Issue #88 - Tuesday, March 31, 2020
Posted
by Denny Hatch
Why Email Ain't No Good
Compared to Direct Mail
© John Pritchett
Every day my 2 inboxes
(email and spam) are blitzed with messages. Hundreds of them.
I look at the “From”
lines and instantly delete 80% to 90% of them.
Why Am I Inundated with Spam Ecrap?
• It’s FREE! It costs the sender virtually nothing. Zip. Nada.
• The average
spammer earns $7000 per day.
• Because of billions of spams by the Russians, hoax messages by fake Facebook bots and Social Media scams, Donald Trump was elected.
The Inside Story of a Republican
Senator's Direct Mail Masterpiece
Senator's Direct Mail Masterpiece
In October 1984 Peggy and I had scraped up
$10,000 and launched WHO’S MAILING WHAT!—what became an iconic newsletter and archive
service for direct marketers.
At that time more money was spent on direct mail advertising than all other media combined—TV, newspapers and magazines, telemarketing, billboards, skywriting. The Internet was non-existent.
At that time more money was spent on direct mail advertising than all other media combined—TV, newspapers and magazines, telemarketing, billboards, skywriting. The Internet was non-existent.
Roger
Craver
That
year (on up to the 2020) Roger Craver was (and is) the premier direct mail
fundraiser for Democratic political candidates and liberal causes (e.g., Habitat for Humanity). I asked
Roger to write a guest column on political direct mail.
He
couldn’t write about Democratic party direct mail, because he was the leading
fund raiser for Democratic candidates. Whereupon he asked if I would be
interested in presenting his take on Republican efforts at the time.
I
gave him a two-word answer: “DO IT!”
His
dazzling series ran in the 2nd, 3rd and 4th
issues of WHO’S MAILING WHAT! and gave our cranky little publication the
chops and creds to be taken seriously for its 40-year lifespan.
From
the pages of WHO’S MAILING WHAT! is an excerpt from Roger Craver on
Republican Party fundraising in the magical era of Ronald Reagan’s
presidency. —DH
WHO’S
MAILING WHAT!
December,
1984
DOLLAR$ FOR DEMOCRACY
by
Roger M. Craver, President
Craver Matthews Smith & Company
Creating Urgency: Jesse Helms for
Senate’s
Precious Jewel of Direct Mail
Legerdemain!
Senator Jesse Helms, R-NC
The
business of winning elections is pressure-packed. Stakes are high. Decisions
must be made and action taken in days -- not weeks or months. All this urgency
is conveyed by the format of the mailings themselves.
Of
all the Republican mailings I've reviewed in 1984, none more effectively uses a
combination of high technology and old-fashioned skill, planning, and execution
than this campaign letter from North Carolina Senior Senator Jesse Helms to his
supporters.
Dallas,
Texas. Americans are watching the Republican
Convention on TV.
Element 1: #10 Envelope and
Hand-addressed
During
this week, Helms' donors receive a hand addressed (yes, hand -- not machine
addressed) envelope from the Plaza of the Americas convention headquarters hotel
in Dallas. Under the hotel logo in the corner card of the envelope is the actual scrawl in blue ink of Jesse Helms, U.S. Senator.
Add
to these elements a live First Class Stamp and the Dallas, TX postmark and you
can bet this envelope will be opened while others may go ignored.
Elements
#2 and #3: Two Letters
Each Cross Referencing the Other
Each Cross Referencing the Other
This
is a fully personalized letter printed on actual stationery from the Plaza of
the America’s Hotel.
In
a single page this letter illustrates the best in political copywriting. The
letter’s lead screams “URGENT!”
Dear
Mrs [Name]:
Enclosed is a copy of an urgent telegram I
just received from my campaign headquarters in Raleigh.
The Lift Letter
Few
communications in our society are as automatically perceived as
"urgent" as is a telegram. That's why the political woods are full of
telegrams or telegram-like missives.
