Get Personal: Letters vs. Direct Mail

One of the reasons direct mail works is the personal aspect. It's ostensibly a letter from you to your prospect. Because of this, the more personal you make it, the better your response will be.

If you're mailing to 100,000 people, putting your prospect's name on your letter is about as personal you can get. But there are times when you can ? and should ? send out highly personal letters to individual prospects.

Say you sell gardening supplies, and driving to work one day you notice a home with a lovely garden, but dying roses. You find out who the owner is and send her a letter complimenting her on her wonderful garden, along with tips on rose care. Or, you meet a prospect at a business networking function. You get back to the office and send out a letter referencing your conversation and outlining what your business can do for his.

But unlike direct mail, you don't ask for a response. Instead, tell the recipient that you'll be calling in about a week to talk about how you can help them. Then follow up with that phone call.

Now, instead of a mass mailing, you have a personal contact and the beginnings of a relationship. This kind of letter will have double or even triple the response rate of a typical mass mailing. Sure, it's more time consuming, but that fact is what makes it work so well.

So what are you waiting for? Get personal!

Lisa Packer, author of "How To Dramatically Increase Your Business... Without A Blockbuster Budget" and "7 Ways To Get A Pay Raise From Your Web Site" is an independent Copywriter and Marketing Consultant. Find out how to get these two reports, plus more helpful articles like the one you just read at http://www.dramatic-copy.com

Dramatic Copy: The Right Words Make A Dramatic Difference.

