"The object of psychology is to give us a totally different idea of the things we know best."

"A direct marketer is really a psychologist with a bulk mail permit."

You can tickle their fancy...

You can do things with direct mail that you can't do with any other medium. That's because it is a three dimensional, touchy-feely thing that is thrust in front of your prospect along with other things that must be attended to. Like bills, letters from home, reminder notices from the doctor or veterinarian and so on. Therefore, direct mail advertising is "helped along" by the company it keeps. If you have the budget and you think it will increase your response enough to pay for itself, you can add "bells & whistles" to your creative package to help it stand out from the crowd. Here are some ideas ...

You might try "bells & whistles"...

Add stickers, seals, peel and stick labels, die cuts, etc. to the outside envelope. These devices can be used to draw attention to certain benefits or to inspire action, or, hopefully, both. Ask your envelope manufacturer for his "idea kit."

Attach 3D objects to the letter or reply device and let it show through a window. I've used lapel buttons, keys, coins (real and fake), wooden nickels, copper wire, a transistor, an embossed plastic card, seed corn and a whole lot of other stuff. It almost always boosts response. However, you have to be careful, here. The post office has rules about such things. Make sure you are working within their limits when you do this.

Use "easy open" gimmicks on the envelope. Like pull tabs and zip strips. Here, again, you should ask your envelope manufacturer for samples showing his capabilities. You want to be careful to use production technology that already exists. Unless you are very wealthy and you want to pay for developing it.

Make it fun to respond. Use tokens, stickers, punch cards, etc. as action devices. This can make it more fun to respond. Be careful, however, not to make it hard to respond in the process.

Send them a gift. If you have a high end business-to-business offer, for example, you may want to venture into the world of sales promotion. Send your prospect a gift with some real value. Some years ago, Federal Express sent out 7 lb. barbells to promote their new increased weight limit. It worked really well. In another promotion, a bank sent out baseballs autographed by the likes of Mickey Mantel and Whitey Ford, along with a stand that held four balls altogether. Each of the first three balls was sent separately. The fourth ball was hand delivered by a sales representative. The bank closed deals (huge loans) with over 80% of the prospects. It's a classic. A very expensive classic.

A cautionary note. You shouldn't add "bells & whistles" just for the sake of being different. Anything you add along these lines should be designed to improve response. It's also helpful if the "gag" is related to the product or service you are offering