Will your business-to-business direct mail package ever produce
a standing ovation? It might. When you mail an effective
invitation to a seminar, workshop, awards show or other live
event, you literally move people--out of their seats and into
yours. That's one of the hardest jobs in B2B direct mail. Here
are 11 ways to boost the success of your B2B direct mail
invitations.
SEMINARS
1. If you are offering a free seminar as a way to generate
leads, sell the event, not your product or service. Promote the
valuable, exclusive information that the prospect will learn at
the event.
2. Prove there is no risk to attending by giving away something
of value. One software company tested its seminar mailings by
offering free software (a $20 value) to half their list. The
freebie doubled response.
TRADE SHOWS
3. Attract prospects to your trade show booth by giving them
what Bob Bly calls a "carry card." A simple card, mailed with
your invitation, offers prospects a free gift or chance to win
something by redeeming the card at your booth.
4. Tease. Indicate that your booth will be wacky, controversial
or contentious so that your readers can't possibly walk by.
AWARD SHOWS
5. Create a memorable theme. The John Caples International
Awards show recently mailed me an invitation with the theme:
"Why covet a Caples when you can have one?" Good question.
6. Show the view beyond the event. Help readers see themselves
not just at the show, but after the show, with an award in their
hands.
BEST PRACTICES
7. Create urgency by showing your deadline in prominent places
throughout your invitation.
8. Capture the names and addresses of those who cannot attend by
offering them something of value (hot prospects shouldn't be
penalized simply because they have a full day timer).
9. Mail more than once, preferably three times in the four weeks
leading up to your event. Consider sending an email to your
house list, telling invited guests to watch their mailboxes for
your invitation.
10. Give guests more than one way to respond (BRE, web, email,
phone, fax).
11. Use a checklist to make sure you cover everything in every
invitation (such as event name, venue name, location, date,
time, directions, early bird deadlines, cost, who to make the
check payable to).
© 2006 Sharpe Copy Inc. You may reprint this article online and
in print provided the links remain live and the content remains
unaltered (including the "About the Author" message).
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