• Home
• Why I am a Sales Prospecting Expert

Human Nature Can Make Your Response Rates SOAR!

For starters, do you prefer to receive a USPO delivered greeting card, e-mail or voice-mail?

I still prefer a greeting card, delivered the old-fashioned way by the mailman; even when I don’t know the sender. To me, it’s always a mysterious little package.

I’m not alone because so does most of America! NOT advertising hype from THAT card company who often pitches us to “always send the very best.” According to a survey conducted by Harris Interactive Research, 51% of Americans will direct mail at least 25 greeting cards between Halloween and year-end.

Americans enjoy being carded, even while at work. They are people first and business professionals, second. Sending cards to people at work is appropriate and attention-getting even if they are strangers and you are trying to introduce yourself.

Using greeting cards as a solicitation tool isn’t new. What is new is a lesson I learned as a result of conducting a 2006 Test Mailing. The Lesson: mail 3 funny message cards over 15 days to decision makers. Then, place a phone call within 4 days of their receipt of card # 3.

To your delight, you will discover you will NOT be speaking to a stranger. Mail 3 appropriate cards to a business person so they receive one card, 5 days later – another card, and 5 days later – another card. That person will be waiting for your call, provided your 3 cards:

1. Don’t hard sell you, your company, product or service.

2. Are tastefully funny and your message is direct and business-like.

3. Include your basic business card info: name, job title, company, cell ph

Even when they are up to their backsides in alligators, busy people will take a few minutes to speak with someone who creatively contacts them out of respect and curiosity. Respect for imagination and curiosity about the mailing. Human Nature, at work, at its best.

The Secret Sauce: link your call purpose with your 3 just-mailed greeting cards, and maybe you, too will speak with a shocking 83% of mailed addressees, as we did in 2006. No kidding, an 83% response to my Test Mailing!

Stay tuned and next week, you will learn why 332 of the 400 mailed card addressees responded favorably to my 2006 Test Mailing, in my blog titled, “Why Americans LOVE to be Carded”.

Did you enjoy this post? Why not leave a comment below and continue the conversation, or subscribe to my feed and get articles like this delivered automatically to your feed reader.