, don't need you, and/or don't know that they need you (big problem with local businesses, at least where I live.)

                But when you hit them with an invitation to a seminar, you not only provide something valuable and unique, you immediately get credibility and respect -- whether they go to the seminar or not. And if you mention who you are and what you do... Who do you think will be on their mind the next time they need a copywriter?

                At the actual seminar, you prove that you know what you're doing and are a real pro. You gain massive amounts of credibility and authority that no other method can even come close to. You get a chance to speak with a ton of people that have influence and power. That begins a long-term relationship.

                Now, what would stop most people (including me) is fear. Fear of public speaking... fear of failure... fear of uncertainty... even fear of success. And that's only natural, because this strategy is far outside the average person's comfort zone.

                But what happens if you conquer your fear? Unimaginable growth. Not just for your business, but as a person. Your whole life changes. Can you imagine the confidence and self-worth you have after doing something like that?

                This is the absolute best way to get ahead of the competition. You put yourself in such a unique position that you are engraved into a separate, elite class. And I can't imagine how many months (maybe years) you save using this strategy vs. doing it the conventional way.

                "A mind that is stretched to a new idea never returns to its original dimension." - Ralph Waldo Emerson

                 "One can choose to go back toward safety or forward toward growth. Growth must be chosen again and again; fear must be overcome again and again." - Abraham Maslow
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                Tjark: Pronounced like "Jacques" in Jacques Cousteau.

                www.TjarkHartmann.com

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                • Profile picture of the author ewenmack
                  As very common here, I'm the one who doesn't agree
                  with everyone else.

                  I don't presume what his audience wants.

                  Nor should he.

                  The only way to find out is ask.

                  I gave an email that was used by Dane.
                  He didn't assume what his audience wanted.
                  He asked.

                  They told him.

                  The first one's collaborated on the solution.

                  Dane had the solution created.

                  It's good for our ego thinking we have the answers to
                  many things.

                  It's rare to be humble and say we don't know and ask your potential buyer's.
                  want problem they have and are they prepared to pay for a workable solution.

                  Prior to Dane asking what potential customers what their problems they wanted solving
                  and were prepared to pay, he had many business failures.

                  Never again with this asking first approach.

                  Best,
                  Doctor E. Vile
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                • Profile picture of the author Alex Cohen
                  Originally Posted by TjarkHartmann View Post


                  Why hasn't anyone thought of this before?
                  They have. Michel Fortin, web copywriter extraordinaire, started his copywriting career the exact way Rick suggests.

                  Here's another method to consider...

                  Alex Mandossian targeted a certain number of businesses and literally slammed them using postcard marketing. (Postcards are good, because they don't have to be opened like a letter does.) Each day for 21 days he sent them a postcard with his message.

                  Several companies called and asked to be taken off his mailing list. But he also got several meetings with the decision maker at other companies.

                  Alex
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                  • Profile picture of the author RickDuris
                    FYI: I spent the better part of the 90s perfecting speaking engagements and seminars as lead generation vehicles for my systems integration business.

                    Dan Kennedy owes a lot of his branding to the Peter Lowe seminars he spoke at in the 90s as well. He mapped it all out his way in one of his newsletters way back when.

                    There are lots of ways to get the job done. But as you say Tjark, think big. Turn the seminar into an event, an experience. Make it entertaining as well.

                    Rick Duris
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              • Profile picture of the author myattitude
                Would this be a paid seminar or a free "foot in the door" seminar?

                Originally Posted by RickDuris View Post

                That's the key question.

                Here's the idea and I guarantee if you do this and you do it right, you'll be flooded with work.

                Mail to your local companies, individually to the various people in their marketing departments, an invitation to a seminar.

                The title of the seminar?

                "How Your Company Can Become a Content Marketing Machine"

                The seminar will be a half-day, PowerPoint-type event. You're the presenter. This is a live, in-person event. (Do not do a webinar.)

                Make sure you small talk with everyone there.

                Now you've provided value and now have the beginnings of a real relationship...

                - Rick Duris

                PS: Are you ambitious? Contact the attendees in advance and find out their copywriting and content marketing strategy and all the other details as you see fit.

                Establish the relationship ahead of time. And you can also schedule lunches, dinners and meetings afterwards.

                PPS: The benefits of this strategy to a copywriter who wants local work are too many to list.
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                • Profile picture of the author RickDuris
                  Originally Posted by myattitude View Post

                  Would this be a paid seminar or a free "foot in the door" seminar?
                  I would have them pay some nominal amount. $17-$47/per person.

                  The argument for payment is pretty straightforward.

                  You're inviting real companies. Companies who have revenues and budgets. They're used to paying for services.

                  Doing it for free compromises your positioning as an expert. If they can't afford $10-$50 to attend, if they don't value expertise, are they really going to make great long term Client?

                  Probably not.

                  So just getting people in the door, unless you're struggling to "fill the room," is counter productive to what you're really trying to accomplish.

                  ----

                  Plus the $47 allows you to add more value.

                  A more upscale venue. Few executives want to attend a stuffy, small, low-ceiling conference room with bad carpeting at the local motel.

                  Do it right. You can certainly, but there's no need to go overboard.

                  The fee also gives you the ability to provide take-home materials which will sit on their desk, become a resource and become a visual reminder of you afterwards. Maybe splurge for a continental breakfast cart, instead of just coffee.

                  ----

                  Obviously, someone could argue for a free seminar, and free seminars do work in many cases.

