Lumpy Mail was developed by direct marketers who saw their response rates go down on the traditional snail mail sales letter.
People were so inundated with “smooth”, flat, letter envelopes that marketing messages were getting increasingly lost in the shuffle.
In order to combat this, marketers started to add physical objects to their direct mail in order to stand out. This made the envelope “lumpy” and increased the curiosity of the recipient.
For instance, one of the most popular, and maybe the best, examples of lumpy mail is the Gilette razor.
Young men would get the razor in the mail, use it, and then subsequently buy more blades every few weeks.
Why is it so effective?
Because you’re invoking curiosity by adding a 3-dimensional object to your direct mail campaign, you’re likely to increase the open rate of the mail.
It is not uncommon to see a lumpy mail campaign have a double-digit increased response rate. Compare that to a 9% response rate for in-house lists and a 4.9% response rate for prospect lists. (Source)
How GIFTOLOGY Does Lumpy Mail
Before we share how GIFTOLOGY does Lumpy Mail, let’s talk a bit about how other companies do it.
Most agencies you work with will start by sourcing a prospect list for you. They’ll buy a few thousand addresses, create some kind of mail template, put some kind of lame trinket of some kind into the envelope and wait for the responses.
The trinket is usually some kind of stress ball or a junky toy that’s just going to get thrown away as soon as the recipient opens it.
But hey, you got them to open your letter. So there’s something.
GIFTOLOGY thinks about lumpy mail incredibly different. We aren’t going to send out a mass campaign to anyone and everyone who might buy from you.
We aren’t going to give them some crappy trinkets they’re going to throw away.
Here’s what we do instead:
First, we identify a list of highly targeted prospects that are very likely to respond to your campaign.
Our prospects are going to be people who are willing to sign 6 and 7 figure contracts with your business.
Then we identify a gift based on a specific set of principles that will maximize your ROI.
And finally, we personalize each individual gift and mailer that goes out.
Here’s what it’s like to work with us
When we accept new clients to our annual service program (ie, we become part of your team and act as your relationship department) – our first campaign together is called TOP 20.
Here’s how it works…
“Does it have to be exactly 20 recipients?”
- No. But usually no less than 15 and no more than 35.
- 20 is a very doable number for companies installing a new relationship system.
- Too many and the experience lacks gas. Too few and there’s no pop.
“What’s the purpose of this campaign?”
- 4-out-of-5 clients use this campaign to reward referral partners.
- NOT as a ‘thanks for the referral you just gave me, but as a ‘I wouldn’t be where I am without you.’
“How do you measure success?”
- Campaigns earn relational wins. Ie, communication & appreciation
- Enough relational wins lead, organically, to a Home Run.
- “Home Run” = a new opportunity that pays for the relational system 10-300x over.
“What should I expect from my first TOP 20 campaign?”
- Contradictorily – the best givers expect nothing.
- Each client gift, each note, each follow-up = no ask, no quid-pro-quo.
- Water the relational garden and wait for the seeds to grow.
CASE STUDY: A Personal Injury Law Firm out of Louisiana
We recently received a video testimonial (always appreciated!) from a legal team that executed their first TOP 20. Mechanics and highlights:
- Created their referral partner list – 25 (not 20) of previous sources.
- Approved the items and sequences, as proposed by their GIFT∙OLOGISTs.
- Artifacts are scheduled to be received during a non-holiday, unexpected time.
Expected result: a steady drip of thank you texts and emails, maybe a phone call or two. Perhaps a social media shoutout. Planting seeds for future conversations.
Actual result: All of the above. And additionally? Two weeks after receiving the gift, one of the 25 recipients referred him to “the largest case in my inventory to date.”
- A 7-figure billable case (could be worth more, pending outcome).
- Resulting from a 1K-2K relational investment.
Would he have referred that case to him otherwise? We would like to think so. 😉
But these situations do have remarkable timing, don’t they?
I suppose I should add “immediate Home Runs NOT typical, your results may vary, etc etc.”
(This client IS a legal professional after all.)
But look. Traditional marketing has an expiration date.
- It interrupts. It gets noticed (or it doesn’t). And it dies.
- Hopefully, something happens in that brief span of interruption.
Relationship building snowballs over time.
- It’s received. Appreciated. And then appreciates.
- Done well, it’s a daily reminder that keeps the giver top-of-mind, top-of-memory.
5 Highly Effective Lumpy Mail Ideas that Have a Great ROI for Our Clients
When I said that our gifts are not like the little trinkets that most people use for their lumpy mail campaign, you’re about to see why.
These gifts will cost more money upfront, but do they produce a ton of revenue on the back end.
Cutlery
One of our favorite gifts to give a prospect is a beautifully designed cutlery set. The best part of a cutlery set is that it is extremely practical.
Your prospects and their families are going to be able to use it every single time they and their families prepare a meal.
And every time they use it, they’re going to think of you and your business. If they got too busy to call you that day, when they get home, they’re going to use a knife you got them and remember to call you.
Their significant others are even going to ask “hey, did you call that business who gave us the knives yet?”
I don’t know a single salesperson who can advocate quite like a prospect’s spouse.
Now compare that with the stress ball that the other agencies will use that your prospects are going to throw away as soon as they get them.
Luggage
If your prospects are on-the-go executives, then a nice piece of luggage will be a great gift for them.
How in the world can they ignore a piece of luggage that gets mailed from you?
Spoiler: They can’t.
This is a gift that they’re going to use several times per month and think of you and your business every time they do.
Aura Frame
If the first two gifts are out of your price range then the next three will be appealing to you.
First up is an Aura Frame.
Aura Frames will display your photos as you take them. Imagine that your prospect’s Aura Frame is getting updated with pictures of their grandchildren on their summer vacation or their baseball game.
Aura Frames will also curate favorite images and eliminate duplicate or blurry photos.
Refresh Glass
We absolutely love Refresh Glass because there is an amazing story behind it.
Every glass is made from a recycled bottle. So not only are you providing the prospect with a beautifully designed practical gift, you’re going to be helping make a healthier planet.
The other cool thing about Refresh Glass is that you can embroider your prospect’s name or initials or company logo into the glass making it a truly one-of-a-kind piece.
Glassy Baby
Glassy Baby is another company we love to give as gifts.
Each piece of glass is hand blown from start to finish. There is absolutely no mass production with a Glassy Baby glass.
Again, you can embroider your prospect’s name, initial, or company logo into the glass making it a one-of-a-kind piece.
And Glassy Baby is also built around a cause. They’ve raised over $12.5 Million to charitable organizations around the helping and healing of wildlife.
Final Words
If you want us to help you with a gift marketing campaign that will help you see a 10 to 300X your marketing investment, then click here to learn more about working with us.
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