The week started with a couple of unusual conversations; the first by telephone. An excited client called me: "I know the answer to the riddle!" he exclaimed. Not wanting to appear naive - despite having no idea what he was talking about - I went with the flow: "That's wonderful ...What is it?" "The letter E!" he said, proudly. "But don't worry about the prize. You guys do enough for us as it is." "Well, uh, that's great."
Later, I'm in the parking lot seeing someone off, and another client in our complex spots me and hollers, "So what's the answer to the riddle?" "The letter E," I shout back (hoping I'm right).
"The letter E? Oh...Oh yeah! Thanks."
Later still: "So what are all these people talking about?" I ask a sales assistant. "What's all this riddle stuff?"
The riddle, he tells me, was in the newsletter I just mailed out.
I love newsletters
So how is it I could mail out a newsletter and not even know what's in it? Let me explain.
For starters, I've always loved newsletters, because I've seen how effective they can be. Doing short, direct mailings helps keep our name visible to current and past clients. Additionally, we add our newsletters to the marketing packages we send to prospective clients.
We were putting together our own newsletter for a while, and received a good response to it. But, like most garment decorators, we were just too busy to put forth the effort it took to create and maintain a nice piece on an ongoing basis.
Then one day, I saw a first-class newsletter - focusing on marketing and promotion - published by Competitive Edge Communications. I was very impressed. Issued quarterly, this professional four-pager includes photographs, promotional ideas, general-interest stories, "quotable quotes", product-inquiry cards, business cartoons and a riddle contest in every issue. The first five people who answer the riddle correctly get a prize, the newsletter promises.
No, I didn't knock off the riddle-contest idea and include it in my own newsletter. Instead, I included this entire newsletter in my own marketing scheme. Turns out the thing is custom imprinted - available with all the features and departments mentioned above, with plenty of room left over for personalizing it to my company.
What a response
The prize-giving generated by the riddle contest resulted in orders for our business. The winners not only received a promotional item of our choosing - something nice, naturally, and also something that bears our company imprint - but we also sent them our catalog, current marketing materials and a discount offer good on future orders.
Did we stop with the first five right answers? Never! A similar package of goodies was actually sent to everyone who took the time to call us with an answer to the riddle (right or wrong). Why waste good marketing opportunities?
And, in addition to the riddle responses we received, there were many other positive results as well. One client expressed interest in an article about safety programs, which led to his purchase of jackets, caps, shirts, mugs and key chains. Another phone call on that piece led to the sale of - believe it or not - chocolate molded items to be used for client gifts.
The president of a large local firm called as a result of the mailing. All he needed was a dozen screen-printed caps for a special event but, after visiting our showroom, he discovered we could also assist him with the 200 embroidered placket shirts he wanted for his staff. The newsletter (which he had in his hand when he came in) got his attention, and we now have a valuable new client.
A good question
Speaking of clients, what's the difference between a customer and a client, anyway? Customers view you as a supplier or an order taker, while, to clients, you're an advisor, a friend, a counselor, a partner - in short, someone interested in their well being.
This thinking comes straight from an article in "our" newsletter that discussed the value of gifts. A gift speaks of friendship. It communicates remembrance. It shows thoughtfulness. It demonstrates that you value the relationship.
And don't stop with the notion of endearing clients with the gifts that youÕre inclined to give. Who might you guess has the opportunity to provide such gifts for others to give? By making suggestions and demonstrations - then being able to offer a wide variety of promotional products - your business can become more valuable to your existing clients and be in a better position to obtain new clients. The use of an effective newsletter is one tool that triggers such a positive chain reaction.
We're always learning
Not only does this newsletter give our clients fresh ideas and useful tips. We take advantage of the same information ourselves. One of our sales assistants read with interest the article on "creative sales letters that sell," and is now applying new thinking to our sales correspondence. And when the next issue comes out, you can bet that I'll read it, cover-to-cover.
Indeed, I would encourage anyone with the capability and time to do so, to produce and mail a piece of this type. Those without such resources should consider such a tool produced by others. My experiences in adding promotional products - including this very promotional newsletter - to our garment-decorating business continues to amaze me. We now have access to marketing tools and resources that I am confident will enable us to continue building our business in an increasingly competitive environment.
For our company, the answer to the riddle - more than ever -is more business!
