VerticalResponse Email Marketing Blog

Lead Generation Idea - Good, Bad & Ugly

I got a direct mail piece the other day in a letter format. It was from a company that "teaches managers how to manage" so they wrote. They were requesting a meeting with me to talk about how they can help our company. They had a $50 bill clipped to the letter. The punchline said:

"The $50 is yours to keep as prepayment for spending 3 minutes with me on the phone when I call to follow up."

GOOD

It could work to your benefit. Let's say your list was a very targeted list of 100 CEOs at businesses you'd like as customers.

Printing Cost: 100 x .20 =  $20
Mailing Cost:  100 x .42 =  $42
Money Cost:   100 x  50 =  $5,000
Total Cost:                       $5,062

Response rate (high because you're so clever) is 10% so number of meetings is 10.
Close rate (high because you're killer on the phones) is 50% so the number of new customers is 5.
If you charge $2500 (guessing) per training, you've got $12,500 large in your pocket, 5 new customers and you've made $7438 to put towards your next mailing. Nice.

BAD

Christine, our office manager, answers the phone when I'm busy and I started to get calls from the sender of this mail piece. They would never leave a message, just their name regarding the "money they sent me."

This is an uber form of OPT-OUT. It's like sending someone you've never talked to an email, then telling them they're going to hear from you until they unsubscribe.

UGLY

So on the negative side, if you're going to do something like this, be prepared for:

a) Brand damage - Some may not like this marketing tactic and tell the world.
b) The people who don't see the need for your services but keep the dough. It's the cost of doing business.
c) Sending money through a shipper seems a bit risky.

Hey, $50 is nice and would contribute greatly to the "beer fund" at VR, but for me personally, I didn't really need to feel guilted into talking to someone just to feel good about keeping it.

So...I sent it back.

Should I have? You tell me...

5 Places To Include a Survey Link - Ask Your Customers How You're Treating Them!

Listening to your customers can always give you a reality-check. It's super-easy to listen to good news, but what happens when a customer gives you bad news? Acting on bad news might just be the best thing you can do to make your business better. And if you think you won't get any "suggestions for improvement" you're dead wrong, no matter how great business is going. Everyone has their own opinions. So be brave, and learn what these opinions are, by simply asking.

You may want to know:

• Why certain products aren't flying off the shelves (or even falling ever-so-slightly)
• How customers were treated by your personnel on the phones, in email or in person
• What customers might think about a new product line and how much they'd pay for it
• How customers feel about your online checkout process
• What products or services your customers would like to see from you next
• What customers thought about any changes or improvements to your site you've made after the fact OR
• What changes they'd like to see to your site before you do them!

All of this is easy and possible! How? Start with the new and easy-to-use VerticalResponse Survey product. You get 100 free responses and they're waiting for you right now in your account. Then what?

Email Them - You knew I was going to say that! This is especially great for online businesses but if you've got an offline business and you've collected email addresses from your customers it's equally as beneficial. If someone has just visited you for your product or services you might want to email them soon after to find out how their experience was. When I say "soon after" I mean it, you want to get the information while it's HOT!

Oh, if it's something you really want your recipients to focus on you should do it in a solo email and not include it in a newsletter with other links. It may distract your recipient from what you really want them to do.

Confirmation Emails - Include the link to a survey in all confirmation emails that you auto-generate after a customers buys your product online. It's a great opportunity for you to learn.

Transactional Emails - If you send "account update" emails or emails about an upcoming appointment, travel, restaurant reservation or hotel stay, you may want to include a survey link about your overall services.

Pop-Up Windows - When someone leaves a particular product page without purchasing or a landing page without signing up for something, pop up a window with the link to the survey asking for their opinions.

Your Site - You can include a link to "Tell Us How We're Doing" right on your home page or on every page of your site if you like. Make sure you look at this information regularly and act on it. Go ahead, make changes on-the-fly. Isn't the web beautiful?

After your customers have taken their valuable time to help you, why not send them a heart-felt thank you gift for filling out the survey like an e-gift certificate or a discount on their next purchase. It will go a long way in showing your customers that you genuinely care about what they think. Then put it to work!

How are you using surveys?

New Feature! Google Gadget

Are you obsessive about your results? Can't stop clicking that refresh button? The VerticalResponse Gadget is the cure for your compulsion!

Add it to your personalized iGoogle page, or your Google Apps "Start Page" for an up-to-the minute view into your VerticalResponse results.

With the The VR Gadget for iGoogle and Google Apps, you can:

• View real-time stats for your five most recently launched emails and surveys.
• Get the latest email marketing tips, tricks, and best practices from our award-winning blog.

Get The Gadget Now!

So you might be thinking, that sounds great, but what the heck are iGoogle and Google Apps? Watch a short video to find out more!

Great Member Appreciation Idea

I've been talking a bit lately about how important it is to go the extra mile for your customers especially in this economy. A great example came in the mail the other day from my gym. They love people like me because I don't go;-) It's a really great gym with a grill and a spa (which actually I DO go to).

It was a simple piece that looked invitation-like offering us to come in during "Member Appreciation Week" on nice paper folded with a "Member Appreciation Card" tucked inside.

The card had discounts for:

• Private training
• Group exercise one-on-ones
• Complimentary Kinesis® session
• 10% off of any 80 minute spa treatment
• Dinner entrée at the Grill with purchase of entrée of equal or greater value

Nice! Great idea to appreciate your members get them active and give and great offers too. What are you doing to go the extra mile for your customers? Let's hear it!

VR Sponsors Technology Bootcamp All Over Northern CA

VerticalResponse is taking it on the road partnering with the SBDC and NetBooks in Northern CA. The SBDC does this great technology bootcamp about how to use technology to catapult your small business. We're pretty excited that they asked us to be a part of it.

What's Included? For Just $45 You Get:

• 6 sessions presented by industry experts covering the use of technology across all the functions of your business.
• Take-away course book covering all six sessions.
• Access to online resources and training materials
• Breakfast, lunch & beverages
• Networking opportunities with your small business peers

Where Are They?

Fairfield, San Jose, San Francisco, Oakland, San Ramon, Ukiah, Eureka, Rohnert Park, San Mateo, & Santa Cruz! Some dates and places are TBD so check back often!

See ya there!