| Using Alternative Media to Generate More Customers | | | | Alternatively, with your broker, identify |
| | | | potentialprograms NOT on the market that may |
| Last week I received a very nice thank you gift from | | | | accept your insert. |
| afriend of mine, Eric Ruth, who is arguably the number | | | | Tip # 3 |
| one marketing coach to the personal fitness trainer | | | | Use large, bold type and a strong, simple offer on |
| industry. | | | | yourinsert. All the rules that apply in creating a |
| Eric, asked if he could interview me about a specific | | | | compellingspace ad also apply in creating a compelling |
| topicand I agreed. | | | | insert. |
| After it was done, Eric sent me a bunch of filet | | | | Ask yourself, "What is it, exactly, that I want my |
| mignonsteaks from Omaha Steaks (Thanks Eric). | | | | prospectto do when they get my insert?" Then put |
| But the steaks are not what this article is about. | | | | that in yourheadline. |
| It's what was inside the Omaha Steaks box that I | | | | Tip # 4 |
| want totalk to you about. | | | | Make sure that you are utilizing the maximum allowable |
| You see, two things came with the steaks. One was | | | | sizeof insert. |
| a Omaha Steaks cookbook. | | | | Tip # 5 |
| The cookbook not only contained recipes but also a | | | | Make sure that it is easy to respond (this should |
| bunch of bounceback special offers. | | | | gowithout saying). And use free offers to generate |
| Each of these offers were specifically designed to get | | | | leads. |
| youto call Omaha Steaks up and order more steaks. | | | | Tip # 6 |
| And Here Was the Second Thing that Was In the | | | | Make it clear why your insert is riding along inside the |
| Omaha Steaks Box... | | | | package. You need to link your copy into the |
| The second thing was a blue envelope that said, "Don't | | | | relationship that already exists between the company |
| Miss | | | | offering the PIP and your product or service. |
| Out - Special Offers from Americas Favorite | | | | For instance, a Home Depot insert that went to |
| Companies." | | | | newhomeowners said, "You've just moved in..." |
| Here's what they looked like: | | | | Tip # 7 |
| The contents of the blue envelope included what is | | | | Always have new offers and new creative ready to |
| known inthe marketing industry as, "package insert." | | | | go. After awhile, if the PIP program is a regularly |
| _____________________ | | | | shipped item, people get tired of seeing the same old |
| Package Inserts 101 | | | | ad. So you need to mix it up once in awhile. |
| _____________________ | | | | Tip # 8 |
| Package inserts are basically advertisements that | | | | If you've been successful with one PIP program then |
| getinserted into packages that are being sent out from | | | | test afew more. |
| various vendors. | | | | __________________ |
| For instance, in this case, Omaha Steaks sends | | | | Here Is a Comprehensive List of PIP Program |
| thousands of boxes to its customers. It sells space in | | | | Managers |
| its boxes to other companies who want to advertise | | | | __________________ |
| to Omaha Steaks customers. This is called a | | | | Leon Henry practically invented the package |
| "Package Insert Program" or PIP for short. | | | | insertbusiness. They still have the largest and perhaps |
| There are thousands of PIP program offered by | | | | the most experienced PIP brokers in the industry. |
| manycompanies. Here are just a sampling of the type | | | | Leon Henry, Inc. |
| ofcompanies that provide PIP programs: | | | | 200 North Central Avenue Suite 220 |
| Amazon | | | | Hartsdale, NY 10530-1940 |
| American Stationary | | | | Phone: (914) 285-3456 |
| Divers Direct | | | | Fax: (914) 285-3450 |
| Crafts Enthusiasts | | | | E-Mail: Web Address: |
| Global Industrial Equipment | | | | Here are several other PIP management companies. |
| Kingfisher Maps | | | | 1. AM/Direct (Peterborough, NH); (603) 924-9262 |
| Mantis Gardening Tools | | | | 2. American Marketing Network (New York, NY); (212) |
| Pitney Bowes | | | | 243-8065 |
| Speed Gear | | | | 3. AMG Global (Redbank, NJ); (732) 741-0585 |
| Toyfare | | | | 4. Atrium Marketing Group (Chicago, IL); (312) |
| Vitamin World | | | | 733-3383,ext. 36 |
| Zoysia Grass Plugs | | | | 5. Bernice Bush Co. (Irvine, CA); (949) 752-4210 |
| If the profile of your target customer matches the | | | | 6. BrightStar Marketing (Lake Bluft, IL); (880) 700-7483 |
| profileof the customers that these companies sell to | | | | 7. D-J Associates (Ridgefield, CT); (203) 431-8777 |
| then youmight consider a PIP advertising program with | | | | 8. DK Group (Hillsdale, NJ); (201) 358-6100 |
| them. | | | | 9. Edith Roman Associates (Pearl River, NY); (845) |
| The going rate for package inserts averages around | | | | 620-9000 |
