At our office we get about twenty pieces of mail each day. At home I get five to ten pieces of mail each day. So, on average I get to sort through over five-hundred pieces of mail each month or around six-thousand pieces each year – and we are a pretty small business.
As usual, the 80/20 rule takes over meaning about 80% of the mail is deemed “junk” right away and goes straight to the “round file”.
Of the other remaining 20%, about half goes into the “look at it later” pile and the final 10% gets opened right away. That means the one out of 10 pieces of mail actually gets opened and dealt with immediately. Those averages don’t bode real well when it comes to using the US Mail as a communication device.
Now, imagine the barrage of mail most of your members get each day, month and year.
How many times a year do you mail something to your members (notices, invoices, announcements, letters, newsletters, event updates, etc.)?
Where do you think the mail that you send your members rates when it comes to the 80/20 rule?
I’m not suggesting for a minute that your members “toss” all of the mail you send them. I am suggesting that with the sheer volume of mail they receive that some of yours will end up in one of three “piles.
The “C” mail pile: “C” mail really doesn’t go into a pile at all. It goes into the trash. Usually unopened or torn in half. “C” mail is considered junk mail with zero importance and is quickly discarded.
Think for just a second about how you sort your own mail. Do you ever sort it over the garbage can? I believe that most of the mail that you send your members does NOT end up in this pile. But, don’t celebrate yet – beware of “B” mail.
The “B” mail pile: The “B” mail pile may be the most dangerous pile to have your members put your mail in. The “B” pile is the place mail goes that will be opened or at least glanced at “later”.
Unfortunately, when your members are receiving hundreds of pieces of mail each week the “B” pile can stack up pretty quick and even become overwhelming. At a certain point in time the “B” pile can get so big that when it comes time to look at it a good share of it winds up in the same place as the “C” pile mail. “B” mail usually contains good information and DUES RENEWAL NOTICES but because of the lack of urgency and the sheer magnitude of the “B” mail pile this valuable information and the DUES RENEWAL NOTICES often gets overlooked and eventually tossed. You do not want your Association mail to fall into this category.
The “A” mail pile: This is the “good” place. “A” mail really doesn’t find its way into a pile at all. “A” mail gets opened immediately.
“A” mail is mail that contains checks (good bookkeepers can smell a check in an envelope). Tax notices, letters from family, birthday or holiday cards, utility bills, some vendor invoices and other “urgent” mail falls into the “A” category.
If you want your mail to be noticed and opened by your members the best way is to figure out how to make it “A” mail.
Here are a few tips:
1.) If you really want your member to pay attention to something you mail them like a DUES RENEWAL NOTICE don’t use a #10 double window white envelope. Most “C” mail arrives in this format. The goal is to make your mail stand out so that it gets opened. Try a goldenrod colored envelope that is a little bigger than a regular #10. Your open rate will go up.
2.) Use real stamps when sending important notices. Metered mail has the look and feel of junk mail. It may take a few extra minutes and might cost a couple cents more but if you want it opened use a real stamp. For extra impact, put the stamp on a little crooked. Really, a crooked stamp will create curiosity and create a higher “open” rate.
3.) Either hand address important mail or at least take a felt tip marker and circle the address label. I know it sounds crazy but mail with a personal touch is way more likely to get opened upon receipt.
4.) Make the envelope lumpy. Add a pen, keychain, letter opener or some other type of promotional item (provided by your members – some will pay $$$ for the privilege) that will cause curiosity. Lumpy mail almost always becomes “A” mail.
5.) This is the “killer” tactic that breaks through all of the clutter – THE FEDEX ENVELOPE. FedEx envelopes get opened and get opened fast. They convey urgency and importance to the recipient. Use FedEx envelopes for sponsorship requests, that third renewal notice, very important “thank you” notes and any other type of information that is critical. You will pay a little more but the return on investment can be huge.
If you take a little more time and INVEST a few cents more you can make the mail you send to your members “A” mail.
When it comes to retention the more RELEVANT information you can get into the hands and the minds of your members the more success you will have keeping them ENGAGED.