Direct Mail Invitations: Eleven Ways to Boost Response To Your B2B Campaign.

Will your business-to-business direct mail package
ever produce a standing ovation? It might. When you
mail an effective invitation to a seminar, workshop,
awards show or other live event, you literally move
people—out of their seats and into yours. That's one
of the hardest jobs in B2B direct mail. Here are 11
ways to boost the success of your B2B direct mail
invitations.

SEMINARS

1. If you are offering a free seminar as a way to
generate leads, sell the event, not your product or
service. Promote the valuable, exclusive information
that the prospect will learn at the event.

2. Prove there is no risk to attending by giving away
something of value. One software company tested its
seminar mailings by offering free software (a $20
value) to half their list. The freebie doubled
response.

TRADE SHOWS

3. Attract prospects to your trade show booth by
giving them what Bob Bly calls a "carry card." A
simple card, mailed with your invitation, offers
prospects a free gift or chance to win something by
redeeming the card at your booth.

4. Tease. Indicate that your booth will be wacky,
controversial or contentious so that your readers
can't possibly walk by.

AWARD SHOWS

5. Create a memorable theme. The John Caples
International Awards show recently mailed me an
invitation with the theme: "Why covet a Caples when
you can have one?" Good question.

6. Show the view beyond the event. Help readers
see themselves not just at the show, but after the
show, with an award in their hands.

BEST PRACTICES

7. Create urgency by showing your deadline in
prominent places throughout your invitation.

8. Capture the names and addresses of those who
cannot attend by offering them something of value
(hot prospects shouldn't be penalized simply because
they have a full day timer).

9. Mail more than once, preferably three times in the
four weeks leading up to your event. Consider
sending an email to your house list, telling invited
guests to watch their mailboxes for your
invitation.

10. Give guests more than one way to respond (BRE,
web, email, phone, fax).

11. Use a checklist to make sure you cover
everything in every invitation (such as event name,
venue name, location, date, time, directions, early
bird deadlines, cost, who to make the check payable
to).

© 2006 Sharpe Copy Inc. You may reprint this article online and in print provided the links remain live and the content remains unaltered (including the "About the Author" message).

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Alan Sharpe is a business-to-business direct mail copywriter and lead generation specialist who helps business owners and marketing managers attract new clients using direct mail marketing. Sign up for free weekly tips like this at http://www.sharpecopy.com/newsletter