Responsive Business-to-Business Mailing
Just as in a mailing to consumers, your mailing to a business audience should focus
primarily on benefits to the reader. But while consumers often buy because they want
a product, business prospects usually order only those products they feel they need.
To get business prospects to buy what they need from you, appeal to their
"hot buttons." Typical business hot buttons are:
- Higher profits
- More productivity
- Excellent value for the price
- Affordable
- Proven reliability
- Greater efficiency
- Money-making
- Money-saving
- Risk-free
- Easy to put to use
- Quick results
To get your mailing past the mail room, consider using a job title (not a name) in the
address. Or include routing instructions right on your outer envelope.
To get past your prospect's secretary, consider these tactics:
- Put the most enticing elements of your offer on the outer envelope.
- Offer the secretary a free gift in addition to the gift your target prospect will
receive for buying. Put almost nothing on the outer envelope, and make it look extremely
important and businesslike.
In business-to-business mailings, often several people have a say in the
decision to buy. So your mailing must include enticing benefits for all of these
possible audiences:
- The target prospect.
- Any other influentials who may have a say in the decision to buy.
- The decision-maker.
- The purchasing agent.
Be sure to talk with your mailing list professional before you finalize your
sales copy. They will help you identify all of your potential markets so you'll be able to
include benefits for every potential buyer.
One good method of keeping your business prospect aware of you and your product is to regularly
mail to a promotional newsletter. Keep it simple and easy to produce, and
always include with it a postage-paid business reply card.
Another idea is to include a rolodex card in your mailing, so prospects can find you
easily when they need you.
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