Email marketing, websites, searches and results; everything on the web is a victim of your now crucially limited time staring at it on your computer screen.\u00a0 And after the briefest of looks, it\u2019s gone from your screen, gone from sight, and you know, out of sight out of mind.<\/p>\n
But a letter? A real letter? Wow. I can send you a letter and it can sit on your desk for days (or around here – months).\u00a0 All the while reminding you how much I care about you as a client and a friend.<\/p>\n
Reminding you I took the trouble to sit down and compose it and actually write something intelligent out, in proper English, using capitals and without spelling errors, find an envelope and a stamp (no simple task around here, either), address it and stop at the post office to send it to you.<\/p>\n
Yea, it was that important.<\/p>\n
When you get right down to it, an email is a brief note that is always a nanosecond away from the delete button; while a letter is a permanent work that can stick around forever.<\/p>\n
A letter can be your showpiece of fine linen stationary, handsome logo and well thought out, well phrased wording that has the permanence an email always lacks. \u00a0 Traditional letters are always ready to be passed around the office, shown to colleagues – for them to touch and see: it\u2019s a real document, with your personal signature right there on it.<\/p>\n
Unlike emails, when a letter is filed away it\u2019s always at hand. I\u2019ll bet you 2 to 1 that you can put your hands on an old letter you received 6 months ago.\u00a0 Even though it wasn\u2019t that important when you received it, it went through an easy-to-find filing system developed by the gods 4,000 years ago.\u00a0 But that email you got last week?\u00a0 That\u2019s different.<\/p>\n
Where old messages go to die<\/p>\n
I have this huge file on my computer called older mail.\u00a0 It\u2019s where old messages go to die.\u00a0 On a good day, they received the briefest of looks, too bad I wasn\u2019t ready to deal with the matter at hand at that time. Then, 500 more came in.<\/p>\n
On a bad day they all went to directly to the spam file or the \u201cOlder Mail\u201d folder unopened – to be viewed sometimes between later and never and just wound up trashed with all these other messages facing similar fate: death by distraction. Someday I\u2019ll look through them all again.\u00a0 All ten million of them.\u00a0 Yea, right.\u00a0 Do you keep telling yourself that, too?<\/p>\n
Reality check: does your communications policy match your customer\u2019s expectations?\u00a0 That\u2019s just not good enough, is it?\u00a0 In today’s tough selling environment – it should exceed expectations.\u00a0 Don\u2019t you think you should strive for a more lasting impression than a brief email?<\/p>\n
Bottom Line Marketing<\/strong><\/p>\n So here\u2019s what I\u2019m saying: Other than an emergency message or a quick quote, don\u2019t be too fast on the trigger to dash something off so nonchalantly in an email, or worse – blow someone off to your website* to hunt for information.\u00a0 Make customers and prospects feel special: show real customer care by sending a letter.<\/p>\n An email marketing campaign isn\u2019t going to match what you can do with a letter or a series of letters.\u00a0 In fact, the best marketing program you can create is with a series of letters.\u00a0 But, that\u2019s another article.\u00a0 Any questions?<\/p>\n – Jeffrey<\/em><\/p>\n
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