Today, I’ll show you what to include in a “Mystery Mailer” you send to architects.
Today’s digital world is overloading architects with emails & social media content. As one of my mentors, Brian Kurtz, says, “The least crowded In Box is the one at the end of your driveway or in the lobby of your building.”
Follow the ideas below for your next mailer campaign. You’ll start building even more high-quality, long-lasting relationships of trust with architects.
The problem with most mail that architects receive is they’re 100% self-promotion. And they offer no value or reason to read it [or better yet, hang on to it and share it with a colleague].
Just one great mailer is better than 100 so-so emails.
You won’t find any “hacks” or “tricks” in this issue.
You’ll only find proven direct mail tactics that have worked in almost every industry. And it’s high time you start using it for your business [if you want to break through the noise].
These proven tactics include:
- Standing out… to architects who get tons of pitches & product samples.
- Personal touch… Tailoring your message to each architect & their needs.
- Innovative presentation… A unique approach resonates with the architect’s appreciation for creativity & design.
- Relationship-building… Step 1 in a long-term relationship. Show you’re willing to go the extra mile.
- Memorable first impression… Increase the likelihood of future engagements & discussions.
Here’s your action plan on how to put your mailer together. Let’s go!
Quick background on the most successful mailer
Gary Halbert was one of the great geniuses of direct-response marketing.
He was famous for a lot of great ideas. One of his most famous was the “Dollar Bill Letter.”
It’s a classic example of innovative direct mail marketing. Its success was due to its unique approach to capturing your attention and making its message stand out in a sea of conventional mail.
If you’ve never received or seen one, you can Google it and find examples or breakdowns of why it was so good. Basically, it’s a letter with a $1 bill attached at the top. [Your letter can be as long or short as you’d like… as long as it’s interesting to them].
Including a real $1 bill immediately piqued the recipient’s curiosity… leading to a much higher open rate than standard direct mail.
Why the “Dollar Bill” letter works so well:
1) Attention-grabbing: It stood out & wasn’t skimmed or chucked.
2) Engaging: The letter used a conversational tone, explained the $1, engaged the reader, and made the message more relatable.
3) Psychological Impact: The gesture of sending even $1 created a sense of personal connection & reciprocity. You feel an obligation to read the letter.
4) Memorable: It made the letter memorable, ensuring the message and the sender stayed in your mind.
5) Simple: The concept was simple yet unexpected. Making it easy to understand and appreciate the creativity.
Your Mystery Mailer’s Winning Elements
Let’s take a leaf from Halbert’s $1 bill letter and add a twist.
You’ll send architects a personalized, intriguing package with a grabber. [A “grabber” is something you include with your letter to “grab” their attention.]
But, instead of $1, each mailer could contain a puzzle piece. Or a unique code that unlocks exclusive online content that ties to your product.
The Concept:
To create an engaging, personalized direct mail campaign… Capture the architect’s curiosity… And lead them to interact with you.
The Execution:
Designing the Mailer:
- Each mailer should be aesthetically appealing and resonate with architects.
- Use sleek, professional designs that hint at architectural themes.
- The package could resemble a miniature blueprint tube or a sleek portfolio case. (U-Line has 1” x 12” Kraft tubes for 88 cents a piece. Perfecto!)
- A FedEx package is another great option that always gets opened.
Personalization: Research each architect on your list and personalize their letter. This could be as simple as referencing their recent project. Or including a message that connects with their design philosophy [if it’s obvious].
The Puzzle Piece: Include a high-quality, tactile puzzle piece in each mailer.
- This piece could be part of a larger architectural image or design.
- Ensure the puzzle is intriguing enough to pique their interest. It could be part of a famous building, an innovative design concept, or something abstract.
- If you go with the tube mailer idea, coordinate the tube & puzzle piece sizes, and leave the puzzle piece loose so it rattles around inside.
Unique Code for Online Engagement: Include a unique code with the puzzle piece.
- This code grants access to a special section of your website.
- Make sure this online platform is well-designed and mobile-friendly.
- It could hint toward the bigger picture the puzzle piece belongs to.
Exclusive Online Content: Once they enter the code, they’re taken to exclusive content. Make sure you clearly tie it to the mailer & puzzle piece. This could be…
- Interactive 3D models of buildings
- Video series showcasing innovative architectural designs
- A virtual tour of futuristic or conceptual buildings that use your product
The Final Reveal: They can piece together a larger design as they collect more puzzle pieces over a series of mailers.
Once completed, it could reveal:
- An invitation to an exclusive event
- A chance to collaborate on a high-profile project
- Some other enticing idea that ties in with your product(s) and provides value to them.
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Follow-Up and Engagement:
Follow up with an email or a phone call to ask about their experience with the mailer. And give more information about your product or service. Use this opportunity to set up a meeting or a product demo.
Social Media Integration:
Use a hashtag to encourage recipients to share their puzzle progress on social media. This not only increases engagement but also amplifies the campaign’s reach.
Budget Considerations:
Manage your costs by carefully selecting the number of architects to target. And focus on high-quality design and production for maximum impact. You can roll out the campaign in phases to spread the cost over time.
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A real-life architectural mystery mailer example
A few years ago, I received a FedEx package I wasn’t expecting. So, I quickly tore it open to see what it was about.
The package contained a letter, a product sample, and a blindfold…
It was very intriguing, so I had to read the letter!
It was around the time the Sandra Bullock movie, “Bird Box,” first came out on Netflix. I never saw it, but I knew everyone had to stay blindfolded to survive.
Anyway, the letter had a small screenshot of the movie showing Bullock blindfolded. It then tied the movie to the blindfold in the package, and then to the company’s new “blindside” waterproofing product sample they’d included.
It did a great job grabbing my attention! It was timely with the current “hot” movie. And it was very memorable (I still have the package and blindfold.)
But the key was that they had someone call me within 5 days of my receiving the package to make sure I got it. And asked if I had any questions. And finally, got me to schedule a sales rep visit to talk more about the product.
Boom!
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So, what do you think? Worth a try?
This campaign blends the intrigue of a mystery with personalized engagement… Encouraging architects to interact with your brand in a fun, memorable way.