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Dust Mite Man
09-18-2008, 08:32 PM
Has anyone tried the shock box idea. The idea is instead of just sending a letter or postcard to a potential client, you send them a little box of stuff. The box would contain things like testimonials, coffee sachets, before and after pics, free stuff and that sort of thing. Very inexpensive but a little time consuming I suspect.

Thanks

orion_joel
09-19-2008, 12:46 AM
It does not always have to be a full box, many years ago, before people were sending a lot out other then just a letter. A guy i was working for tried a few different little things.

One was he included a Tea Bag in the envelope with the letter, and in the closing paragraph suggested they now enjoy a cup of tea.

I think for a time with some of the network marketing programs there was a few that made use of a coin stuck to the letter.

I think the idea of the shock box, is really something that could work for some types of businesses, probably more so the businesses that offer a bit higher end product that is a competitive market. While i think it is pretty obvious there would be some markets where this really could just be a waste of marketing dollars.

Paul Elliott
09-19-2008, 02:34 PM
It does not always have to be a full box, many years ago, before people were sending a lot out other then just a letter. A guy i was working for tried a few different little things.

One was he included a Tea Bag in the envelope with the letter, and in the closing paragraph suggested they now enjoy a cup of tea.

This is a technique often called "lumpy mail." I'm not sure where it started, but one of the first I'm aware of was "send 'em one white sock." The idea was that when they responded they got the other white sock.


I think for a time with some of the network marketing programs there was a few that made use of a coin stuck to the letter.

The most I ever got was a dollar bill, though I heard of larger bills being tried. This plays on the principle of reciprocity. If I give you something, psychologically you feel you should reciprocate as though you now owed me something.

I don't think the cash was a very good idea, but I call it the "something-for-nothing seesaw." When we load the seesaw more on our end, the other person--the customer--doesn't like having his or her feet in the air.

That person wants to re-establish the equilibrium with both people having feet on the ground. If that person can't purchase or doesn't need the product or service we are selling, he or she will try to balance the seesaw by referring us someone else who does.

By the way, ALWAYS acknowledge those referrals.

What would be better than having all those people you have ever contacted or who purchased from you also become your best sales people? In part you accomplish this by building good relationships with each of them.

Turn them into raving fans!

Paul

vangogh
09-23-2008, 02:06 AM
Mailings generally don't fit well with marketing my business, but I have seen people send unconventional items in the mail, whether it's a variety of things in a box or simply something different.

I think it's a good idea to send something different, since at the very least it captures attention. If you send me ordinary mail, it's probably getting tossed without being opened. If you send me something 'lumpy' I'll at least be curious enough to open it and find out what's inside.

With a shock box (I didn't know that was the term) you are putting more into the package and it's going to cost more to send. I'd reserve it for a small subset of your market. It's probably not going to be cost effective as a general mailer, but it could turn potential leads who are on the fence.

I'd only send it to people I'd already had contact with and thought just needed a little nudge to become a client or customer. Even better might be to use the shock box for existing clients/customers as a thank you and a way to keep them loyal.

KristineS
09-23-2008, 04:32 PM
One thing to keep in the mind is the fact that the value in this type of a promotion comes from being the first person that does it. The first person who sends a bag of coffee and urges his or her client to wake up to new business is being innovative. Everyone after him is just copying the original idea.

A really innovative and fun promotion from a larger company will probably get press and get mentioned a lot. Once it gets mentioned and stops being unique then it loses a lot of its punch.

Paul Elliott
09-23-2008, 09:13 PM
A really innovative and fun promotion from a larger company will probably get press and get mentioned a lot. Once it gets mentioned and stops being unique then it loses a lot of its punch.

Of course, the innovative marketer will drop the mailing, then issue Press Releases designed to land the day after the mailing does touting what a great idea it was to market such-and-such in this very clever way. :D

Paul

orion_joel
09-24-2008, 12:43 AM
I do like the idea of the shock box but do agree with Vangogh, it can quickly become rather expensive to do on a large scale.

While i know different things like that have been done on large scale many times, i am not to sure that the cost associated with doing large scale things of this nature will actually show a decent return on investment.

