| Last week I received a very nice thank you | | | | NOT on the market that may accept your |
| gift from a friend of mine, Eric Ruth, who is | | | | insert.Tip # 3Use large, bold type and a |
| arguably the number one marketing coach to | | | | strong, simple offer on your |
| the personal fitness trainer industry.Eric, | | | | |
| asked if he could interview me about a | | | | insert. All the rules that apply in creating |
| specific topic and I agreed.After it was | | | | a compelling space ad also apply in creating |
| done, Eric sent me a bunch of filet mignon | | | | a compelling insert.Ask yourself, "What is |
| steaks from Omaha Steaks (Thanks Eric).But | | | | it, exactly, that I want my prospect to do |
| the steaks are not what this article is | | | | when they get my insert?" Then put that in |
| about.It's what was inside the Omaha Steaks | | | | your headline.Tip # 4Make sure that you are |
| box that I want to talk to you about.You see, | | | | utilizing the maximum allowable size of |
| two things came with the steaks. One was a | | | | insert.Tip # 5Make sure that it is easy to |
| Omaha Steaks cookbook.The cookbook not only | | | | respond (this should go without saying). And |
| contained recipes but also a bunch of | | | | use free offers to generate leads.Tip # 6Make |
| bounceback special offers.Each of these | | | | it clear why your insert is riding along |
| offers were specifically designed to get you | | | | inside the package. You need to link your |
| to call Omaha Steaks up and order more | | | | copy into the relationship that already |
| steaks.And Here Was the Second Thing that Was | | | | exists between the company offering the PIP |
| In the Omaha Steaks Box...The second thing | | | | and your product or service.For instance, a |
| was a blue envelope that said, "Don't Miss | | | | Home Depot insert that went to new homeowners |
| Out - Special Offers from Americas Favorite | | | | said, "You've just moved in..."Tip # 7Always |
| Companies."Here's what they looked like: | | | | have new offers and new creative ready to go. |
| contents of the blue envelope included what | | | | After awhile, if the PIP program is a |
| is known in the marketing industry as, | | | | regularly shipped item, people get tired of |
| "package insert."_____________________Package | | | | seeing the same old ad. So you need to mix it |
| Inserts 101 | | | | up once in awhile.Tip # 8If you've been |
| | | | successful with one PIP program then test a |
| _____________________Package inserts are | | | | few more. |
| basically advertisements that get inserted | | | | |
| into packages that are being sent out from | | | | |
| various vendors.For instance, in this case, | | | | _____________________________________________ |
| Omaha Steaks sends thousands of boxes to its | | | | _________Here Is a Comprehensive List of PIP |
| customers. It sells space in its boxes to | | | | Program Managers |
| other companies who want to advertise to | | | | |
| Omaha Steaks customers. This is called a | | | | |
| "Package Insert Program" or PIP for | | | | _____________________________________________ |
| short.There are thousands of PIP program | | | | _________Leon Henry practically invented the |
| offered by many companies. Here are just a | | | | package insert business. They still have the |
| sampling of the type of companies that | | | | largest and perhaps the most experienced PIP |
| provide PIP programs:AmazonAmerican | | | | brokers in the industry.Leon Henry, Inc. |
| StationaryDivers DirectCrafts | | | | |
| EnthusiastsGlobal Industrial | | | | 200 North Central Avenue Suite 220 |
| EquipmentKingfisher MapsMantis Gardening | | | | |
| ToolsPitney BowesSpeed GearToyfareVitamin | | | | Hartsdale, NY 10530-1940 |
| WorldZoysia Grass PlugsIf the profile of your | | | | |
| target customer matches the profile of the | | | | Phone: (914) 285-3456 |
| customers that these companies sell to then | | | | |
| you might consider a PIP advertising program | | | | Fax: (914) 285-3450 |
| with them.The going rate for package inserts | | | | |
| averages around $60 per thousand packages. | | | | E-Mail: Web Address: are several other PIP |
| What this means is that you pay $60 and your | | | | management companies.1. AM/Direct |
| insert will be sent out with 1,000 | | | | (Peterborough, NH); (603) 924-92622. American |
| packages.This relatively cheap when you | | | | Marketing Network (New York, NY); (212) |
| consider that renting a list for a solo | | | | 243-80653. AMG Global (Redbank, NJ); (732) |
| mailing might cost anywhere from $100 to $250 | | | | 741-05854. Atrium Marketing Group (Chicago, |
| per thousand names.On the other hand, the | | | | IL); (312) 733-3383, ext. 365. Bernice Bush |
| response rates for inserts are much lower | | | | Co. (Irvine, CA); (949) 752-42106. BrightStar |
| than direct mail. An acceptable response rate | | | | Marketing (Lake Bluft, IL); (880) 700-74837. |