                  For professional service type events, I'm advocating attendees respect the information, expertise and experience. The key way to do that is for people to pay to attend.

                  ----

                  There's a lot of nuance to this strategy, but you don't have to execute it perfectly to have it pay off.

                  For instance, let's say you charged for free and but you only got one Client. But that Client kept you busy part-time for months. That would be a successful event, wouldn't it?

                  - Rick Duris

                  PS: One more thing. It's important.

                  At the end of the event, (and you can allude to this during the presentation) is to always, always, always make your attendees a specific offer. Put together a package.

                  Get a "table rush" in the back of the room going. Or make it so that you are surrounded at the end of the presentation with attendees offering you their business cards, saying "Call me."

                  The social proof of demand for you, on top of a successful presentation, makes for an impressive image and will come in handy later on in negotiations.
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  • Profile picture of the author TaborWriting
    Thanks everyone for the advice, tips, and putting everything into perspective. I appreciate it very much!
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  • Profile picture of the author RickDuris
    That's a pretty insightful post, Tjark.

    Live seminars as a marketing strategy have actually been around for decades.

    Given your post though, I'll share another secret to the strategy. One that will make the strategy and seminar title sing.

    So for instance, let's go with the title is "How to Turn Your Company into a Content Marketing Machine". In it, you give attendees seven things they should do to achieve that result. Seven PowerPoint slides are discussed, basically with some bullets under them.

    But that's not all!

    For slide #5, you slip in a slide on our FAVORITE topic--titled "The Role of Copywriting in Your Content Marketing Machine".

    Slide #5 is were the magic happens as a copywriter. It's like the entire presentation just became "a Trojan horse". Allowing you to make a case for compelling copy. Copy only you can write because of your talent, expertise and experience.

    The best part? The attendees acknowledge that you've offered some tremendous value which they hadn't been exposed to previously.

    Basically, you've created a memorable, informative, value-laden event for the attendees.

    What you do after that, is up to you.

    - Rick Duris
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  • Profile picture of the author TjarkHartmann
    Let me clear something up: I wasn't blown back by the idea of a seminar for marketing purposes.

    It was the idea to use a seminar to begin your freelance copywriting career.... The thought process you need to have for a seminar to even be considered an option.

    Because most copywriters just starting out their career will not think of this strategy. I'm one of them. And this happens because...

    1) The strategy isn't a common suggestion. (Conventional wisdom, as I said before.)

    2) The average person's self-image puts them in a set frame of thinking.

    Self-image is particularly interesting because it literally blocks people from a thought.

    In this case, a copywriter feels like they aren't worthy of doing a seminar. (Seminars are only for experienced pros.) So the self-image doesn't line up. (I'm not a pro.) The thought is rejected before you're even aware of it.

    Now, this doesn't happen to Rick because he is the farthest thing away from a beginner, and smart as hell.

    So he pops out the idea. I read it. And I almost fall out of my chair. How could I not think of that?

    But there's a problem. The self-image is still there. And now it's going to hit you with a bunch of irrational fears.

    It's a lot like what GKIC stresses: "Just because you're in a different industry doesn't mean you can't use it." Except in this case it's a difference in capability, not industry.

    Anyway...

    Ewen, thank you for providing an example of someone who's done it -- proof it can work. I like the postcard idea. But I love that you gave the reason they chose a postcard. Very interesting. My only concern is, wouldn't that be a bad start to your career, reputation wise?

    Rick, thank you for giving even more information on the whole process. Very valuable. I assume you should be subtle about your services, correct?

    P.S. There may be a little metaphysics in this post... sometimes I get it jumbled up with the proven stuff.
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    Tjark: Pronounced like "Jacques" in Jacques Cousteau.

    www.TjarkHartmann.com

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    • Profile picture of the author RickDuris
      Originally Posted by TjarkHartmann View Post

      Rick, thank you for giving even more information on the whole process. Very valuable. I assume you should be subtle about your services, correct?
      Me? Subtle? Seriously?

      I'm making them an offer... a great offer... an incredible offer... a one-time offer...

      And NO ONE is leaving that conference room unless and until THEY BUY.

      You have your prime prospects in that room and you're gonna let them slip through your fingers?

      I don't think so. I have my way? There's gonna be a table rush at the back of the room.

      Are we clear?

      (But that's just me. )

      - Rick Duris

      PS: This kind of thinking will not work for tradeshows, where you're usually prohibited from promotion and making anything other than the most subtle of offers.
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  • Profile picture of the author esmarshall
    you'll find out more from your feedback then speaking to anyone in here

    experiential learning is the most important factor in any business, intellectual only takes you so far

    gotta just put it out there and get it wrong, nobody has a 100 percent record, so you need to get comfortable with the idea that your going to lose money (of course you don't want to make habit of losing money...)

    although, rick duris idea sounds like a winner

    and tjark added some strong thoughts
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    $900 off a fully active gold member MOBE account (full price $2000)...message me if your interested
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    • Profile picture of the author Alex Cohen
      Originally Posted by esmarshall View Post

      you'll find out more from your feedback then speaking to anyone in here

      experiential learning is the most important factor in any business, intellectual only takes you so far

      gotta just put it out there and get it wrong, nobody has a 100 percent record, so you need to get comfortable with the idea that your going to lose money (of course you don't want to make habit of losing money...)
      Does the same thing apply with Bing Ads?

      Alex
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