NOT BELIEVABLE + WRONG IMPRESSION + SORRY
NOT BELIEVEABLE
Whenever you send a direct mail letter, you want it to appear to be a genuine, personal message from one person to another…because that kind of letter typically generates a higher response rate and helps strengthen the relationship between sender and recipient.
Obviously there’s at least one non-profit out there that either disagrees with that philosophy or hasn’t heard of it.
I made a donation to this organization in the fall and received a receipt with a thank-you letter in November. About the same time, I made another donation to their cause. The next month I got another receipt…and the self-same thank you letter.
As a result, my belief that they know me and truly value my help is pretty much shattered. So are the chances that I’ll be donating to them again any time soon.
TIP: Don’t keep sending the same ‘thank you’ message to frequent donors…or soon you’ll no longer have occasion to thank them.
WRONG IMPRESSION
I’ve ranted before about MBNA sending packages with teasers reading, “Important Information Enclosed”…and how, until I got wise, I’d open up the envelope thinking it contained my statement. But it would only be sales materials.
Now they have a new technique to trick me, evidenced by a package I received last week.
The envelope still features the aforementioned teaser. But they’ve added a red stenciled box reading, “2nd Attempt.” It made me – and probably my letter carrier – think I’d missed a payment.
So how did they justify the perceived knock on my integrity? By saying that, “This is your second chance to say ‘Yes’ and save.”
Dear MBNA, I didn’t say ‘yes’ the first time because I wasn’t interested in your offer. I’m saying ‘no’ this time with even greater joy, because of your tactics. In fact, I’m canceling my card because of this and the fact that you phoned me 5 times within the past 11 days…and I’m sick of trying to get you to understand a simple two-letter word.”
TIP: When you’re prospecting, go ahead and push the DM envelope; you don’t have much to lose. But tread carefully when you’re dealing with loyal customers. They might just cease to be customers at all.
SORRY
Sorry! I usually alert blog readers when I’m about to send out my Rants ‘N Raves newsletter, so any non-subscribers can sign up in time. Last week, though, I sent it off without saying a word.
If you’re not yet a Rants ‘N Raves subscriber but want to become one – and receive the last issue – just get in touch with…
Dr. Bob
symbiomarketing@telus.net
Whenever you send a direct mail letter, you want it to appear to be a genuine, personal message from one person to another…because that kind of letter typically generates a higher response rate and helps strengthen the relationship between sender and recipient.
Obviously there’s at least one non-profit out there that either disagrees with that philosophy or hasn’t heard of it.
I made a donation to this organization in the fall and received a receipt with a thank-you letter in November. About the same time, I made another donation to their cause. The next month I got another receipt…and the self-same thank you letter.
As a result, my belief that they know me and truly value my help is pretty much shattered. So are the chances that I’ll be donating to them again any time soon.
TIP: Don’t keep sending the same ‘thank you’ message to frequent donors…or soon you’ll no longer have occasion to thank them.
WRONG IMPRESSION
I’ve ranted before about MBNA sending packages with teasers reading, “Important Information Enclosed”…and how, until I got wise, I’d open up the envelope thinking it contained my statement. But it would only be sales materials.
Now they have a new technique to trick me, evidenced by a package I received last week.
The envelope still features the aforementioned teaser. But they’ve added a red stenciled box reading, “2nd Attempt.” It made me – and probably my letter carrier – think I’d missed a payment.
So how did they justify the perceived knock on my integrity? By saying that, “This is your second chance to say ‘Yes’ and save.”
Dear MBNA, I didn’t say ‘yes’ the first time because I wasn’t interested in your offer. I’m saying ‘no’ this time with even greater joy, because of your tactics. In fact, I’m canceling my card because of this and the fact that you phoned me 5 times within the past 11 days…and I’m sick of trying to get you to understand a simple two-letter word.”
TIP: When you’re prospecting, go ahead and push the DM envelope; you don’t have much to lose. But tread carefully when you’re dealing with loyal customers. They might just cease to be customers at all.
SORRY
Sorry! I usually alert blog readers when I’m about to send out my Rants ‘N Raves newsletter, so any non-subscribers can sign up in time. Last week, though, I sent it off without saying a word.
If you’re not yet a Rants ‘N Raves subscriber but want to become one – and receive the last issue – just get in touch with…
Dr. Bob
symbiomarketing@telus.net
posted by DoctorBob | 2:02 AM
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