As marketers, we have to know how to craft messages that can translate to many different mediums. Sure, we can advertise a particular product or service, but those ads have to resonate in some way to convert our audience into buyers.

A good story goes a long way. Promotional packaging is unique in that you can incorporate sight, sound, touch, smell, and taste to incite an experience that stays in your buyers’ mind. But remember, the message behind all those neat-o features has to be strong.

So what do you say when you’re rolling out a huge direct mail campaign? How do you tell a good story?

With a good opener

You need a way to get people’s attention, which is why you need a good opener. Good openers are short, set the tone of your piece, and evoke a sentiment or inquiry in your buyer.

With a reason for reaching out

Position your products or services in a way that will show your buyer that you are addressing a need they have. You are there to fill a gap, to make their life easier or better. Whatever products or services you are promoting should serve a purpose to your audience. Your marketing message should have characters or situations in it that your buyer will understand and relate to.

With a call to action

Know what you want your end result to be and make sure your message encourages the buyer to learn more about you, either by sending them to your social network, website, or urging them to speak with a company representative via phone or email.

Want more info? Check out this article below by Arnie Kuenn. His tips get into the nitty-gritty of content creation and can help you focus on refining your message to make the most of your mailers.

Have other tips on good stories? Share them in the comments below.

8 Storytelling Tips To Enhance Your Content Marketing

by Arnie Kuenn

Storytelling has been around long before recorded history, but the way stories are told has changed dramatically throughout the course of time.

We’ve evolved from painting the walls of caves to the written word, to plays and movies, to the present ability to tell stories online in the form of videos, blog posts and on social media sites. However, despite the many changes in storytelling, some of the fundamentals have remained the same.

…read more on marketingland.com.

Once again it is that time of the year where people begin to plan what kind of Holiday Greetings they will send to their close ones. Last week I talked about being more personable by handwriting the addresses on your direct marketing campaigns. In order to continue to nurture strong bonds and remain in the minds of customers it is a great idea to send out a Holiday Greeting. Whether it is an e-mail or greeting card it is an amazing way to show your customers that “you”, the company, are thinking about them during the holidays and appreciate and value their business. As a result of this small gesture they may be more inclined to think about you the next time they make a purchasing decision. When contemplating sending an e-mail, be aware that one of the major trends this holiday season is that more retailers will be sending holiday greetings by e-mail designed for tablets and smartphones. The reason for this is due to the fact that more and more people are not accessing their computer and instead are using their mobile devices.

If you are sending a direct mailing piece make it a priority that you stand out in the abundance of mail a client might receive from other companies. The more you stand out from other holiday greetings the more likely you will be noticed and remembered in the minds of your customers. So get into the spirit and start planning your holiday greetings in order to highlight special deals or just show your customers that you care. And of course, personalization might place you above the others this season!

When was the last time you received a personalized handwritten piece of mail? I would guesstimate it does not happen too often; however when you do, doesn’t it peak your curiosity to open it and see what’s inside? Personally, I am always a bit excited to open the envelope and I find it far more personable then sending an e-mail or text message. A recent article that I read believes that using a handwritten address on envelopes in a direct mail piece will prove to be advantageous and make a huge difference in increasing the company’s response rate. Therefore think about how one of your recipients would feel if they were to see that your company took the time to send a hand written envelope to their mailbox.

If you want to make your direct mail campaign even more personable include a personal note within the piece. It’s proven that people like to see their names handwritten on their mail. In reading other articles on this subject it appears that the effective power of personalization is key to getting higher response rate. So next time you launch a direct mail campaign, holiday greeting card, or a simple thank you card from customer service please think about this blog.