At first glance, I thought it was a bill. (glad it wasn't...)
I open the letter and inside there's a notice telling me that someone has been promoted to Inside Media Sales Representative....
Hmmm......and???
I'm thinking, "So what's this all about?"
But before I finished my thought, I crumpled it up and threw it away. It was the worst marketing piece I've ever seen...and I've seen a lot.
Here it is, reprinted...(the company name and individual names have been changed for privacy reasons...)
******************Start here**************
Good morning,
****** is pleased to announce the promotion of Jane Doe to inside Materials Sales Representative. Jane will assume account responsibility for the territories covered by Janet Doe. Janet will be on maternity leave until the end of the year.
Jane joined *******Sign Division team in November 2006 as a customer service rep, with several years prior experience in a business office. Planning for this transition, Jane has worked closely with Janet, becoming familiar with customers and various sales procedures.
Mrs. Doe is also very familiar with the sign materials product line and order processing. Please rely on her to place orders, request material quotations, receive product recommendations, and answer related issues or questions. At *****, providing you with knowledgeable and dedicated personnel is extremely important to us.
The ******* Team!
******************End here**************
Now, there are a few VERY IMPORTANT marketing lessons to be learned here...
1. DON'T BE BORING.
Quite honestly, I could have done without the notice of "who got promoted". It was a waste of time and paper. Who cares who got promoted?
I could care less.
Think about it - instead of sending me an offer, an irresistable one at that, they sent me something that was so boring that I simply threw the piece away.
And don't think that your customer's won't do the same if you do something like this...
2. MAKE SURE YOUR MESSAGE IS RELEVANT TO YOUR CUSTOMER
As I said, when I opened the letter I expected something good (or a bill). Instead, I got hit with the best thing the break room bulletin board had to offer.
In your marketing, it's all about your customer. Send your customers information that is relevant to what THEY want, not insigificant news that will find its way to the bottom of a wastebasket.
3. NEVER, EVER SEND "GEE-WHIZ" INFORMATION OR ANYTHING WITHOUT AN OFFER!!
Master salesman Zig Ziglar says, "Timid salespeople have skinny kids." What he means is, if you don't ask for the offer or give people something to respond to, you won't get paid.
Nothing, I repeat, NOTHING goes out of your door without an offer. Not an email, not a letter, not a friggin' postcard. If you send it out, it better have an offer on it.
HERE'S HOW THEY COULD HAVE IMPROVED IT....
First, if you want to deliver news, make it relevant to your customer. Don't be boring. Finally, add an offer that makes people want to buy.
Here's my revision and how I would have done it...
*************Start Here***********
How A Promotion And A New Bundle of Joy Translates Into A HUGE Opportunity For Current And New Customers Of XYZ Corporation!!
Dear XYZ Corporation Customer,
I have some exciting news to share with you!
Your current sales representative, Janet Doe is expecting!
She's the wonderful voice that's handled your orders in the past, made sure you have everything you need and taken care of you as a mother takes care of her young. She truly enjoyed helping you with your purchase of the siding material you requested on 12/11/07 and hopes everything is fine.
What Does This Have To Do With You??
Actually, everything. You see, my name is Jane Doe and I'll be taking care of your accounts while Janet is on maternity leave. Since she has taken such good care of you in the past, I realized this is a perfect opportunity for me to be better acquainted with you, your needs for your business, and how I can best serve you.
Here's what I'd like to do for you:
To celebrate Janet's new baby, my promotion, and you being such a great customer to us, I'd like to personally offer you a immediate savings of 20% on your next order with us.
Since the end of the year is upon us, I want to make sure you take advantage of this special offer immediately. So, please call me before December 31st to ensure you are able to get these great savings!
I also noticed your past purchases were (list past purchases here), and we're running an incredible end-of-the-year special on those items. So make sure you call me immediately to get the savings on those items PLUS an additional 20% off (my holiday gift to you..)
Here's how you to get your extra 20% off..
1. Call me directly at (702)555-5555 and I'll be happy to assist you in any way.
or...
2. FAX the attached order form (you'll see it's already pre-filled out for you) to (702)-555-1234 and we'll have your order processed and shipped for you within the next 24 hours.
Thank you for taking the time to read this letter and I sincerely hope to hear from you before December 31st.
If you have any questions, call me directly at (702)555-5555 and I'll be happy to help you in any way I can.
Have a wonderful holiday season and I look forward to working with you and helping you in any way I can!
Sincerely,
Jane Doe
(702)555-5555 (office)
(702)555-1234 (FAX)
P.S. - Be sure to ask about our special New Year's promotion we'll be running immediately after December 31st! If you think 20% is good, you won't want to miss this!
***************End Here***************
See the difference?
To your marketing!
Lee Smith
