A small unexpected box appeared at Samuel’s mailbox at work.
Unlike the 321 emails that came into his inbox, he grabbed it and spent a few minutes opening it and looking inside. He held the sample in his hand and read the short, 3-point post-it-note that explains the benefits. Under the sample was a business card to call for more information. In total, he spent 4 minutes and 13 seconds engaged with a new brand.
The person who sent the box was a brand manager at a supplier who wants to sell to Samuel’s company. She knew that relying on a distributor to show off a new and disruptive product needed focus and awareness. Getting a potential customer to hold it and see three powerful benefits allowed her message to begin to penetrate the mind of a potential customer.
The unexpected package with the right message can be a strong counterweight to the deluge of digital messages screaming for attention.
By putting a sample of your product into a customer’s hand, you accomplish something that most other forms of communications can never do. Not all new products or services can fit into a box. But with some clever brainstorming, you can find an imaginative way of reaching a large audience and scaling your message.
When I can hold in my hand, the representation of an idea, it’s a powerful way to tell your brand or product story.
Message in a Bottle (or a box)
When I worked in the wine industry supplying corks to wineries, we would occasionally introduce a new product. The marketing challenge was to find a way to effectively put one of our new corks in the hands of 4,000 customers while making a point of the three key benefits of our new product. Advertising was one option to get the word out but we wanted our customers to be able to hold the product in their hand and compare it to the product they were using so they could not only see the difference, but they could feel it too.
In another industry, my client wanted to introduce a brand-new replacement product into the construction industry. We felt that if they could touch and feel the product, they would immediately understand the benefits. So, we created a direct mail to put the product in their hands. Overnight we could reach 500 individuals with the physical product, a small brochure and a clear call to action. The package generated awareness, firm leads and orders. Unlike advertising, it broke through the clutter and captures minutes of their attention.
You’ve Got Mail
Can you find a clever way to mail to your prospects a key message of your benefit? If you understand your customer’s needs, can you demonstrate how your product or service could help them achieve the goal they want to achieve? The physical mailer could be part of a campaign that includes teaser postcards and emails, but puts your product in their hands and can introduce them to something new to help them solve a problem.
When you hold my product in your hand, it helps you to make some kind of emotional or visceral connection. It starts the AIDA process rolling along.
Maybe it is time to post something new?
Need help boxing up your message? Send me a text at 919 720 0995 to package up your message.
Photo Credit: File:Stamp US 1973 8c mailman.jpg
