Lumpy Mail Gets Your Message Through
Lumpy Mail Gets Your Message Through
Author: John Jantsch
When it comes to your gravy, lumps are bad. When it comes to getting your marketing message through the mail room, past the gate keepers, and onto your buyer’s desk, lumps are just the ticket. I love direct mail for small business marketing and I’m particularly fond of something I call ‘lumpy mail.’ Lumpy mail is a direct mail piece or package with some dimension to it. A box is lumpy mail. A balloon arrangement, a kitten, a hoola hoop. You name it. The point is you just can’t ignore a piece of lumpy mail.
It’s getting harder and harder to get your message through all of the advertising clutter so sometimes you need to up the ante and make a real statement. A lumpy mail package screams notice me, open me.
A lumpy mail campaign can give your marketing message center stage attention. Of course, you’ve still got to deliver the performance. But half the battle is finding an audience.
How to run a lumpy mail campaign
Go to your core marketing messages. You core point of difference or benefit. The primary things you promote when you want to tell your prospects why they should hire you.
Now think of some unique items, trinkets, or packaging that you can use to help communicate your point. We’ll jump through hoops to get your business ‘ the hoola hoop. We’re the key to your success ‘ a box of keys. We provide total solutions ‘ a box of Total brand cereal. We’ve got the tools to help you get the job done ‘ a box of play tools. It’s very important that you can create a very strong image and metaphor for the message you are trying to communicate.
Repetition
Like any good direct mail campaign, repetition will improve your results. I usually suggest looking at three installments in your campaign. If done correctly this will usually leave the recipient eager to perform whatever call to action you request at the end of the campaign.
A building series
A very powerful way to construct your campaign, particularly if your audience is not too familiar with you, is to create your three pieces in a story fashion. Each piece builds on the last and delivers an integrated message. You can use this method to build intrigue. Many times I will send the first piece in a lumpy campaign without