In The News:
table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.marketwatch.com/news/story/utilizing-experiential-marketing-promote-your/story.aspx%3Fguid%3D%257B8E8F6643-19A1-4AFB-8C44-9C0B5F9F7C7D%257D%26dist%3Dhpprcid=1255198383ei=cLjrSNCmE6bU6gOU8q2CCQusg=AFQjCNEjWMGXjBi1r24znn-E9SFn6eAeAQUtilizing Experiential bMarketing/b to Promote Your Brand/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fMarketWatchnbsp;-/font nobr1 hour ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1Yes, brand messaging can be introduced, reinforced and even established in the minds of consumers through experiential bmarketing/b. It#39;s more than a banner on b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table
table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.marketwatch.com/news/story/clicksquared-delivers-model-linking-engagement/story.aspx%3Fguid%3D%257B081FEE96-951D-4E21-A0D9-D6512C043C03%257D%26dist%3Dhpprcid=1255141636ei=cLjrSNCmE6bU6gOU8q2CCQusg=AFQjCNHl8aiTsfekC-RKuSltxTtt0N_ZSAClickSquared Delivers Model Linking Engagement to Equity With New b.../b/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fMarketWatchnbsp;-/font nobr5 hours ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1This innovative bmarketing/b approach enables marketers to understand how each interaction between their brand and their customers produces value. b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table
table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.marketwatch.com/news/story/ace-marketing--promotions-partners/story.aspx%3Fguid%3D%257B07E5AB35-9773-4F5C-BBAA-6FA188A3B0E1%257D%26dist%3Dhpprcid=1255144106ei=cLjrSNCmE6bU6gOU8q2CCQusg=AFQjCNHlZ-Mz3QeSwp-WY-b8wqFupD2RdgAce bMarketing/b amp; Promotions Partners With the NHL and Def Leppard b.../b/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fMarketWatchnbsp;-/font nobr5 hours ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1Ace bMarketing/b amp; Promotions Inc will create ROCKZIMITY hot spots at key areas around Fox Theatre. When fans with Bluetooth amp; Wi-Fi enabled devices enter a b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table
table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.marketwatch.com/news/story/mailchimp-first-offer-iphone-yahoo/story.aspx%3Fguid%3D%257B42E7FF7B-F1E3-49E1-A52A-872A6A58054E%257D%26dist%3Dhpprcid=1255035966ei=cLjrSNCmE6bU6gOU8q2CCQusg=AFQjCNGn9TruW_Nd-f8Gwjq16Ly-rLRCXgMailChimp First to Offer iPhone and Yahoo! Mobile Access for Email b.../b/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fMarketWatchnbsp;-/font nobr5 hours ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1The foundation of every product and service we develop is to make the email bmarketing/b experience easier for the user, and these mobile applications are yet b.../b/fontbrfont size=-1a href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.ibtimes.com/prnews/20081007/email.htmcid=1255035966ei=cLjrSNCmE6bU6gOU8q2CCQusg=AFQjCNFy7DKkQ0Xg_mDfmNSIKwMj8dpg9QMailChimp First to Offer iPhone and Yahoo! Mobile Access for Email b.../b/a font size=-1 color=#6f6f6fnobrInternational Business Times/nobr/font/fontbrfont class=p size=-1a class=p href=http://news.google.com/news?sourceid=navclientie=ISO-8859-1rls=GGLG,GGLG:2005-22,GGLG:enncl=1255035966hl=ennobrall 8 news articles/nobr/a/font/div/font/td/tr/table
table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.marketwatch.com/news/story/four51-signs-joint-marketing-agreement/story.aspx%3Fguid%3D%257B620A1DCD-8835-4DA1-AB5A-11325134E26E%257D%26dist%3Dhpprcid=1255180776ei=cLjrSNCmE6bU6gOU8q2CCQusg=AFQjCNG2TJJjFJh1_uZ3rulOMD30uAe83AFour51 Signs Joint bMarketing/b Agreement With SAP America, Inc./abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fMarketWatchnbsp;-/font nobr2 hours ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1MINNEAPOLIS, MN, Oct 07, 2008 (MARKET WIRE via COMTEX) -- Four51 announced today that it has signed a joint bmarketing/b agreement with SAP America, b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table
table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.marketwatch.com/news/story/phoenix-marketing-internationals-virtual-mailbox/story.aspx%3Fguid%3D%257BC118D292-A03B-4F18-9FB3-C38DBCA625E2%257D%26dist%3Dhpprcid=1255130702ei=cLjrSNCmE6bU6gOU8q2CCQusg=AFQjCNFKP6xjSgd1JBKKPPa3ildcGBUAfgPhoenix bMarketing/b International#39;s Virtual Mailbox Becomes Staple b.../b/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fMarketWatchnbsp;-/font nobr6 hours ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1Virtual Mailbox, a component of Phoenix#39;s Target bMarketing/b product suite, predicts the likelihood of success of direct mail offers through on-line research b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table
table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd width=80 align=center valign=topfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifa href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://kohd.com/page/52321cid=1254998835ei=cLjrSNCmE6bU6gOU8q2CCQusg=AFQjCNFimizDM8vokjz-DA3PWrtwxG29wgimg src=http://news.google.com/news?imgefp=bRbqk7jNbTwJimgurl=kohd.com/files/images/2008/10/07/oregon.jpg width=80 height=64 alt= border=1brfont size=-2KOHD/font/a/font/tdtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://money.cnn.com/news/newsfeeds/articles/djf500/200810071100DOWJONESDJONLINE000503_FORTUNE5.htmcid=1254998835ei=cLjrSNCmE6bU6gOU8q2CCQusg=AFQjCNG38Bcr1w9Yt5pnM4LEtZcO2Yg4dgUPDATE: Lilly Settles 32-State Zyprexa bMarketing/b Probe For $62 Million/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fCNNMoney.comnbsp;-/font nobr4 hours ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1Lilly has been accused of concealing Zyprexa#39;s tendency to cause weight gain and diabetes and for bmarketing/b the drug for unapproved uses. b.../b/fontbrfont size=-1a