This
package shrewdly ties the telegram to a personal letter to not only achieve the
requisite sense of urgency, but to also quickly establish the other key
ingredients of selectivity and need.
In
the personalized letter, Senator Helms warns that the enclosed telegram
provides proof positive that the "liberal strategists" have launched
a "surprise move" to "crush my campaign now."
That's
why his staff had to interrupt him at the Convention. And that, Dear Reader, is
why he had to interrupt you.
The
need is clear: The campaign must counter the liberal media blitz.
The
element of continuity and effectiveness is present: We will prevail but we'll
need your help "if our counterattack over the air-waves is to be
successful."
In
a style that would have you believing you're part of the innermost circle, the
letter references the telegram from the Senator's North Carolina headquarters.
And that's where modern technology takes over.
Take
a look at this telegraphic message. Subtly, effectively, it reinforces the
covering letter and lets the donor know exactly what action is needed.
At
first blush, this is the original telegram which prompted the Senator's letter.
The canary yellow stock complete with pin-feed holes drilled into the margins
says this is an original.
The
text of the telegram conveys the urgent need and "substantiates"
Senator Helms' claim of a "surprise attack".
Then
through the wonders of database management the telegram references the donor by
name in both the third from last -- and last -- paragraphs!
Then
it does something even more important. It asks for a specific amount of money
-- an amount based on the previous giving level of that donor. And it asks for
that $75 contribution [$186.23 in 2020 dollars] by a date certain—Friday.
The
response form is the telegram itself. The reply envelope was a hand addressed
envelope complete with a live stamp going back to Senator Helms' personal
attention.
Not
only does this letter contain the key ingredients of urgency, sense of mission,
specific need and effectiveness, it gives the donor a sense that the campaign
is on top of business.
And
despite the array of techniques employed, the package does not come off as the
all too usual hardware store of direct mail gimmicks. Rather, as it should be,
each component reinforces the other, adding credibility and urgency.
Great
work!
When
it comes to techniques, the Republican repertoire this year is abundant. And
effective.
Takeaways to Consider
• Email
technology could not begin to match the power of this Jesse Helms effort.
• Email is a mouse click away from oblivion. If your recipient is rushed, in a foul mood or has a headache, your email message is dust.
• Direct mail must be physically handled and considered.
• Email is a mouse click away from oblivion. If your recipient is rushed, in a foul mood or has a headache, your email message is dust.
• Direct mail must be physically handled and considered.
• Helms’
team created a brilliant O. Henry-like short story and used direct mail to put the
actual documents in the donor’s hands.
•
Three personalized elements (envelope, letter and faux telegram) made the
mailing seem absolutely real—and the need for quick cash truly urgent!
•
Bloody brilliant!
•
Shortly before he died, Bill Jayme—whose legendary copy launched dozens of
business and consumer magazines—crystallized his philosophy of direct mail. He
said to me in an interview:
Bill Jayme
Why
is Ben and Jerry’s causing meltdowns in the sale of other ice cream
manufacturers? Because everyone knows that these two guys not only make the
stuff themselves by hand, but also personally examine each scoop.
Why is L.L. Bean the envy of Macy’s? Same
reason. Because everyone knows that old L.L. not only sews the shoes himself,
but also sees that they fit.
The two basic tenets of selling are that
(1) people buy from other people more happily than from faceless corporations
and (2) in the marketplace as in theater, there is indeed a factor at work
called “the willing suspension of disbelief.”
Who stands behind our pancakes? Aunt
Jemima. Our angel food cake? Betty Crocker. Our coffee? Juan Valdez. Anyone
over the age of three knows that it’s all a myth. But like Santa Claus, the
tooth fairy and Jesus, the myths are comforting.
•
“You need a streak of outrage. You need a sense of injustice. Without outrage,
I don’t know how the hell you can do this work.”
—Roger
Craver
•
“Always say ‘thank you.’ It’s the polite thing to do.”
—Roger
Craver
•
“Remember when laying sod, it’s green side up!”
