13 {{ upvoteCount | shortNum }}
13 {{ upvoteCount | shortNum }}

DM - Do you send to random people?

by svedski
11 replies
I have a sales letter in the works and was planning on sending it out to 10,000 random people, and hope to god that I get my money back.

Is this usually how you do direct mail or are you supposed to have a list of prospects who has already shown interest in your product?

Or would the "random people" method work if I could get a list of people with some variables that would make them likely to be interested in my product?
For example, I would send a letter about soccer-improvement to soccer players?
#people #random #send
  • Profile picture of the author RRG
    Do NOT send 10,000 sales letters until you do a LOT more homework about direct mail.
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[7801831].message }}
    • Profile picture of the author svedski
      Originally Posted by RRG View Post

      Do NOT send 10,000 sales letters until you do a LOT more homework about direct mail.
      Ok..actually I was planning on creating 3 or 4 different sales letters, send them to 200 each to test and see what kind of response I can get.
      If I can get over 7-8% I'll send that sales letter to 10,000.

      I know how to create the letter to make it get delivered, and how to get it opened.
      And I'm a pretty OK copywriter.

      Could I pull this off or is there something I'm missing/need to know?

      Btw, I'm looking for a software that can produce personalized letters, any tips?
      {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[7801929].message }}
      • Profile picture of the author RRG
        Originally Posted by stolpioni View Post

        Ok..actually I was planning on creating 3 or 4 different sales letters, send them to 200 each to test and see what kind of response I can get.
        If I can get over 7-8% I'll send that sales letter to 10,000.

        I know how to create the letter to make it get delivered, and how to get it opened.
        And I'm a pretty OK copywriter.

        Could I pull this off or is there something I'm missing/need to know?

        Btw, I'm looking for a software that can produce personalized letters, any tips?
        Not enough information:

        What are you selling? What is the value of the first sale? What is the lifetime value of the customer you will create?

        Who are you sending the letters to?

        Are you planning a single-shot mailing or multi-step?

        Also, if you're sending direct mail to a cold list (the recipient doesn't know you), don't expect a 7-8% response.
        {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[7802044].message }}
        • Profile picture of the author svedski
          Originally Posted by RRG View Post

          Not enough information:

          What are you selling? What is the value of the first sale? What is the lifetime value of the customer you will create?

          Who are you sending the letters to?

          Are you planning a single-shot mailing or multi-step?

          Also, if you're sending direct mail to a cold list (the recipient doesn't know you), don't expect a 7-8% response.
          Actually I'm not really selling but doing charity work and trying to collect money to save the Tigers from extinction.
          All the money that comes in will go straight to WWF except the costs for mailings, paper etc.

          My plan is to send the letters to retired people who own an animal (cat or dog) and who are religious.

          My plan was a single-shot mailing, but will send thank you notes to everybody who made a larger contribution to try to get them to donate once more.

          Value of sale = I would guess around $15
          Cost per mail = Around $1.25

          Which means I'd have to get 10% of the people to make a contribution.
          Do the number seem right or what do you think?

          I'm planning on creating a small booklet on how to become "happy", with meditation exercises etc. and send as a gift to everybody that contributes with $20 or more, and then sell both the book and the saving of Tigers in the same letter. Sound like a good idea?
          {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[7802067].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author AndrewCavanagh
    Originally Posted by stolpioni View Post

    I have a sales letter in the works and was planning on sending it out to 10,000 random people, and hope to god that I get my money back.
    That's one great way of throwing away $10,000.

    You could hire me at that fee and I'd get you some
    serious business.


    If you want to go down the direct mail route make a list
    of 100 ideal clients for your business (real top notch prospects
    who have enormous potential lifetime value as clients).

    Then mail to those people in a sequence...at least 6 or 7 times.

    Be creative...use some lumpy mail...really educate these prospects
    on the benefit to them of doing business with you.

    If you mail 7 letters to 100 people and you maybe spend twice
    what you would than with your 10,000 letter idea because you're
    using some lumpy mail you're still only going to invest $1,400
    or less.

    A well thought out campaign like that with perhaps two follow up
    phone calls per prospect (one near the start...one at the end)
    and you should get some serious paying clients.

    Never, ever use a shotgun approach.

    Always aim at a specific, very profitable target with direct mail.

    Kindest regards,
    Andrew Cavanagh
    Signature
    Old School Copy Like This Is BACK & Converting Like Crazy!
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[7802247].message }}
    • Profile picture of the author Huskerdarren
      Originally Posted by AndrewCavanagh View Post

      That's one great way of throwing away $10,000.

