Comments on: Using a coin trick to get your mail opened http://www.directcreative.com/blog/coin-trick Dean Rieck on Copywriting & Direct Marketing Mon, 06 Feb 2012 21:33:46 -0700 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1.1 By: Dean Rieck http://www.directcreative.com/blog/coin-trick/comment-page-1#comment-75916 Dean Rieck Thu, 14 Apr 2011 14:59:49 +0000 http://www.directcreative.com/blog/?p=1393#comment-75916 Mike: That's an interesting point. However, I'm not aware of any PR problem with this sort of technique, which has worked for many charities for many years. They wouldn't do it repeatedly if it didn't boost donations beyond the extra cost. It's the net result that counts. Mike: That’s an interesting point. However, I’m not aware of any PR problem with this sort of technique, which has worked for many charities for many years. They wouldn’t do it repeatedly if it didn’t boost donations beyond the extra cost. It’s the net result that counts.

]]> By: M.I. http://www.directcreative.com/blog/coin-trick/comment-page-1#comment-75915 M.I. Thu, 14 Apr 2011 14:37:40 +0000 http://www.directcreative.com/blog/?p=1393#comment-75915 Whether it's clever marketing or not, the society apparently ignored the public relations point of view on this, which was my first reaction. That is, several thousand (hundreds of thousands?) of envelopes with 5 cents enclosed..."only" a nickel, but that can add up to a lot of money, e.g. 500,000 envelopes is a not-so-insignificant $25,000. Perhaps they recoup the cost of the campaign with donations, but a group whose stated mission is to cure these diseases (likely an expensive undertaking) and make the lives of children better (ditto) could invest that more directly into their purpose. They could employ a less-expensive means of public contact. They could then promote that they operate in such a way (trimming all costs to pour everything they can into disease research/curing/etc.) and really take off in the minds and opinions of people at large, thereby gaining more supporters/donations. From a different organization, maybe this "trick" would be more appropriate. From this one, it's a poor public relations strategy. Whether it’s clever marketing or not, the society apparently ignored the public relations point of view on this, which was my first reaction.

That is, several thousand (hundreds of thousands?) of envelopes with 5 cents enclosed…”only” a nickel, but that can add up to a lot of money, e.g. 500,000 envelopes is a not-so-insignificant $25,000.

Perhaps they recoup the cost of the campaign with donations, but a group whose stated mission is to cure these diseases (likely an expensive undertaking) and make the lives of children better (ditto) could invest that more directly into their purpose. They could employ a less-expensive means of public contact.

They could then promote that they operate in such a way (trimming all costs to pour everything they can into disease research/curing/etc.) and really take off in the minds and opinions of people at large, thereby gaining more supporters/donations.

From a different organization, maybe this “trick” would be more appropriate. From this one, it’s a poor public relations strategy.

]]> By: Joshua Black | The Underdog Millionaire http://www.directcreative.com/blog/coin-trick/comment-page-1#comment-57799 Joshua Black | The Underdog Millionaire Thu, 22 Jul 2010 15:24:48 +0000 http://www.directcreative.com/blog/?p=1393#comment-57799 This is similar to the famous dollar letter than many marketers use as well, or the sticker trick, where you physically have to place a sticker on the offer application. One trick that still works like magic, but requires a lot of hand labor is to use live stamps hand adressed envelopes (no, not a font that looks like it was hand-adress, but the real deal), and a person's name in the return adress, not a business name and no P.O. Box. It's almost a guaranteed opener, because the prospect has no way to guarantee that it's junk mail and they feel that they could be missing out if they chuck it. After that, it's all on the copywriter to suck them in to the offer. -Joshua Black The Underdog Millionaire This is similar to the famous dollar letter than many marketers use as well, or the sticker trick, where you physically have to place a sticker on the offer application.

One trick that still works like magic, but requires a lot of hand labor is to use live stamps hand adressed envelopes (no, not a font that looks like it was hand-adress, but the real deal), and a person’s name in the return adress, not a business name and no P.O. Box.

