You might be able to accuse me of falling for “internet hype.”
You’ve heard it in recent years. “Print media is dead. Everyone is online. Dump your regular mail budget.”
I have to admit, I get caught up in it, too, now and then. After all, I like technology. I like to keep on the cutting edge of things.
But the real secret to reaching people is in the words that you use, whether online or offline.
I know I harped on four tips of email marketing for home care agencies in my last post. But those same four tips could apply to printed and mailed newsletters as well.
Baby boomer marketing
Are you marketing to baby boomers? Very likely you are. Newsletters and other materials sent through the regular mail – especially to the boomers and those older – has a great impact.
Lately I’ve been reading a book by celebrated marketer Dan Kennedy. In case you don’t know, he’s the direct marketing expert who has increased sales by the millions for many companies. In his book, No B.S. Guide to Marketing to Leading-Edge Boomers & Seniors, he puts down such unmitigated praise of the internet.
Yes, he sees the online world as important, but he says that statistics show that, for the older crowd anyway, offline promotion is primary. His book was written in 2012, but still has much relevance today.
In his book, he says that of one financial service firm’s sources of clients, 34% came from word of mouth recommendations and referrals. Thirty-three percent came from advertising for and attendance at public educational seminars. Fifteen percent came from media advertising and media publicity, or radio, TV and newspapers. (The rest came from other sources, presumably.) He therefore suggests moving advertising budgets to reflect these results.
A call from Kirby
In light of this, I got a call today from someone whom I’ll name Kirby, a friend who runs his own home care company.
Last week I sent something to him. He wanted to tell me something about what I sent. He said “Kevin, you’ve got a real gift for writing.”
He is coming out with a coaching service for home care owners, and I viewed a video that he just made. Just a talking head piece explaining how he got a 30% response rate on a printed mailing that he sent to some home care agency owners and managers.
Now that’s a good response, isn’t it?
I thought his approach was a good one, so I wrote a sales piece enticing people to click on his link to get the free letter that he made available to other home care owners. He saw the advantage of my approaching the sales letter in a personal way. That means making it conversational, and appealing to the mindset (and worries) of the home care agency owner.
Kirby plans to use my blub either as part of a post card campaign, or as part of a landing page for an ad.
Free home care sales letter
I wrote my sales blub at no cost to Kirby, thinking I would enjoy the challenge of crafting something that would describe the frustrated mindset of a home care owner who spends his days banging his head against the wall trying to get appointments with reluctant discharge managers and nurses.
So I’d like to make this offer to you – if you are a home care agency owner or a marketing manager, contact me by email form, or with the phone number at the top of the page. Tell me why your service is unique, and explain a little bit about how you got into this business. I’ll craft a sales letter for you at no cost. Then go ahead and use the letter. I won’t bill you a penny. Let me know what kind of results you get.
This is a limited-time offer, so contact us soon.