      You could hire me at that fee and I'd get you some
      serious business.


      If you want to go down the direct mail route make a list
      of 100 ideal clients for your business (real top notch prospects
      who have enormous potential lifetime value as clients).

      Then mail to those people in a sequence...at least 6 or 7 times.

      Be creative...use some lumpy mail...really educate these prospects
      on the benefit to them of doing business with you.

      If you mail 7 letters to 100 people and you maybe spend twice
      what you would than with your 10,000 letter idea because you're
      using some lumpy mail you're still only going to invest $1,400
      or less.

      A well thought out campaign like that with perhaps two follow up
      phone calls per prospect (one near the start...one at the end)
      and you should get some serious paying clients.

      Never, ever use a shotgun approach.

      Always aim at a specific, very profitable target with direct mail.

      Kindest regards,
      Andrew Cavanagh
      How did you come up with $1400? 7 letters to 100 prospects is 700 x 48c for a US first class stamp, or about $350 in postage plus maybe another $100 for paper, ink and envelopes.
      {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[7802612].message }}
      • Profile picture of the author RRG
        Originally Posted by Huskerdarren View Post

        How did you come up with $1400? 7 letters to 100 prospects is 700 x 48c for a US first class stamp, or about $350 in postage plus maybe another $100 for paper, ink and envelopes.
        He's estimating $2 per piece per prospect. You can't send lumpy mail for the price of a stamp. You might want to send one step in a 9x12 catalog envelope. You might want to send a letter with a bag of shredded money attached to it.

        The other point is that you have to know your numbers and your target market. If you believe you can gain even a single client from this campaign that is worth, say, $10,000 to you, that's a helluva Return on Investment.

        Which is all that matters, by the way. Not response rate; not how much you paid to send the mailing. ROI is what matters.
        {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[7802763].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author svedski
    Andrew:

    Does that still count with my group of people?
    Do you have any tips on how to get a list of potential charitable people that love animals?
    I've tried to contact some agencies but they could only provide gender, age, zip codes, income etc and not wheter or not they were religious or owned a dog.
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[7802406].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author mrmatt
    It is a big mistake to sell two things in one letter.

    Save the tigers and meditation? Confusing

    If it is a bonus for sending in more money it's okay I guess. But unless you are sending this letter to people who are interested in the metaphysical I just won't make sense.

    Random list is a big mistake. You should be able to buy lists of donors who have made contributions to similar organizations that are also into the metaphysical world of meditation. Then your copy can be directed to them specifically vs. general in nature.

    $1.25 seems high per piece, although I don't know what you are mailing. I was paying that for an 8 page sales letter to a credit based list which is $.25 a name and hand written addresses with live stamps.
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[7802420].message }}
    • Profile picture of the author Biz Max
      ugh, not even copywriting gurus send out 10,000 untested pieces.

      I know someone who bought some 'proven' postcard template from a WSO, sent
      out 10,000 and did not get one call. The card looked pretty good so you never know.

      Don't do it or you will fail. Then you'll come back here and say 'direct mail is dead!"
      Signature
      Small Business Marketing & Branding Specialist
      http://BrandWhisperer.net
      {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[7802439].message }}
    • Profile picture of the author svedski
      Originally Posted by mrmatt View Post

      It is a big mistake to sell two things in one letter.

      Save the tigers and meditation? Confusing

      If it is a bonus for sending in more money it's okay I guess. But unless you are sending this letter to people who are interested in the metaphysical I just won't make sense.

      Random list is a big mistake. You should be able to buy lists of donors who have made contributions to similar organizations that are also into the metaphysical world of meditation. Then your copy can be directed to them specifically vs. general in nature.

      $1.25 seems high per piece, although I don't know what you are mailing. I was paying that for an 8 page sales letter to a credit based list which is $.25 a name and hand written addresses with live stamps.
      So you think that I could go straight to the charity organizations and buy lists from them? Because I'm located outside of the States and there just ain't no company selling those types of lists here.

      My thought with the "be happy" book is the connection between "Make a contribution = Feel Happy" and then get some extra free techniques in a book on how to feel even happier.
      And then mail this piece to only people interested in religion/spirituality who owns a pet (and if I could get a list of people who made contributions before, that's excellent!).

      But would you say that if I couldn't possibly get a list of people who have made contributions before, or info about wheter they're religious or not (religious people spend 4 times as much money as regular people on charity),
      should I avoid doing it?

      I could probably only get a list of people divided in gender, age and location (at least from the regular route, I guess there's always another way).
      {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[7802503].message }}

Trending Topics