href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.legalnewsline.com/news/216400-lilly-settles-with-32-states-over-its-zyprexa-marketingcid=1254998835ei=cLjrSNCmE6bU6gOU8q2CCQusg=AFQjCNEnER03DPlk11KzF5j7R1dLKD5-kQLilly settles with 32 states over its Zyprexa bmarketing/b/a font size=-1 color=#6f6f6fnobrLegal News Line/nobr/font/fontbrfont size=-1a href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.fiercehealthcare.com/story/eli-lilly-pay-62m-settle-zyprexa-marketing-charges/2008-10-07cid=1254998835ei=cLjrSNCmE6bU6gOU8q2CCQusg=AFQjCNFGg3uFpW2NyZEFvrQAxGUSXvk7sgEli Lilly to pay $62M to settle Zyprexa bmarketing/b charges/a font size=-1 color=#6f6f6fnobrFierceHealthcare/nobr/font/fontbrfont size=-1a href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.bizjournals.com/houston/stories/2008/10/06/daily14.htmlcid=1254998835ei=cLjrSNCmE6bU6gOU8q2CCQusg=AFQjCNHXId0MlGp8wGAxC9m5hBKv0ld36wTexas wins piece of Eli Lilly settlement/a font size=-1 color=#6f6f6fnobrBizjournals.com/nobr/font/fontbrfont size=-1 class=pa href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.indystar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article%3FAID%3D/20081007/BUSINESS03/810070327/1278/BUSINESS03cid=1254998835ei=cLjrSNCmE6bU6gOU8q2CCQusg=AFQjCNECCtlzJtCZLVdxxE8EYkaAQ3Q7VQnobrIndianapolis Star/nobr/anbsp;- a href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.bizjournals.com/jacksonville/stories/2008/10/06/daily17.htmlcid=1254998835ei=cLjrSNCmE6bU6gOU8q2CCQusg=AFQjCNEAQRy-uc4SaD0upLZqexOMPuI7HAnobrBizjournals.com/nobr/a/fontbr/font class=p size=-1a class=p href=http://news.google.com/news?sourceid=navclientie=ISO-8859-1rls=GGLG,GGLG:2005-22,GGLG:enncl=1254998835hl=ennobrall 261 news articles/nobr/a/font/div/font/td/tr/table
table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.marketwatch.com/news/story/secnap-network-security-names-jim/story.aspx%3Fguid%3D%257B0C743550-5EDB-4DAF-8772-4D8098755085%257D%26dist%3Dhpprcid=1255141649ei=cLjrSNCmE6bU6gOU8q2CCQusg=AFQjCNHjA5OlIgxR35YRVDCv1xgSeusTXASECNAP Network Security Names Jim Garrity Vice President of Sales b.../b/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fMarketWatchnbsp;-/font nobr5 hours ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1b.../b today announced that Jim Garrity has joined the team as vice president of sales and bmarketing/b, based in the company#39;s Boca Raton headquarters. b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table
table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.marketwatch.com/news/story/youbetcom-names-former-network-solutions/story.aspx%3Fguid%3D%257B4C492AF6-7B6B-40A2-9CEB-E16F74A80BF5%257D%26dist%3Dhpprcid=1255117172ei=cLjrSNCmE6bU6gOU8q2CCQusg=AFQjCNFNBAMeNRIulaSc2KwzAAEYiRapjQYoubet.com Names Former Network Solutions Executive Jeffrey b.../b/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fMarketWatchnbsp;-/font nobr6 hours ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1today announced that it has appointed internet bmarketing/b executive Jeffrey Grosman to the position of Chief bMarketing/b Officer. Mr. Grosman joins Youbet.com b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table
table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd width=80 align=center valign=topfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifa href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/10/06/AR2008100602934.htmlcid=1254560058ei=cLjrSNCmE6bU6gOU8q2CCQusg=AFQjCNHMzJQ7NhbtHRMi1eMA5cEptMKMCwimg src=http://news.google.com/news?imgefp=AbWb_rNL6CUJimgurl=media3.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/photo/2008/10/06/PH2008100602971.jpg width=80 height=54 alt= border=1brfont size=-2Washington Post/font/a/font/tdtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.latimes.com/features/health/la-na-scotus7-2008oct07,0,7341302.storycid=1254560058ei=cLjrSNCmE6bU6gOU8q2CCQusg=AFQjCNFGvnYwZCKQLrkgcjuF8CYk00vAMgSupreme Court opens term with cigarette bmarketing/b case/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fLos Angeles Times,nbsp;CAnbsp;-/font nobr12 hours ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1But a lawyer for the consumers said Congress did not intend to wipe out suits involving deceptive bmarketing/b. Lawmakers who set the warning labels in 1969 b.../b/fontbrfont size=-1a href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.stuff.co.nz/4718997a12.htmlcid=1254560058ei=cLjrSNCmE6bU6gOU8q2CCQusg=AFQjCNHt3YyRT4Y1_0cN1Gs5KPlnkLF_YgUS Supreme Court tackles light cigarette bmarketing/b/a font size=-1 color=#6f6f6fnobrStuff.co.nz/nobr/font/fontbrfont size=-1a href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/10/06/AR2008100602934.htmlcid=1254560058ei=cLjrSNCmE6bU6gOU8q2CCQusg=AFQjCNHMzJQ7NhbtHRMi1eMA5cEptMKMCwSuit on Tobacco Ads Sparks Feisty Debate/a font size=-1 color=#6f6f6fnobrWashington Post/nobr/font/fontbrfont size=-1a href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://money.cnn.com/news/newsfeeds/articles/djf500/200810061343DOWJONESDJONLINE000547_FORTUNE5.htmcid=1254560058ei=cLjrSNCmE6bU6gOU8q2CCQusg=AFQjCNE4lIkhIBuusTrdQX5EtRFrV0PDAwUPDATE:US Supreme Court Appears Split In Altria Cigarettes Case/a font size=-1 color=#6f6f6fnobrCNNMoney.com/nobr/font/fontbrfont size=-1 class=pa href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5iq0HLKcscsec0kKo11KLXIrtQznQD93L3HLG0cid=1254560058ei=cLjrSNCmE6bU6gOU8q2CCQusg=AFQjCNG65IC-QULKejKUKNMfOXoNsGiSJwnobrThe Associated Press/nobr/anbsp;- a href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news%3Fpid%3D20601103%26sid%3Da.oxV6FEz_DM%26refer%3Duscid=1254560058ei=cLjrSNCmE6bU6gOU8q2CCQusg=AFQjCNEzTm_XfZWncVrA39AputF2eUr2ognobrBloomberg/nobr/a/fontbr/font class=p size=-1a class=p href=http://news.google.com/news?sourceid=navclientie=ISO-8859-1rls=GGLG,GGLG:2005-22,GGLG:enncl=1254560058hl=ennobrall 507 news articles/nobr/a/font/div/font/td/tr/table
marketing - Google News

