Page 216 - Duct Tape Marketing

200 Part IV: Getting the Word Out without Advertising

Remember that when you purchase labels from a list owner, you are renting,
not buying, the names. You are not allowed to use the list beyond the scope
of your agreement or to duplicate the labels for additional mailings. Once you
conduct your mailing, however, individuals from the rented list will respond
to your company for more information. From that point on, you may market
to these respondents: By responding to your mailer, the individuals have
basically given you permission to do so.

Deciding on your offer

A successful offer must relate to — and build credibility in — your product or
service. It should also be unique, valuable, and interesting to your prospect.

Don’t use your existing promotional materials or items emblazoned with your
company name or logo as your offer. People get promotional material (for
free) daily — they certainly don’t want to take the time to write and ask for it
unless it is extremely unique or exclusive.

So what is a good offer?

Table 13-2 shows how a public relations agency that’s seeking to build rela-
tionships with CEOs might weigh offers as bad, better, and improved.

Table 13-2 Examples of Direct Mail Offers

Bad Example Better Example Improved Example

Invite the CEO to Invite the CEO to request a Invite the CEO to specify how
request a free bro-
chure featuring case free guide featuring advice many free copies of “How to
histories of some of
the agency’s recent on “How to Write News Write News Releases and
public relations suc-
cess stories. Releases and Manage Manage Media Interviews”

Media Interviews.” she would like you to deliver.

Why? Why? Why?

This brochure is a This guide is a free The CEO has a good reason to

promotional piece, and resource that can benefit respond to this offer. It

this “offer” asks the the recipient. It contains promises a valuable and

CEO to take time to advice that public relations unique item, and because

request the kind of professionals usually sell only the CEO knows how

thing that other com- by the hour. It also many copies her company

panies send out on addresses the needs of the can use, the response request

routine basis. The CEO’s CEO. has meaning.

response will likely be,

“So what?”