|
|
 |
Applications
|
  Yellow, spot message. Add interest to your mail with an RPN. This is a large, canary yellow, spot color message at its least. And that's saying something. The Post-it Note is a cultural icon. It's sole purpose is to be used as a reminder. That means it is thrown away after it is acted upon. Contrast this with an envelope which is thrown away as soon as possible. The message on the note can be as simple as "Open this" and still be effective. It starts with the note itself, a yellow square of paper that is made to be saved in and of itself has value to the recipient. Add interest to the mailer by sticking a Post-it on the outside of the envelope and enjoy the benefit of years of work by 3M.
  Personalize. Make things just a little bit better. Personalize the note. Link the message on the note to the recipient of the piece. Like, for instance, "John, open this." Now, another tenet of direct mail, personalization is coming into play. John is much more likely to react to the instruction on the note if he sees his name on it. Since the whole idea of a direct mail piece is to get it opened, the yellow RPN has succeeded.
  Call to action. Why settle for half a loaf? The Post-it Note is meant to be saved, right? Why not print a message that is worth saving? "Open this", even if personalized for John has a real short shelf life. Make the note into a reminder that requires an action. Publish an 800 number, ask John to visit a store or take some other action. Publish an 800 number, ask John to visit a store or take some other action. By offering John an opportunity for action, we have covered at least two of direct mail's basic tenets. You've added interest, and you've made an offer to a call to action. This pretty much doubles the number of chances John has to open the mail and/or to act on it. Without too much of stretch, you can see the note as a duplicate message, perhaps replacing the mail piece itself. The RPN can send an interesting, personal message with a call to action on its own.
  Add a coupon. But wait, there's more. Print an interesting message on a canary yellow note and add a call to action so that's it, right? Not quite. Let's track the response and use the note to identify your best customers. Turn the note into a coupon. This stretches the length of time that a note can be used. Think of the possibilities. A simple yellow note delivered to the recipient on a piece of direct mail takes on a life of its own long after the envelope and the mailer is gone. By adding more features to the note, you also add to the number of people who can respond to the mailer. The recipient is much more likely to carry a note to someone else than he is to carry the envelope and its contents.
  Track response. For the truly creative, change the message on the note part-way through the list. Keep track and test different messages within an individual mailing. Print a bar code on the note/coupon and scan it at point of sale. Link the purchasing tendencies to future mailings, messages and offers. Print the bar code in invisible ink.
|
|
|
|
|
