With my recent big move from Rochester, NY to
Atlanta, GA I had to go through the necessary steps of filling out a change of
address form with the USPS. I opted to do this online (it costs $1 for them to
process), but all in all made it easier for me to take less than 5 minutes to
fill out a form and submit. The other benefit of submitting online was that for
certain magazines and catalog's, the USPS would notify of the change of
address. All you had to do was click the box of the ones you receive (or even
the catalog’s that you would like to start to receive) and submit. What a great
marketing tactic for the catalog companies making people aware of their
product…and keeping their loyal “readers” receiving their
communications!
After I moved in, I received e-mail notifications from a few companies, such as Pottery Barn to keep a look out for a 10% coupon that would be arriving in the mail at my new address welcoming me to my new city! Yesterday I received this piece. It wasn’t just a small envelope with a little 10% coupon inside, it was an envelope with their latest catalog, a simple personalized letter (with my name, address, date and the local Pottery Barn locations listed at the bottom), and 3 10% off coupons for my next purchases at Pottery Barn, Pottery Barn Kids and PB teen! Each of these coupons also had my name and address imprinted on them! These are all a simple form of personalization, but they caught my eye…and I will most definitely go in and spend a little bit of money there!
After I moved in, I received e-mail notifications from a few companies, such as Pottery Barn to keep a look out for a 10% coupon that would be arriving in the mail at my new address welcoming me to my new city! Yesterday I received this piece. It wasn’t just a small envelope with a little 10% coupon inside, it was an envelope with their latest catalog, a simple personalized letter (with my name, address, date and the local Pottery Barn locations listed at the bottom), and 3 10% off coupons for my next purchases at Pottery Barn, Pottery Barn Kids and PB teen! Each of these coupons also had my name and address imprinted on them! These are all a simple form of personalization, but they caught my eye…and I will most definitely go in and spend a little bit of money there!
I also received a package from the USPS at my new
house confirming my change of address. Of course the front is personalized with
my name, new and old address and date of the move and even when the forwarding
services would expire – and the best part is that it shows 5 categories: First
Class Mail, Priority and Express, newspapers and magazines, packages, catalogs
and standard mail. I also received a bunch of coupons for local businesses from
the local grocery store to places such as Home Depot and IKEA. The most
impressive was when I opened the confirmation. It listed a “mover directory” and
a “retail locater” of all the local information I need, such as the local post
office, renewing my drivers license, Internet services and utilities and local
community websites so that I can keep up with what is going on in my new
community! Its simple, yet effective and it saved me a whole lot of time from
looking up this information myself! In fact, I have it pinned up on a bulletin
board right next to my desk! The best and most effective part of the USPS piece,
is that most (I believe) are going to open it and not throw it straight to the
trash!
Think of how you could use the power of
communications to this effect. Can you put a coupon in a package such as this to
your local consumers notifying them of your product or service? Or how you can
further personalize to catch their eye… Look around and do some research, there
are many other resources such as this!
~ Maria
of course the coupons had your name printed on them. they do this out of necessity, not personalization... they don't want you selling them on ebay
Posted by: bob jones | May 29, 2007 at 11:46 PM