We used to complain about junk in our mailbox, now we complain about junk in our inbox. It is refreshing to receive something other than a bill to be paid in the mail. Sorry, folks! Snail mail is not dead.
I've Got MAIL! Yes, physical mail. Take it out of the envelope and see what's inside.... Ya -- it's not a bill to be paid! Wow -- look at that. It's a newsletter.
Funny how such a little thing like receiving something in the mail that is not a bill can brighten your day. We used to complain about all the junk we would get in our mailboxes. Now we complain about the amount of junk we receive in our inbox. Regardless of how you receive information, whether you believe it or not, both methods work in getting your message out to your potential customers. And today, sending a hand written note, a card to say hello or your monthly newsletter by Canada Post, can make all the difference in the world in whether your information is read.
Why? Most people have long been in the practice to open their mail, read it, deal with it and file it. The one-touch system at its best. It's rare that physical mail is set aside to be dealt with at a later time. Versus the same message sent by email -- the recipient is more likely to scan the subject line and flag it for a later read, never to be seen again... Well maybe when cleaning up their inbox. It's just too easy to file something away in your inbox.
Don't get me wrong. I'm a firm believer in email marketing -- after all I've built my business using email marketing and marketing automation. But getting a physical document, card, note in the mail just seems a little more personal and a rarity in today's society. So - snail mail is not dead!
Newsletter in the Mail
This past week I received a company newsletter from TAG Computer Services in the mail. Now TAG is one of my clients, (if you need an IT guy he's it) so I know full well what his marketing entails -- including the newsletter, since I put it together for him each month. Having already read it two or three times in the proof reading process, it was still nice to receive it in the mail. I actually re-read it, paying attention to the content instead of proofreading it. I'm not the only one who loved getting it in the mail. TAG has received many positive responses, many along the lines of --
nice to have something physical to read, I actually read it. Thank you for sending it to me.
Postcard in the Mail
Two years ago, I received a hand-written note on a postcard from a real estate agent. It was such a nice thought. The agent who sent it to me, actually put some thought into the piece. It was highly personal in that this agent knew I love owls (as does the rest of the world), sending me a postcard with an owl on it and a personal note asking for referrals and to keep her in mind should I be looking to buy. How nice was that!
Card in the Mail
Last year I received a greeting card in the mail from Staples. The sales rep for Staples was trying to drum up new account signups for delivery services. I really don't remember what was on the card. I do remember the inside was typed and obviously printed in bulk for the purposes of marketing, however what stood out was, this sales person took the time to write a post-it-note with a message specifically to me. A few days later, he followed up by email, which I dismissed, but then a few days after that, he followed up by phone - and I took the call! Why, because this guy was working hard to reach me, and the card with the personal note was still fresh in my mind.
It's the little things that make a difference!
Snail Mail is Not Dead!
Consider what you can do to stand out in the crowd of literature sent daily by email or mail. What can you do to grab your customer's or potential customer's attention? What can you do to make them remember you, even if they do not require your product or service at the moment. Snail mail might just be the solution, backed up by email marketing...
Think about it!
PRowl Communications has numerous solutions and ideas to deliver the right message, at the right time, in the right place, to the right people, for the right reason.
How Future-Proof Is Your Business?