Part 2: Secret to Successful Dimensional Mail

Two weeks ago I shared a fantastic direct mail campaign success
story with you to help generate some creative thinking and inspiration
in your business. This week, I’m gonna share another one.

Of the two, it’s definitely my favorite and the best part is it’s not a
one-time deal. This guy uses the campaign I’m about to describe on
new prospects over and over, every month.

Case Study #2: Nab Mom With The Cuteness Factor

Overview: A photography studio owner decided he wanted to target new mothers
in his most recent marketing campaign. At the time, he was promoting a special photography package that included four pre-scheduled photo shoots to capture four major milestones in a baby’s first year. His gimmick? He really wanted a celebrity to endorse the product, but couldn’t afford to pay one….sooooo…he invented one. Here’s how:

Mailing #1: The first piece he mailed arrived in a rectangular box. The box contained a letter and a miniature bird’s nest. The letter was written in first-person by his “celebrity,” Charlie, a fictional baby bird. It started out like this, “I heard there’s a new baby in your house and we’re excited because we have one too…me!

Now mom doesn’t let me leave the home alone so I brought home along. So please take care of my little nest so I can nap after we chat a bit...”

Charlie goes on to explain the four major phases a baby passes through in its first year really tugging on mama’s heart strings about how quickly they pass and how she should have them professionally recorded for posterity. He then closes with some cute language about opportunity flying the coop if she waits too long. As a bonus, the “P.S.” includes a $10 gift certificate for her to use…to get her in the door.

Mailing #2: The second letter goes out in a #11 envelope. This one includes little critters like worms and other bugs. The letter opens with Leroy, Charlie’s brother, telling the new mother that Charlie was so upset she didn’t respond to his first letter that he’s refusing to eat his dinner (i.e. the bugs). He goes on to say, “Charlie is so upset that everyone is walking around on eggshells…and in our case, that’s not a good thing…”

He closes with an even more compelling offer than last time—at $20 gift certificate.

Mailing #3: The third piece is sent to grandmothers. Charlie implores grandma not to let this once in a lifetime opportunity for professional photos of baby to slip by. (Incidentally, targeting grandma allows this marketer to regularly close sales valued at 50 to 100% more than the offer made to mom.)

Mailing #4: The fourth piece is a postcard targeting mom again with one last plea from Charlie, and a juicy offer, plus a newsletter with Charlie’s column, which the recipients will begin receiving on a monthly basis.

What’s smart about this? Well, even though I haven’t disclosed the word-for-word copy that helped deliver a return that justifies running this campaign every month, you can see the principles at work behind this effective direct mail campaign.

• The vendor is touching his prospect multiple times over carefully timed, but closely spaced intervals.
• He’s using a “celebrity” to create rapport and acceptance with the prospect.
• He is entertaining the prospect.
• He’s found a way to stay in touch with the prospects in a way they find endearing for months to come.
• Last but not least, he shows he cares.

Committed to your marketing success,
Lina Penalosa
July 19 , 2006