A twist on an attention-generating marketing technique

by. Joe Swatek

I’ve written about many of the techniques direct mail marketers use to encourage prospects to open the envelope and examine its contents. Here’s a newer version of a decades-old technique.

In 1955, Reader’s Digest first used real U.S. coins that showed through the envelope’s window. Since then, marketers, especially those promoting charitable organizations, have repeatedly and successfully used the coin technique.

I found a variation in my home mailbox this month. Instead of a coin in the window, there’s a genuine U.S. postage stamp paper clipped to the response device portion of the letter. (Click to enlarge.)

The mail comes from the Wounded Warrior Project and promotes its 2014 fund drive. The odd image of the purple heart stamp and the paperclip made me do a doubletake when I saw it. But that’s the whole idea, isn’t it? (For the inattentive, the teaser reinforces the idea.)

How can the average prospect avoid opening the envelope to see why this first-class postage stamp is clipped onto the envelope’s contents? Who would throw away an unused postage stamp?

What’s the takeaway idea for financial services marketers?

It’s the one I’ve suggested many times. Look at the marketing techniques you see around you. If you can’t use those specific ideas for your own promotions, see if you can adapt them in some way. You could find an even better way to get attention for your marketing campaign.

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