It’s almost a guaranteed opener, because the prospect has no way to guarantee that it’s junk mail and they feel that they could be missing out if they chuck it.

After that, it’s all on the copywriter to suck them in to the offer.

-Joshua Black
The Underdog Millionaire

]]> By: Dean Rieck http://www.directcreative.com/blog/coin-trick/comment-page-1#comment-57767 Dean Rieck Thu, 22 Jul 2010 05:33:05 +0000 http://www.directcreative.com/blog/?p=1393#comment-57767 Rebecca, Well there's always going to be a tiny minority who feel as you do about marketing tactics. But if a charity wants to do good things, it has to use tactics that work to raise funds. If they didn't, they wouldn't deserve your contributions. Right? Rebecca,
Well there’s always going to be a tiny minority who feel as you do about marketing tactics. But if a charity wants to do good things, it has to use tactics that work to raise funds. If they didn’t, they wouldn’t deserve your contributions. Right?

]]> By: Rebecca Leaman http://www.directcreative.com/blog/coin-trick/comment-page-1#comment-57762 Rebecca Leaman Thu, 22 Jul 2010 02:49:24 +0000 http://www.directcreative.com/blog/?p=1393#comment-57762 Agreed, the coin gets me to open the envelope - but far from feeling moved to donate, I'm left with a feeling of resentment at being manipulated so cynically - and the impression of a nonprofit that lacks respect for its prospective donors. The shiny coin guilt trip ploy is a far cry from the kind of communication I'd look for from a nonprofit interested in starting a relationship with my checkbook. File it with the "you may already be a winner" direct mail pieces, please. Agreed, the coin gets me to open the envelope – but far from feeling moved to donate, I’m left with a feeling of resentment at being manipulated so cynically – and the impression of a nonprofit that lacks respect for its prospective donors. The shiny coin guilt trip ploy is a far cry from the kind of communication I’d look for from a nonprofit interested in starting a relationship with my checkbook. File it with the “you may already be a winner” direct mail pieces, please.

]]> By: Dean Rieck http://www.directcreative.com/blog/coin-trick/comment-page-1#comment-57682 Dean Rieck Tue, 20 Jul 2010 22:02:22 +0000 http://www.directcreative.com/blog/?p=1393#comment-57682 Sean, A download is similar, but it doesn't have the tactile reality that a coin has. You're not throwing away anything when you navigate away from a site. But with the mail piece, even if it's just a penny, you just have to open the envelope to get it ... or trash it. Sean,
A download is similar, but it doesn’t have the tactile reality that a coin has. You’re not throwing away anything when you navigate away from a site. But with the mail piece, even if it’s just a penny, you just have to open the envelope to get it … or trash it.

]]> By: Sean http://www.directcreative.com/blog/coin-trick/comment-page-1#comment-57681 Sean Tue, 20 Jul 2010 21:57:29 +0000 http://www.directcreative.com/blog/?p=1393#comment-57681 Agh! You just reminded me of those days gone by. Coins in an envelope. You're right, you can't throw it away it would be against the grain to throw money out. Today every website has that same principle with a free download, like an ebook or something. The only problem is it's difficult to know whether the ebook will really be a shiny penny or not. Agh! You just reminded me of those days gone by. Coins in an envelope. You’re right, you can’t throw it away it would be against the grain to throw money out.
Today every website has that same principle with a free download, like an ebook or something. The only problem is it’s difficult to know whether the ebook will really be a shiny penny or not.

]]> By: Chad http://www.directcreative.com/blog/coin-trick/comment-page-1#comment-57657 Chad Tue, 20 Jul 2010 15:14:26 +0000 http://www.directcreative.com/blog/?p=1393#comment-57657 Maybe I'm an ass... or maybe I just "get" marketing. I took the coin and labels and threw the rest in the junk. (Don't worry, I donate a fair share to other causes, I promise) Maybe I’m an ass… or maybe I just “get” marketing.

I took the coin and labels and threw the rest in the junk.

(Don’t worry, I donate a fair share to other causes, I promise)

]]>