One good example that i doubt would have shown a good return on investment was locally a company that sells Washing detergent for your clothes, did a distribution of a 50ml sample bottle to at least the major metro area (population over 2million) which i would have thought would incur a fairly large expense, maybe not so much in the sample they gave away, but more so in the actual putting it in everyone's mailbox.

Blessed
09-24-2008, 09:04 AM
A good place to send Shock Boxes too are the newsrooms of newspapers, tv stations, radio stations, etc... we received a lot more of those types of mailings at the newspaper I was at then at any other place I worked. And, if we liked what was in the box, the included press release was more likely to be used as an information source for a story or at least as filler somewhere in the paper than all the other thousands of press releases we received every day.

KristineS
09-24-2008, 12:16 PM
One good example that i doubt would have shown a good return on investment was locally a company that sells Washing detergent for your clothes, did a distribution of a 50ml sample bottle to at least the major metro area (population over 2million) which i would have thought would incur a fairly large expense, maybe not so much in the sample they gave away, but more so in the actual putting it in everyone's mailbox.

Major companies do these sorts of mailings all the time. Their marketing and sales budgets are so huge that the cost of a mass mailing is pretty negligible. Plus if even one percent of those who receive a mailing make a purchase they've made back their money and than some. So it's worth the initial expense.

Paul Elliott
11-25-2008, 08:41 PM
Has anyone tried the shock box idea. The idea is instead of just sending a letter or postcard to a potential client, you send them a little box of stuff. The box would contain things like testimonials, coffee sachets, before and after pics, free stuff and that sort of thing. Very inexpensive but a little time consuming I suspect.

A thought . . . since you are in a form of the extermination business.

And this is a true story . . . and a fraud, but it could be capitalized on.

In the 1920s there was a print ad for a treatment guaranteed to kill boll weevils, a cotton pest. I don't remember the selling price, but it was snapped up.

The package contained 2 wooden blocks labeled A and B. The instructions said to place the boll weevil on block A and crush with block B. I'm unsure whether the seller of this cure survived the advertising campaign.

However, you could use a variation in lumpy mail to amuse and get the attention of your prospective customers. :D

Paul

orion_joel
11-25-2008, 10:55 PM
Actually Paul, in this particular case it could really be capitalized on. You do exactly the same thing but maybe make it more current.

In this case you could send the two blocks of wood, with directions to place Dust Mite on block A and squash with block B. Followed by another direction, if dust mites hard to locate, contact us. Or if this doesn't work contact us.

Just making people see the light side of half measures to combat a problem that really needs a professional to look at it.

Paul Elliott
11-25-2008, 11:31 PM
Actually Paul, in this particular case it could really be capitalized on. You do exactly the same thing but maybe make it more current.

In this case you could send the two blocks of wood, with directions to place Dust Mite on block A and squash with block B. Followed by another direction, if dust mites hard to locate, contact us. Or if this doesn't work contact us.

Just making people see the light side of half measures to combat a problem that really needs a professional to look at it.

Precisely!!

Mozzy
12-05-2008, 02:34 PM
I like some of the ideas mentioned in here. There is definately a cost to sales generated ratio to consider for it to be worthwhile. I can definately see companies that are really starting to generate momentum utilize this tactic.

I remember the Neilsen ratings sent me five dollars and all I had to do was fill out some sort of survey and mail it back in. I am not the kind of person that normally succumbs to tactics to get consumers to be responsive but when I thought about how this five dollars could get me a bagel and coffee the next morning it became a real incentive for me and I filled out their survey. So it really amounts to finding what your market might find useful. Neilsen had a broad market so it was a sure bet that money would work.

Also, if you're on a budget, finding what you can get inexpensively might work as well. I imagine if you're in retail, you may be able to buy all kinds of things at a wholesale cost, of if you have an office based business, something in stationary maybe.

orion_joel
12-05-2008, 09:02 PM
There are a few things to consider Mozzy, when thinking about weather it is going to be worth while or not. In the example we have been running with getting two pieces of wood, maybe have them stamped with a logo or something catchy, that plays on the idea that is not an impractical idea, plus printing and mailing for this may work out to $3-$4. If you did this mail out to say 1000, so total cost is $3000-$4000.

