FINANCIAL FLOWERS + WHATSIZNAME
FINANCIAL FLOWERS
Not many organizations are gutsy enough (stupid enough?) to use orange as their corporate colour. But at least one is succeeding where so many others have failed.
I’m talking about virtual financial bank ING Direct. And one big reason for their success is the creative they use, whether it be simple straight-talking TV commercials or arresting direct mail.
They sent me a 6-1/8 X 9-5/8” vertical envelope with a circular second window on the back. Through it, I could see an orange ‘flower’ saying, “Plant me.”
I just had to open the package to confirm that ING was continuing to be honest even when using a tricky little device.
True to their word, the paper flower they’d sent could be planted. And I could watch it grow over the next 1-4 weeks…just like I could watch my money grow if I bought the investment vehicle they were promoting.
TIP #1: if your business is virtual, you have to combat people’s natural suspicions. So be disarmingly up-front at every possible opportunity…like ING.
TIP #2: if you’re using an involvement device of any kind, make sure it’s relevant to your overall message.
TIP #3: do something unexpected. ING could have sent flower seeds like so many direct mailers have in the past. Instead, they sent a paper flower containing hidden seeds that are released when the flower’s immersed in water. Cool.
WHAT’S MY NAME?
A charity sent me a renewal package last week. It was very well written. But something about it bothered me.
It was addressed to” Mr. Bob Knight”. The salutation read, “Dear Mr. Knight.” But a paragraph on the first page began, “Bob, as soon as I read this note…”
TIP: Go ahead and use personalization in more than one place on your letter. But decide what you’re going to call the recipient. If you call him one thing one time and something different the next, the poor reader won’t know how personal your relationship is. That can cause confusion among people like…
Dr. Bob
symbiomarketing@telus.net
Not many organizations are gutsy enough (stupid enough?) to use orange as their corporate colour. But at least one is succeeding where so many others have failed.
I’m talking about virtual financial bank ING Direct. And one big reason for their success is the creative they use, whether it be simple straight-talking TV commercials or arresting direct mail.
They sent me a 6-1/8 X 9-5/8” vertical envelope with a circular second window on the back. Through it, I could see an orange ‘flower’ saying, “Plant me.”
I just had to open the package to confirm that ING was continuing to be honest even when using a tricky little device.
True to their word, the paper flower they’d sent could be planted. And I could watch it grow over the next 1-4 weeks…just like I could watch my money grow if I bought the investment vehicle they were promoting.
TIP #1: if your business is virtual, you have to combat people’s natural suspicions. So be disarmingly up-front at every possible opportunity…like ING.
TIP #2: if you’re using an involvement device of any kind, make sure it’s relevant to your overall message.
TIP #3: do something unexpected. ING could have sent flower seeds like so many direct mailers have in the past. Instead, they sent a paper flower containing hidden seeds that are released when the flower’s immersed in water. Cool.
WHAT’S MY NAME?
A charity sent me a renewal package last week. It was very well written. But something about it bothered me.
It was addressed to” Mr. Bob Knight”. The salutation read, “Dear Mr. Knight.” But a paragraph on the first page began, “Bob, as soon as I read this note…”
TIP: Go ahead and use personalization in more than one place on your letter. But decide what you’re going to call the recipient. If you call him one thing one time and something different the next, the poor reader won’t know how personal your relationship is. That can cause confusion among people like…
Dr. Bob
symbiomarketing@telus.net
posted by DoctorBob | 10:33 AM
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