Certainly, getting in front of customers is never easy. And the past two pandemic years have made that even more difficult. For the most part salespeople have not been able to use their normal or traditional methods of selling. They have had to resort to Email and social media to get their sales message in front of the right customers.

But there is one thing that has not changed. Actually, one thing whose use has become more prevalent in the past few years and that is the mail. And not just the U.S. Mail but FedEx and UPS mail as well. 

So why not use these services to get to your customers? Look, everybody opens their mail, especially if you make sure it does not look like junk mail.

Actually, with the barrage of emails and other electronic reach outs, the very act of sending a simple letter makes you outstanding.

But it is all in the technique. The success of a hard core analog based mailing campaign is in your hands. The success of your mailing depends on how well you do it.

Here is the plan for sending out mailings that work.

1. Write your letter. Go down to your stock room, find and dust off that box of stationary and get to work.
2. Write a good and appealing letter. Be sincere. Write as though you are telling the receiver about your company. Be genuine and authentic and for heaven’s sake do not be glib or slick…be real. Tell them about your company and how your company can help them succeed. Add some facts that you know about their company and how your company can match their needs.
3. Use your Unique Value Proposition (UVP). Remember that? Indicate by example why they should use your products and services.
4. Use testimonials, success stories and references as much as you can.
5. Let them know how to contact you, or tell them you will be calling them in a few days
6. Remember to always be polite, courteous and I’ll say it once again…authentic.
7. Make sure the letter looks personal. Hand sign it and add a special personal message, something like Hope to see you soon or Please stay safe!
8. Now the cool part, the one thing that will make this all work and make sure that your letter is opened, I guarantee. Here it is. Go to the post office and buy one of those special envelopes. You know the ones that look like a $15.00 FedEx letter. You can get one for about three or four bucks. Put your letter in one of those envelopes
9. Then, and this is equally important Hand write the address! No printed labels!!! I cannot stress this enough. Make it personal.

And there you have it. Think about it, can you even imagine a person sitting at her desk staring at a special delivery, hand addressed envelope and being able to ignore it? Never happens. No one can resist opening any hand written letter, never  mind one that is in a special extra-cost envelope.

Just to add a little icing to this marketing chocolate cake, include something special in the mailing. A pen maybe? Or a great looking sample of your product. Or even better a special offer or discount coupon for the first order of your product. Something that gives them incentive to use your company.

Another idea. Ever heard the term, “What do you need, an engraved invitation?” Well, that’s a pretty good idea in and of itself. Go ahead and send them an official engraved invitation. Make it look like an invitation to a fancy party or a wedding and then add an engraved discount offer to use your products or services.  

These things will all work. First of all, for the very uniqueness and ingenuity of your mailing. One thing for sure is that you will be remembered. No one will forget getting this kind of sales message from you.

Oh, and one more good thing: you will be the only one doing this. You will be the stand out.

This leads me to one more thing about mailings specifically, and marketing generally: most people in our business don’t do it. Sorry to be so cynical, but from my own years of experience, by now many of you are already sitting back and coming up with the fifty reasons why the ideas listed in this column will not work.

Which in the end will bode well for those of you who are willing to take the initiative to give this tactic a try. You will be rewarded in the end. It’s only common sense.