| used for PIP programs are typically measured | | | | D-J Associates (Ridgefield, CT); (203) |
| in tenths of a percent vs. the 2-5 percent | | | | 431-87778. DK Group (Hillsdale, NJ); (201) |
| return of solo direct mailings.The number of | | | | 358-61009. Edith Roman Associates (Pearl |
| inserts in a package can vary from four to | | | | River, NY); (845) 620-900010. Effective |
| eight. Generally, only non-competitive pieces | | | | Mailers (Roseville, MI); (248) 588-988011. |
| are included together in one package.Here's a | | | | Everyday Media (New York, NY); (212) |
| photo of the inserts that came in the Omaha | | | | 481-730012. Gage Marketing Services |
| Steaks package I received. you can see, there | | | | (Minneapolis, MN); (612) 595-386213. GTE |
| are only three inserts from these | | | | Directories Direct Delivery (Tampa, FL); |
| companies:1. Hawthorne Village (model | | | | (813) 664-540014. IDG Communications List |
| trains)2. Discover (credit cards)3. Select | | | | Services (Framingham, MA); 1-888-IDG-LIST15. |
| Comfort (beds)Here's Why You Should Consider | | | | List Services Corporation (Bethel, CT); (203) |
| Using a PIP Advertising Program in Your | | | | 743-260016. Media Solutuion Services |
| Marketing Mix1. You get the power of direct | | | | (Atlanta, GA); (770) 955-353517. MKTG |
| mail at about 20% of | | | | Services (Newtown, PA); (215) 968-502018. Our |
| | | | Tribe Marketing (New York, NY); (212) |
| what you'd normally pay for a direct mail | | | | 462-003619. Pihera Advertising Associates |
| campaign.2. You can target specific niche | | | | (Lebanon, OH); (513) 932-564920. ProForma |
| markets and consumer | | | | PrintNet (Marina, CA); (323) 692-920021. |
| | | | Right Lane Media (Saint Paul, MN); (877) |
| segments.3. You can target people by the way | | | | 412-320022. Select Publishing (Madison, WI); |
| that they buy (i.e. | | | | (608) 277-578723. The American Mailshop |
| | | | (Sioux Falls, SD); (605) 338-400424. The |
| mail order buyers, phone order buyers, | | | | Media Organization (Woodbury, NY); (516) |
| television order buyer etc.).4. You get | | | | 496-257725. Tobin Productions (New York, NY); |
| category exclusivity in the mailing (i.e. no | | | | (212) 727-150026. VentureDirect Worldwide |
| | | | (New York, NY); (212) 684-480027. Vis/Aid |
| competing offers to worry about).5. Your | | | | Marketing (Inglewood, CA); (310) 399-069628. |
| offer gets an implied endorsement from the | | | | Walter Karl, Inc. (Pearl River, NY); (914) |
| | | | 620-070029. (Hot Springs, AR); (501) |
| company mailing the package.I'm not saying | | | | 627-081730. Worldshop (Grand Rapids, MI); |
| that you should base your entire marketing | | | | (616) 957-0555____________Conclusion |
| program on insert media. What I'm saying is | | | | |
| that using inserts can be a good compliment | | | | ____________Getting Eric's gift from Omaha |
| to how you're already advertising your | | | | Steaks reminded me just how powerful a |
| product or service.With the shrinking list | | | | Package Insert Program can be. And package |
| market, package inserts are a good | | | | insert programs are just one type of |
| alternative way to prospect for qualified | | | | alternative media.There are many types of |
| leads. It's hard for companies, I think, to | | | | alternative media to choose from to reach |
| rule it | | | | your target market:Ride-AlongsCo-op |
| out._________________________________________ | | | | MailingsStatement StuffersSampling |
| _____________Here's a Few Tips to Get the | | | | ProgramsCard Deck MailingCatalog Bind-Ins |
| Most Out of PIP Programs | | | | Blow-InsNewspaper InsertsSupermarket take-one |
| | | | racksIt's wise to work with an experienced |
| | | | broker who understands the industry and can |
| _____________________________________________ | | | | help guide you through to successful |
| _________Tip # 1Be very careful of how you | | | | campaigns.The broker doesn't cost you |
| pick a PIP program. It's much like picking a | | | | anything. The company offering the insert |
| mailing list. You have to pick a PIP program | | | | media pays the broker so you'd be silly not |
| that is reaching people who are good | | | | to work with an experienced broker.Now, if |
| prospects for your product or service.Make | | | | you'll excuse me, I have to get back to |
| sure you set aside some time to sit with your | | | | eating one of my Omaha steaks!Copyright 2005 |
| broker to identify the characteristics of the | | | | David FreyDavid Frey is the author of the |
| programs that work. Then find plans that | | | | best-selling manual, "The Small Business |
| share these characteristics, and put a plan | | | | Marketing Bible" and the Senior Editor of the |
| in place to test them.Tip # 2Alternatively, | | | | "Small Business Marketing Best Practices |
| with your broker, identify potential programs | | | | Newsletter. |