| $60 per thousand packages. What this means is that | | | | 10. Effective Mailers (Roseville, MI); (248) 588-9880 |
| you pay $60 and your insert will be sent out with 1,000 | | | | 11. Everyday Media (New York, NY); (212) 481-7300 |
| packages. | | | | 12. Gage Marketing Services (Minneapolis, MN); (612) |
| This relatively cheap when you consider that renting a | | | | 595-3862 |
| listfor a solo mailing might cost anywhere from $100 to | | | | 13. GTE Directories Direct Delivery (Tampa, FL); (813) |
| $250per thousand names. | | | | 664-5400 |
| On the other hand, the response rates for inserts are | | | | 14. IDG Communications List Services (Framingham, |
| much lower than direct mail. An acceptable response | | | | MA); 1-888-IDG-LIST |
| rate used for PIP programs are typically measured in | | | | 15. List Services Corporation (Bethel, CT); (203) |
| tenths of a percent vs. the 2-5 percent return of solo | | | | 743-2600 |
| direct mailings. | | | | 16. Media Solutuion Services (Atlanta, GA); (770) |
| The number of inserts in a package can vary from | | | | 955-3535 |
| four toeight. Generally, only non-competitive pieces are | | | | 17. MKTG Services (Newtown, PA); (215) 968-5020 |
| included together in one package. | | | | 18. Our Tribe Marketing (New York, NY); (212) |
| Here's a photo of the inserts that came in the Omaha | | | | 462-0036 |
| Steaks package I received. | | | | 19. Pihera Advertising Associates (Lebanon, OH); (513) |
| As you can see, there are only three inserts from | | | | 932-5649 |
| thesecompanies: | | | | 20. ProForma PrintNet (Marina, CA); (323) 692-9200 |
| 1. Hawthorne Village (model trains) | | | | 21. Right Lane Media (Saint Paul, MN); (877) 412-3200 |
| 2. Discover (credit cards) | | | | 22. Select Publishing (Madison, WI); (608) 277-5787 |
| 3. Select Comfort (beds) | | | | 23. The American Mailshop (Sioux Falls, SD); (605) |
| Here's Why You Should Consider Using a PIP | | | | 338-4004 |
| Advertising | | | | 24. The Media Organization (Woodbury, NY); (516) |
| Program in Your Marketing Mix | | | | 496-2577 |
| 1. You get the power of direct mail at about 20% | | | | 25. Tobin Productions (New York, NY); (212) 727-1500 |
| ofwhat you'd normally pay for a direct mail campaign. | | | | 26. VentureDirect Worldwide (New York, NY); (212) |
| 2. You can target specific niche markets and | | | | 684-4800 |
| consumersegments. | | | | 27. Vis/Aid Marketing (Inglewood, CA); (310) 399-0696 |
| 3. You can target people by the way that they buy | | | | 28. Walter Karl, Inc. (Pearl River, NY); (914) 620-0700 |
| (i.e.mail order buyers, phone order buyers, television | | | | 29. (Hot Springs, AR); (501) 627-0817 |
| orderbuyer etc.). | | | | 30. Worldshop (Grand Rapids, MI); (616) 957-0555 |
| 4. You get category exclusivity in the mailing (i.e. | | | | ____________ |
| nocompeting offers to worry about). | | | | Conclusion |
| 5. Your offer gets an implied endorsement from | | | | ____________ |
| thecompany mailing the package. | | | | Getting Eric's gift from Omaha Steaks reminded me |
| I'm not saying that you should base your entire | | | | just how powerful a Package Insert Program can be. |
| marketing program on insert media. What I'm saying is | | | | And package insert programs are just one type of |
| that using inserts can be a good compliment to how | | | | alternative media. |
| you're already advertising your product or service. | | | | There are many types of alternative media to choose |
| With the shrinking list market, package inserts are a | | | | from to reach your target market: |
| good alternative way to prospect for qualified leads. It's | | | | Ride-Alongs |
| hard for companies, I think, to rule it out. | | | | Co-op Mailings |
| __________________ | | | | Statement Stuffers |
| Here's a Few Tips to Get the Most Out of PIP | | | | Sampling Programs |
| Programs | | | | Card Deck Mailing |
| __________________ | | | | Catalog Bind-Ins/Blow-Ins |
| Tip # 1 | | | | Newspaper Inserts |
| Be very careful of how you pick a PIP program. It's | | | | Supermarket take-one racks |
| muchlike picking a mailing list. You have to pick a PIP | | | | It's wise to work with an experienced broker |
| program that is reaching people who are good | | | | whounderstands the industry and can help guide you |
| prospects for your product or service. | | | | through to successful campaigns. |
| Make sure you set aside some time to sit with your | | | | The broker doesn't cost you anything. The company |
| brokerto identify the characteristics of the programs | | | | offeringthe insert media pays the broker so you'd be |
| that work. | | | | silly not towork with an experienced broker. |
| Then find plans that share these characteristics, and | | | | Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to get back to eating |
| put a plan in place to test them. | | | | oneof my Omaha steaks! |
| Tip # 2 | | | | |