Beware: Marketing Sinkholes Ahead!

Life provides your business with enough opportunities for failure. Don't... Read More

Eight No Cost Ways to Market Your Business

Are you trying to promote your business with a tiny... Read More

Behold the Power of the Tip

You are an expert. You have lots of content -... Read More

3 Strategies to Market Your Business Even When There?s No Money

Many small and home based businesses know they need to... Read More

Listen To What The Marketing Experts Say

But more importantly, watch what they do. If you do... Read More

Peek a Boo - We See You -- 7 Trade Show Tips for Marketing Managers

Peek a Boo - We See YouDoes your company have... Read More

10 Simple Ways to Boost Your Sales IMMIDIATELY!

Alright you've got yourself a nice website with a great... Read More

How to Turn a Marketing Calendar into Marketing Success!

Do you have a list of marketing ideas that you'd... Read More

Youre Halfway There!...Or Not Part 2

Now that you have had a chance to create a... Read More

Dont Let Your Business Cards End Up in the Trash

Business cards are such wonderfully creative little marketing products. Most... Read More

Take the Test: Do Your Marketing Materials Really Grab Attention?

Today's constant bombardment of marketing messages means your materials must... Read More

A Pass / Fail Test for Any New Market

If you are considering entering a new target market, with... Read More

Is A Marketing Plan The Same Thing As A Communications Plan?

How does a marketing plan relate to an organization's communications... Read More

Pre-Cleaning and Updating Addresses in Your Database

When you send a direct mail piece using the Addressed... Read More

The 3 Unknown Steps of Marketing Success

To be your own marketing expert you first need to... Read More

Fail Your Way To Small Business Marketing Success!

Are you willing to fail your way to great marketing... Read More

Shopping Comes Back To The Community

THE GREAT BRITISH TRADITION OF STREET MARKETS IS UPHELD AT... Read More

Do You Know Where Your Email Address is Today?

Having people go to your website is not always easy:... Read More

The Top 10 Marketing Tools to Grow Your Business in 2004

Looking to grow your business? Make sure you have these... Read More

Write Articles WITHOUT Writing!

Face it, writing any article can be a tedious and... Read More

Top Five Tips For Designing Marketing Strategies That Get Results

"But this won't work" said Steve. "I've tried it in... Read More

How To Get Business With Your Business Card?

So, you have a business card? And you have given... Read More

Developing A Focused Marketing Strategy

You want all of your marketing messages to have a... Read More

The 5 Musts of Marketing

For most of the small business owners I work with,... Read More

Pamphlets and the Money They?ll Put in Your Pocket

People are making a fortune on pamphlets. If you go... Read More