—Roger
Craver, shouting advice to members of his staff who had volunteered to work
alongside Jimmy Carter at a Habitat for Humanity house.
###
Word
count:1326
Brilliant. Love to hear these examples of great marketing ideas. Where are the big winners of today? Crickets???? Maybe I am not listening.
ReplyDeleteRichard, Thanks for taking the time to comment. In an upcoming post: The brilliant American Express Platinum Card launch in 1986—stunning personalization—compared with the sad-sack effort (with a 6,356-word “Additional Disclosures” form dwarfing everything else in the mailing!) I received two weeks ago. Watch for it! And do keep in touch.
DeleteANYONE who sends handwritten cards (even Sendoutcards count as almost handwritten) or direct mail postcards/letters will see a huge ROI as it's so RARE these days and especially now, will get opened, read and actioned.
ReplyDeleteThat's assuming you've matched your message with the right audience at the right price and right time. You have to get all the 'rights' lined up or else it doesn't work.
It's easy to fail at direct marketing if you don't know how. But don't dismiss it, just try again, maybe change the message or the target but not both at the same time or else the test doesn't work.
Patti,
DeleteThanks for writing.
My wife, Peggy, is involved in local politics and meets regularly (oops, USED TO MEET regularly—ain’t no in-person meetings these virus-filled days—to send messages to politicians and get-out-and-vote messages to voters. They work! She gets letters from the politicians with their thoughts. Fascinating.
Do keep in touch.
That is so funny and a small world of politics and marketing Denny!
DeleteI once (very non-political me!) wrote a fundraising letter and raised $10,000! I gave away 2 bumper stickers and the chance to have coffee with a prominent politician to the area who donated the most money. I was only involved as it was for a friend who sucked at marketing and I could help out.
There are a few reasons you don't see great work like this as much as you used to. This letter would never get approved by a committee. And it would never get approved by the marcom and brand mavens. How do I know? Just happened to me. A non-profit, desperate for money, won't run the letter I wrote because it "doesn't fit our mission statement." Spare me! Hope they are around in six months, their mission statement didn't anticipate COVID-19.
ReplyDeleteBob,
DeleteThanks for writing.
I am reminded of my long interview with Marty Edelston, founder, doyen and CEO of the BOARDROOM REPORTS empire. A pissed-off woman got him on the phone and delivered a screed about how dare he waste paper by sending direct mailing that contained a two page letter that was printed on two separate sheets of paper instead of saving paper by printing it front-‘n’-back. “Madam,” Marty snarled, “I am in business to make money, not make statements!” And he hung up. Cheers.
Bob Hacker's comment promoted me to write. Bob - you are soooooo dead-on. I've worked on 8 political campaigns (won 7, lost 1). I'm dumbfounded how many people who know NOTHING about influence, persuasion and human behavior put the kabosh on something just because "I wouldn't open that!" If only I had a dollar for how many times I've had to say "we don't care about you!" The great thing I love about political campaigns is that I can easily triple my normal fee, just as printers, media and everyone else does. There's something amazing about people spending $$ when it's not theirs!!
ReplyDeleteWill,
DeleteThanks for writing.
Never thought about being able to triple normal fees to work for pols. Fascinating.
Do keep in touch.
The Republicans have turned Democrats into the enemy. The Jesse Helms letter package sure does that. And now with Trump paranoia and Russian meddling, the Democrats operate as the underdog. Each party has a record of the other's minions. Are we talking to ourselves? Do we dare invest in a mailing to the other party? Obviously it costs less to use email. In many ways I sure do appreciate my retirement.
ReplyDelete• Jeffrey,
ReplyDelete• Thanks for writing.
• The huge benefit of direct mail is that it is the only safe way to test a new product without having it stolen out from under you by the Chinese.
• Do keep in touch.
• Cheers.
• http://dennyhatch.blogspot.com/2019/04/50-how-chinese-stole-yekutiel-shermans.html