14 {{ upvoteCount | shortNum }}
14 {{ upvoteCount | shortNum }}

Direct Mail - Send to Owner or Manager?

by rushindo
12 replies
Let's say you want to go after a medium sized company and you have the owner/president's name and the general manager's name. Assume you don't know who approves the big purchase decisions.

Is it better overall to send your direct mail piece to the owner/president or a manager?

Brandon
#direct #mail #manager #owner #send
  • Profile picture of the author Chris Cho
    I personally like sending DM to the owner/president. If I were to send a letter to Dr. Bob Jackson, I just write it like a personal letter. "Hey, Bob..."

    When it's personal... the manager usually passes the letter to the owner/president.

    Test 1000 letters to managers and 1000 to the president and see what works for you and then let us know. =)
    Signature
    My Blog on Offline, Travels, and Life!
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[4620692].message }}
    • Profile picture of the author RRG
      Originally Posted by Chris Cho View Post

      I personally like sending DM to the owner/president. If I were to send a letter to Dr. Bob Jackson, I just write it like a personal letter. "Hey, Bob..."

      When it's personal... the manager usually passes the letter to the owner/president.

      Test 1000 letters to managers and 1000 to the president and see what works for you and then let us know. =)
      Another idea is to send the same package to BOTH.

      If the owner/president respects his manager/VP, he may be open to a great idea the VP brings to him. Makes the VP look good. And gives you two chances to score a response.
      {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[4620748].message }}
    • Profile picture of the author rushindo
      Originally Posted by Chris Cho View Post

      I personally like sending DM to the owner/president. If I were to send a letter to Dr. Bob Jackson, I just write it like a personal letter. "Hey, Bob..."

      When it's personal... the manager usually passes the letter to the owner/president.

      Test 1000 letters to managers and 1000 to the president and see what works for you and then let us know. =)
      Thanks for explaining what you do. I like that. But I'm DEFINITELY not going to send 1,000 letters, lol. I'm pitching a $65,000 upfront service. And I only have about 20 prospects that I want to do business with. And my cost for sending the direct mail package is not cheap!
      {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[4621298].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author Dexx
    Send it to the decision maker (i.e. the person authorized to sign the cheques)

    ~Dexx
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[4620789].message }}
    • Profile picture of the author RRG
      Originally Posted by Dexx View Post

      Send it to the decision maker (i.e. the person authorized to sign the cheques)

      ~Dexx
      I agree. Ultimately, you have to deal with the person who can say "yes."

      But in B2B, there are sometimes execs who can influence the decision maker. Why not let them know about your proposition.

      By the way, I didn't come up with this idea. I got it from Dan Kennedy.
      {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[4620809].message }}
    • Profile picture of the author rushindo
      Originally Posted by Dexx View Post

      Send it to the decision maker (i.e. the person authorized to sign the cheques)

      ~Dexx
      Yes of course it is best to send it to the decision maker if you know who they are. That is why I said assume you don't know who the decision maker is.

      So I'm trying to figure out who is most likely the decision maker for the average medium sized business, the owner or a general manager?
      {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[4621288].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author jondabach
    1000 and 1000? Wow - what kind of conversion rates do you get on your direct mail. If you get 2% response that's 80 total...that might be a bit much to handle. If you're not getting 1-2% response minimum from your direct mail you're doing something wrong.
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[4621265].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author Voasi
    My recommendation is to send to both (if money isn't an option, which was stated)... and here's why...

    The president/owner typically is too busy to be reading mail like yours, unless you get really clever (which is always true). I don't deal in absolutes, so of course you'll get the biz owner who does read your DM piece.

    The manager (or equivalent), who probably doesn't get "mail" too often to the business gets a piece of mail and opens it... reads it...and prompts the owner and says "Hey, did you see this?" (he says "did you see this" because you state that it's sent to the president as well). Conversation starts...and hopefully...conversion (call-email-whatever).
    Signature
    Want $6,000/mo. SEO Clients? Watch My Free Video!
    We do WSO Designs TOO!!! Best on WF! - Click Here
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[4621356].message }}
    • Profile picture of the author rushindo
      Originally Posted by Voasi View Post

      My recommendation is to send to both (if money isn't an option, which was stated)... and here's why...

      The president/owner typically is too busy to be reading mail like yours, unless you get really clever (which is always true). I don't deal in absolutes, so of course you'll get the biz owner who does read your DM piece.

      The manager (or equivalent), who probably doesn't get "mail" too often to the business gets a piece of mail and opens it... reads it...and prompts the owner and says "Hey, did you see this?" (he says "did you see this" because you state that it's sent to the president as well). Conversation starts...and hopefully...conversion (call-email-whatever).
      I really like that. I like it a lot. I can definitely see how a conversation will naturally occur if they see the letter was addressed to them both.

      Don't see where it was said that money is not an option. It definitely is, at least right now. But in the future, I definitely plan to try sending it to them both.

      For now, based on your explanation, and RRG's, it looks like it's best to send it to the manager.
      {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[4621475].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author Voasi
    double post...
    Signature
    Want $6,000/mo. SEO Clients? Watch My Free Video!
    We do WSO Designs TOO!!! Best on WF! - Click Here
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[4621399].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author PaulFL
    I'd say send it to both. I've been in several positions where I got a piece of direct mail and told the owner about it and we ended up buying the product/service (some of which were very expensive).

    It also depends a bit on the product and who will benefit the most from it. Dan Kennedy was referenced above. He teaches the market-media-message triangle. In this case, if the GM will benefit from the message, send it to him/her.

    In regards to the president typically being too busy, I tend to disagree. If you have media that catches their attention and the message is well-done with an obvious benefit to them, they may read it.

    I used to work for a fairly large company (international with 6,000 employees) and I remember the president coming into my office once with a mailer he got and asked me to look into it for him. It was a dimensional mailer that caught his eye. The product was a fit into the product line I managed and we ended up carrying it.

    It depends on the individual, not their title.
    Signature
    Tired of Chasing Shiny Objects?
    Get Instant Access to the Easy Cash Webinar
    >>The Ultimate Unfair Advantage <<
    Easy - Quick - Proven
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[4621794].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author dancorkill
    I've had good success sending stuff to the owner. They then hand it to the manager and tell them to action it. From there just help the manager do his job.

    But like everyone has said really depends on the business dynamic, is the manger independently responsible for increasing sales and better marketing ROI or do they just follow what the owner tells them or is it more of a mix.

    If your selling the manager remember to summarize the benefits in a few key points so he can then easily sell it to the owner.
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[4622420].message }}

Trending Topics