If you were to have a 5% success rate, or 50 new clients who actually buy your services, you take your total cost (make it easy and say $3,500)and divide it by your new clients. Your actual cost to acquire a new customer in this case would be $70.00 per customer.

Moving away from the example, and just in general, once you know what the cost per client will be (if you make an assumption on your conversion rate) you can work out if the whole idea will be successful or not. The other consideration is whether you can look at the cost per new client as a one off cost that will continue to return money as the client comes back over and over again, in which case you can offset the cost against the lifetime value of the customer. Or if this cost is basically what it is going to convert to every time you want to bring a new customer on board, and they don't come back again.

jem
01-30-2009, 09:44 AM
I heard of an interesting idea recently.

This guy mailed airline SICK BAGS. Inside the headline said "Does your xxxx make you sick?"

You can make xxx whatever you want or e.g. "current cell phone provider"

He claims he mailed out 140 and got over 30 responses (pretty good response rate) avg cost of about $1.80 each all in...

I'm certainly considering it!

JEM

Paul Elliott
01-30-2009, 11:01 AM
I'm certainly considering it!

For what business and what offer to what list?

Paul

vangogh
01-30-2009, 11:48 AM
I'm wondering what the business was too. I suspect it wouldn't work for all.

I'm thinking the high response rate is in part due to the sick bags. It's certainly not something you get in the mail every day and it's going to grab your attention. Using them certainly allowed the marketer to get a message through. Depending on the business and the actual message and offer I can see it working well. Of course a poor message won't work even if you do gather that initial attention so it would be interesting to know what the business was and what was the full pitch.

Still a clever idea. Anytime you can do something to make your message stand out from others you've won at least part of the battle.

jem
01-30-2009, 11:50 AM
Paul,

It was to small local businesses - I *believe* it was a manually compiled list of local businesses that he hand selected (so I am guessing a good list)...

My guess is it gets the thing opened (hurdle one) and it is certainly memorable (I would think)

Whats your view on it?

Simon

vangogh
01-30-2009, 12:09 PM
Do you know what the actual offer was? What exactly was 'xxx' I think the specifics of the product or service would help determine why the response rate was so good. For example I wouldn't think if I sent out the airsickness bag with the question does your web designer make you sick I'd see much return. I would think my message would be read, but I wouldn't expect my phone to start ringing with new leads.

If 'xxx' happens to be something that generally does turn people's stomachs the pitch would work much better to generate calls.

jem
01-30-2009, 12:23 PM
Sorry I didn't answer the question orginally asked!!!

It was in the website biz. One of my competitors actually!

So maybe you should give it a shot - hey you never know!!!!!!

vangogh
01-30-2009, 12:41 PM
Interesting that it was in the web design industry. I'd be curious to see the whole mailing. I'm still not sure it's something I'd want to send out. I think it sends the wrong brand message for me, but it's still an interesting idea and even more interesting how well it worked.

Paul Elliott
01-30-2009, 12:56 PM
Now, we're getting somewhere.


It was to small local businesses - I *believe* it was a manually compiled list of local businesses that he hand selected (so I am guessing a good list)...

"Good" for what? What are your selection criteria? Local businesses doing what?


My guess is it gets the thing opened (hurdle one) and it is certainly memorable (I would think)

I'd start with teaser copy on the outside of the envelope before adding a "lump." Good teaser copy usually does a better job of getting the package opened, though an added lump bumps the yield.

I try to resist being too picky, but your small numbers can lead you seriously astray with a hit or two. You may then spend thousands of dollars before the next hit.

Careful think though your effort with good research and planning are essential to make the best use of your funds. Otherwise, you may find yourself fundless with little to show for it.


Simon

Ah, a person! Welcome, Simon, are you actually in NJ ...Moldova? ...Kazakhstan? :rolleyes:

Paul :D

Paul Elliott
01-30-2009, 12:59 PM
I heard of an interesting idea recently.

This guy mailed airline SICK BAGS. Inside the headline said "Does your xxxx make you sick?"

You can make xxx whatever you want or e.g. "current cell phone provider"

He claims he mailed out 140 and got over 30 responses (pretty good response rate) avg cost of about $1.80 each all in...

