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