#151 People Don't Buy From Clowns

http://dennyhatch.blogspot.com/2022/03/151-people-dont-buy-from-clowns.html

 

#151  Blog Post – Wednesday, 30 March 2022

 

Posted by Denny Hatch

 

New Faces in Direct Mail

 Are Trashing the Old Rules

 

  

Hi, we’re Share Local Media

Share Local Media aims to reimagine the world of offline marketing for tech and e-commerce companies. 

As a full-service agency, program operator, and SaaS technology platform Share Local Media Helps tech and e-commerce companies leverage direct mail to achieve efficient direct response outcomes with high quality branding.

https://www.builtinnyc.com/company/share-local-media

 

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“People don’t buy from clowns.”   —David Ogilvy

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It All began with This 6” x 9” Envelope
And Its Ten 5-1/2" x 8-1/2" Inserts.

•   "The wickedest of all sins is to run an

     advertisement without a headline."

     —David Ogilvy 

 

•   “Avoid text printed over, or reversed out

     of, a busy or distracting background.”

     —Ed Elliott

 

Who Sent This? I Went Online And Found

These Clowns’ Manifesto Is Gibberish.

 

ABOUT

"Share Local Media (SLM) aims to reimagine the world of offline marketing for tech and e-commerce companies. We started as e-commerce marketers ourselves, and launched SLM with a goal of turning direct mail into a high performing, scalable channel for a digitally native client set. To do so, we’ve taken an inputs based-approach to the space, and re-engineered the channel from the ground up to make it easier to test, faster to execute, more measurable, and ultimately, more effective for e-commerce and tech clients of all types.

"We live and breathe direct response marketing, and strive to delight clients with high performing campaigns built around fast, data-driven client service, and premium, unique branding." 

 

Now Let's Have a Look at an Insert
Written and Designed by the Clowns

 Obverse (Front) Panel. Beauty Shot.

 

•   “Avoid text printed over, or reversed out

     of, a busy or distracting background.”

     —Ed Elliott

 

Reverse (Back) Panel. The Business Side (description, price, where available, order mechanism., etc.)

 

• “Never set your copy in reverse (white type on a black background) and never set it over a gray or colored tint. The old school of art directors believed that these devices forced  people to read the copy; we now know that they make reading physically impossible.”—David Ogilvy 

 

"Always make it easy and obvious how and where to order."       —Elsworth Howell 

 

"Type smaller than 9-point is difficult for most people to read."      —David Ogilvy

 
 

• The only contact information—where to order—is a single, easy-to-miss line in tiny type at the bottom of the back side of the insert:

Start exploring now at awaytravel.com

        

 

• There is no ordering information anywhere on the insert. 

 

• What is the price of these products? 

 

•  What is the USP (Unique Selling Proposition)? 

 

• In other words, how are they different from (and better than) competing products. E.g., Samsonite, TravelPro, American Tourister, Coolife? 

 

• What are these products made of? What are the "three durable materials" mentioned in the copy? 

 

• Where are they made? U.S.A? China? India?

 

BELOW: Copy Retyped for Readability

Built for modern travel        
We know travel might look different these days, but we’ve
got you covered—even if you’re not going far. Our thoughtfully
designed suitcases, bags and accessories offer something
for every type of traveler, and every type of trip.

THE PERFECT SUITCASES
Shop our suitcases in three durable materials—
each one is designed to last for life.

PREMIUM FEATURES
Four 360º spinner wheels, interior
compression system, and combination lock.

FREE SHIPPING, AND RETURNS
We’ve got all shipping covered, and
exchanges and  returns are always easy.*

 

Start exploring now at awaytravel.com

*Items with personalization cannot be returned.

 

 

• Note: the asterisked disclaimer is in wee, tiny, itsy-bitsy, minuscule 6-point Courier type reversed out in white-on-black and unreadable sans magnifying glass. This guaranteed dishonest fight-starter with customer service is hardly a confidence-builder.

 

 

Takeaways to Consider

One day a man walked into a London agency and asked to see the boss. He had bought a county house and was about to open it as a hotel. Could the agency help him to get customers? He had $500—to spend. Not surprisingly, the head of the agency turned him over to the office boy, who happened to be the author of this book. I invested his money in penny postcards and mailed them to well-heeled people living in the neighborhood. Six weeks later the hotel opened to a full house. I had tasted blood!

   —David Ogilvy, Ogilvy on Advertising

 

• Direct mail is the world’s oldest advertising technique; it goes back to 10 July 1194 A.D.

 

• Direct mail is a not a slow, clunky, cumbersome, hugely expensive antique step-child of advertising. “Direct mail is the aristocrat of advertising.” —Lew Smith

 

• Never forget the direct marketing business hub started off as the DMA (Direct Mail Association) and over the next half-century went through myriad industry name-changes. Three years after it started calling itself “Data Driven Marketing” the entire once- massive and influential organization was basically outta business—a faint shadow of its grand former self.

 

• In this epoch of the Internet, Social Media, TV, robo-calling and print advertising, direct mail is the only safe medium to use when you are testing a new product or service and be guaranteed it won’t be picked up, stolen and sold around the world by Chinese thieves and counterfeiters even before you’ve finalized your start-up financing.

 

• A simple, plain-Jane direct mail 775-word non-personalized junk mail letter was the most successful advertisement in the history of the world.

 

• Direct mail is the only medium where you can test small, precisely analyze response results, run confirming tests and—if the numbers hold up—roll out and cream the market and leave your competitors eating your dust.

 

• "Direct marketing is the science and art of creating wants.”      —Denny Hatch  

 

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