I'm certainly considering it!

JEM

What was a "response?" ...Simply a call back to complain of mailing induced nausea before lunch? How much business did he actually get from the mailing?

Paul

jem
01-30-2009, 01:38 PM
The response appears to be actual biz.

Here is the just of the post incl response etc

Agree about trying on bigger listings, but assuming the gentleman wasn't lying (and I don't believe he was since we have swapped some messages) he considers it a success


Dear Business Owner:

Who in the world would send out a vomit bag by mail?

My name is XXXXX and I specialize in transforming lackluster websites into customer-building, revenue-generating machines.

Whether your website was originally created in-house, done by a friend/acquaintance or outsourced to some web development company for an obscene amount - I'm willing to bet that you hoped for BETTER RESULTS.

Look. I deal with customers every day that are SICK of all the money they spend on marketing and are PULLING THEIR HAIR OUT trying to figure ways of boosting their business.

I'm the BETTER WAY.

Your website looks great - and I'm not trying to sell you some massive website remodeling job - I just KNOW that it's not being maximized. My focus is leveraging your existing site and visitors using a powerful script addition that builds a TARGETED CLIENT LIST...one that grows automatically and daily!

Customers using this tool find they can cut their monthly advertising budget some 50%!

If you think this mailer was creative (it got you to open it, right) then think of what I could do for your website...and more importantly, for your bottom line.

Here's what I'd like you to do:

1) Call me at XXX-XXXX and let me know when we can meet. We can discuss transforming your website that draws in customer like a MARKETING MAGNET.

2) Send me an email at XXX@XXXXX.com and tell me when would be a best time to contact you.

Looking forward to hearing from you.

All the best.

XXXX XXXXX
Phone: XXX-XXXX
Email: XXX@XXXXX.com

P.S. - If you aren't interested in MORE CUSTOMERS and MORE REVENUE, please give this mailer to one of your neighboring businesses. They might be.



RESULTS: 11 calls, 13 emails, 5 no thank you's. (4 appointments next week, 3 on-the-spot "come in and let's start", 1 "do you do full websites?" which turned into a full website gig.)

COSTS: I considered these "large envelopes" so paid .83 for postage. Label at .02. Letter at .04. vomit bag at .42 ($1.31 per mailer...so a total of $183.40)

REVENUE: $1,800 for AutoResponders + $80/month (4 mailings per month that they write) $1,200 for the website (around 6 pages total with AutoResponder) + $160/month (4 mailings that *I* write for them)...so a total of $3,000 and $240/month recurring.

AND I still have 4 appointments to see next week.


Yes I am in NJ - in Monmouth County - anybody else in my neck of the woods?

Originally from London (UK) but have been this side of the pond for 13 years so I kind of have a 'twang' for an accent

vangogh
01-30-2009, 02:19 PM
That's actually a pretty good sales pitch. I don't really believe the actual offering is quite as good as advertised, but I think the pitch is really good, especially if the list was targeted to typical business with websites.

Most average mom and pop retailers with a website likely have the problems mentioned. My own experience tells me the solution isn't a simple script to collect emails, but rather a better website. I can see though, how this solution would appeal to many. It's easy and doesn't cost much so it's likely to get a response. Though truthfully the real solution is to put more effort into the site and marketing in general.

I'm not from New Jersey, but I'm originally from New York (Long Island) and have certainly crossed state lines on many occasions.

jem
01-30-2009, 02:31 PM
That's actually a pretty good sales pitch. I don't really believe the actual offering is quite as good as advertised, but I think the pitch is really good, especially if the list was targeted to typical business with websites.

Most average mom and pop retailers with a website likely have the problems mentioned. My own experience tells me the solution isn't a simple script to collect emails, but rather a better website. I can see though, how this solution would appeal to many. It's easy and doesn't cost much so it's likely to get a response. Though truthfully the real solution is to put more effort into the site and marketing in general.

I'm not from New Jersey, but I'm originally from New York (Long Island) and have certainly crossed state lines on many occasions.

He said he checked they had websites, and didn't have a lead capture mechanism in place - so I guess that's a pretty targeted list.

