MONDAY, AUGUST 20
LADIES ONLY PLEASE
I’ve always said you can learn a lot from direct mail. And my contention was proven correct last week.
The proof: a DM package I received informed me that I’m a woman, something I’d never known…and something that also surprised my wife, not to mention my kids who apparently now have two people to call Mom.
Right on the front of the outer envelope there’s my invitation to, “Come hear how women like you are making money using ebay, Yahoo!, Google, msn…” And, on the back, the copy reads, “Ladies, this is a special night just for us.”
The package is all about receiving a free dinner and gifts for attending a conference about how to cash in on the Internet. And since I’m allowed to bring two guests, I could invite my wife and mother.
On second thought, I won’t ask Mom – she received the same package so she already has an invitation. And even with her own pass, I doubt if she’ll attend. She’s now 90 and I just don’t think she’s one of those women interested in, “creating part-time and full-time incomes from home on the Internet.”
The package is well-written and well-designed. And it utilizes a host of proven DM techniques in the proper ways. So the creative folks have done their job.
But who’s managing the List?
One other feature of this mailing bothers me. My package hypes a free MP3 player with copy and photos, while also mentioning that I’ll receive a free business organizer.
Mom’s package, on the other hand, displays the business organizer and only mentions the free MP3 player in copy.
I can go along with a test to see which gift draws the biggest response. But I can’t understand why they’d create two packages offering identical presents, with the only difference being which one they show visually.
At the end of the day, after spending a bunch of extra money in production, all they’re going to know is that people like the photo of one gift better than the photo of the other gift.
And, of course, they’ll learn that at least one woman on their invitation list won’t be attending. That would be the one named…
Dr. Bob
b_knight@telus.net
P.S. The August issue of Rant’s ‘N Raves went out last week. If you’re not on the list and would like to see it, let me know.
I’ve always said you can learn a lot from direct mail. And my contention was proven correct last week.
The proof: a DM package I received informed me that I’m a woman, something I’d never known…and something that also surprised my wife, not to mention my kids who apparently now have two people to call Mom.
Right on the front of the outer envelope there’s my invitation to, “Come hear how women like you are making money using ebay, Yahoo!, Google, msn…” And, on the back, the copy reads, “Ladies, this is a special night just for us.”
The package is all about receiving a free dinner and gifts for attending a conference about how to cash in on the Internet. And since I’m allowed to bring two guests, I could invite my wife and mother.
On second thought, I won’t ask Mom – she received the same package so she already has an invitation. And even with her own pass, I doubt if she’ll attend. She’s now 90 and I just don’t think she’s one of those women interested in, “creating part-time and full-time incomes from home on the Internet.”
The package is well-written and well-designed. And it utilizes a host of proven DM techniques in the proper ways. So the creative folks have done their job.
But who’s managing the List?
One other feature of this mailing bothers me. My package hypes a free MP3 player with copy and photos, while also mentioning that I’ll receive a free business organizer.
Mom’s package, on the other hand, displays the business organizer and only mentions the free MP3 player in copy.
I can go along with a test to see which gift draws the biggest response. But I can’t understand why they’d create two packages offering identical presents, with the only difference being which one they show visually.
At the end of the day, after spending a bunch of extra money in production, all they’re going to know is that people like the photo of one gift better than the photo of the other gift.
And, of course, they’ll learn that at least one woman on their invitation list won’t be attending. That would be the one named…
Dr. Bob
b_knight@telus.net
P.S. The August issue of Rant’s ‘N Raves went out last week. If you’re not on the list and would like to see it, let me know.
posted by DoctorBob | 12:01 AM
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