URGENT & HUNGRY
HOW URGENT IS 'URGENT'?
I received a small envelope with the words, "CASH EXPRESS Urgent Notice Enclosed" emblazoned across it. Showing through the window was a yellow enclosure. The mailing looked important so I opened it up.
It turned out to be a faux telegram from CitiFinancial, offering me a personal loan. But I was told that I had to, "Act quickly – funds may not be available after October 12, 2007."
I don't know about you, but 7 or 8 weeks' lead time doesn't put me into a state of panic.
The other thing that bothered me was that the first line of copy stated I had been "Pre-Selected*" to receive this offer. Pre-approved I can understand. But pre-selected? If you know the answer, please tell me – what's the difference between being pre-selected and just selected?
It's like all the "Pre-Christmas" sales you see in December. Why not just "Christmas Sale"? After all, no retailers are open on December 25th anyway so all sales at that time of year are "pre".
But maybe the bigger question is – do faux telegrams work in a world that hasn't seen a real telegram in 25 years?
HUNGRY FOR A DIFFERENT ANSWER
The people who used to live in my house sponsored two children through Canadian Food For The Hungry International (CFHI), an organization focused on helping starving kids around the world. And now that the former owners' change-of-address service has expired, I'm getting some of their mail.
Last week I received a package from CFHI. And I really like the look of it. It's clean and in full colour, featuring crayon-like drawings. But what I like even more is the copy.
It's conversational without being overly familiar. It's simple yet not condescending. It's repetitious in parts but not boring.
Better yet? The package contains two sheets, each of which features four book stickers with the words, "This book belongs to: "
One sponsored child's name has been lasered onto one set of stickers, and another child's name onto the other set, so a kid can affix a sticker to a book and everyone will know it's his or hers. Copy at the bottom of each sticker reads, "Sent with love from (the name of the sponsor)" and there's a blank line for a signature.
And that's the real hook.
The addressees are monthly donors. This mailing is asking them to make a donation above and beyond their automatic monthly donation. The reward for doing so? These children will receive book labels personally signed by their sponsors.
Asking monthly donors for an extra donation is a tricky proposition but CFHI has handled it perfectly.
However, I'm still left with a huge question in my mind: how the hell old are these kids? Their names are Bob and Joan!
I don't think any child's been given those monikers since the '50s or '60s. It makes me wonder if they're now middle-aged and it would more helpful to give them bi-focals instead of book labels.
At least that's the opinion of someone with the same name as one of the sponsored children. I'm referring of course to...
Dr. Bob
b_knight@telus.net
I received a small envelope with the words, "CASH EXPRESS Urgent Notice Enclosed" emblazoned across it. Showing through the window was a yellow enclosure. The mailing looked important so I opened it up.
It turned out to be a faux telegram from CitiFinancial, offering me a personal loan. But I was told that I had to, "Act quickly – funds may not be available after October 12, 2007."
I don't know about you, but 7 or 8 weeks' lead time doesn't put me into a state of panic.
The other thing that bothered me was that the first line of copy stated I had been "Pre-Selected*" to receive this offer. Pre-approved I can understand. But pre-selected? If you know the answer, please tell me – what's the difference between being pre-selected and just selected?
It's like all the "Pre-Christmas" sales you see in December. Why not just "Christmas Sale"? After all, no retailers are open on December 25th anyway so all sales at that time of year are "pre".
But maybe the bigger question is – do faux telegrams work in a world that hasn't seen a real telegram in 25 years?
HUNGRY FOR A DIFFERENT ANSWER
The people who used to live in my house sponsored two children through Canadian Food For The Hungry International (CFHI), an organization focused on helping starving kids around the world. And now that the former owners' change-of-address service has expired, I'm getting some of their mail.
Last week I received a package from CFHI. And I really like the look of it. It's clean and in full colour, featuring crayon-like drawings. But what I like even more is the copy.
It's conversational without being overly familiar. It's simple yet not condescending. It's repetitious in parts but not boring.
Better yet? The package contains two sheets, each of which features four book stickers with the words, "This book belongs to: "
One sponsored child's name has been lasered onto one set of stickers, and another child's name onto the other set, so a kid can affix a sticker to a book and everyone will know it's his or hers. Copy at the bottom of each sticker reads, "Sent with love from (the name of the sponsor)" and there's a blank line for a signature.
And that's the real hook.
The addressees are monthly donors. This mailing is asking them to make a donation above and beyond their automatic monthly donation. The reward for doing so? These children will receive book labels personally signed by their sponsors.
Asking monthly donors for an extra donation is a tricky proposition but CFHI has handled it perfectly.
However, I'm still left with a huge question in my mind: how the hell old are these kids? Their names are Bob and Joan!
I don't think any child's been given those monikers since the '50s or '60s. It makes me wonder if they're now middle-aged and it would more helpful to give them bi-focals instead of book labels.
At least that's the opinion of someone with the same name as one of the sponsored children. I'm referring of course to...
Dr. Bob
b_knight@telus.net
posted by DoctorBob | 10:40 AM
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