In terms of value - it can be suprisingly good for the business. It of course depends on a whole host of factors, but take a retail store with good foot traffic and you can soon build a list of several thousand (I am working with a Knitting store, who have managed to build a 4000+ mailing list - now just to get them on email!!!!). Depending on average size of each sale you don't need to get a huge response to special offers etc.

As with all of these things there are MANY factors which determine the outcome - that's what makes this fun right!!!!!???

BTW - I really like your 'torn paper' look on you site. Nice.

vangogh
01-30-2009, 04:27 PM
Thanks for the compliment on the torn paper. I like that look so I learned how to create it.

I hope I didn't come across too negative about the product. My thinking is more that the automation part sounds a little unrealistic in the sense that I wonder how targeted it would be to build that fast. If a site is small and not getting much traffic how can it really build a targeted list quickly?

I would think it would need to build a list from more than the one site, which makes it less targeted. I'd also suggest that unless someone willing joins your list that person's contact is of limited use.

The success rate of the air sickness bag probably had a lot to do with it being sent to a very targeted group of people with a good sales pitch. And it took some work to visit all the sites, etc. I don't know how it would have worked had it not been so targeted.

Then again I obviously don't know the specifics of the product or how it works. For all I know it may live up to every claim it makes and even work better. I don't want to put another person's product down when I really don't have enough information to know what it can do.

jem
01-30-2009, 05:43 PM
Thanks for the compliment on the torn paper. I like that look so I learned how to create it.

I hope I didn't come across too negative about the product. My thinking is more that the automation part sounds a little unrealistic in the sense that I wonder how targeted it would be to build that fast. If a site is small and not getting much traffic how can it really build a targeted list quickly?

I would think it would need to build a list from more than the one site, which makes it less targeted. I'd also suggest that unless someone willing joins your list that person's contact is of limited use.

The success rate of the air sickness bag probably had a lot to do with it being sent to a very targeted group of people with a good sales pitch. And it took some work to visit all the sites, etc. I don't know how it would have worked had it not been so targeted.

Then again I obviously don't know the specifics of the product or how it works. For all I know it may live up to every claim it makes and even work better. I don't want to put another person's product down when I really don't have enough information to know what it can do.

One key to making this work (at least for smaller retail biz's) is to use their FOOT traffic. Store can get HUNDREDS of people each day thru their doors. That is just GOLD. These are people in the store - talk about targeted (I get goose bumps just thinking about it!!!!) - the conversion rates can be astonishing

Have you been to Kohls recently? They give you $5 off your purchase there and then if you give them your email addr. They have worked out the value of an email address.

Bringing offline and online together is AMAZINGLY powerful. Few are doing it (it's growing) and it's almost completely ignored in the small/med sized biz land

Of course getting people to open your emails is a whole other story!!!!!!!!!!!

vangogh
01-30-2009, 06:54 PM
I agree with everything you say. Maybe I was just misinterpreting the sales pitch. Originally I was thinking it was selling a product that would automate things, but on rereading it I'm thinking it's maybe more about hiring the person who sent out the mailer. I guess I'm still a little confused on the details of what's being offered.

It's the mention of the revenue at the end of the sales pitch that made it sound automated. The $1800 from auto responders part specifically.

I think it makes perfect sense for businesses to coordinate online and offline sales and marketing. You should be coordinating all part of your business to get everything working together instead of at cross purposes.

orion_joel
01-30-2009, 09:20 PM
The number's seem to add up on this. The actual profit or revenue generated is sort of not a relevant factor the actual conversion rate's are. Because to start with you have to look at creating a marketing campaign that is relative in cost to the amount you are spending. I could hope he wouldn't do a similar campaign if his product was $30 ties or something small.

If you convert the number's it is around 20% response, including the no thank-you's (however these i would expect you should consider looking at and marketing to again in the future, because at least they took the time to respond even to say no, which means they did read what you sent)

From the actual sales, the the conversion is around 2-3% but what is more important i think is the cost of the new customer. While each mail out cost $1.31 per potential client, the account cost for a new customer comes to $45 each. If everything else could be replicated then you know this is how much it will cost to get a customer. So this should show you realistically what sort of profit you need to make to ensure that you are going to get a decent return. Which in this case i think is clearly showing a good return on investment.