By Craig Huey

Marketing to small select groups, especially businesses, can be a difficult challenge. But when the margin in closing a sale is high enough, three-dimensional direct marketing is probably the most effective way to reach your prospects.

What is three-dimensional marketing? Three-dimensional marketing is the use of highly creative oversized or odd-sized packages that have the appearance of a gift. Three-dimensional mailing packages are usually sent by Federal Express or UPS, and are designed to get past the security or reception area unopened, and into the hands of the targeted decision maker. Even the most jaded executive will be tempted to stop work and open a mysterious package that has the appearance of a gift.

Three-dimensional mailing packages are used for consumer or business audiences. They’re the best way to get your message to the desired destination with the greatest possible immediate impact—and highest possible response rate.

Some three-dimensional mailing formats could include an odd-sized envelope, box, tube or wooden box, containing a message. The mailing might be a jigsaw puzzle with missing pieces or a lock with an offer to deliver the key. Results experienced from three-dimensional mail are usually very high. Unlike traditional direct mail pieces in which only 10% gets to the targeted recipient, these intrusive hands-on pieces trigger a response rate that is 5 to 50 times the normal rate.

CIT Group, a New York-based financial services/lending firm, used three-dimensional marketing to score a 92.7% response rate and $60 million in new revenues.

The big idea was a signed Willie Mays baseball and display box sent to executives empowered to make financial decisions. There was room in the display box for two more signed baseballs from Stan Musial and Mickey Mantle. A response to the first mailing, in the form of a request for more information and an appointment with a CIT representative, was answered with another baseball. At the actual appointment, the third baseball was presented. The initial mailings were shipped in boxes that simply said, “Signature Series.” Intrusive by their very nature, these boxes were an invitation to be opened.

A traditional direct mail letter, a highly personalized letter, a telephone call—or any configuration—could not have generated the response equal to a three-dimensional approach.

Another company, MOSER, targeted 600 VPs of Operations and Cash Room Managers of large banks, with their $71,000 electronic money-handling device. They created a three-dimensional mailing to arrive in a certified package containing a pair of scissors and four untrimmed dollar bills with the headline: “You can use this to trim currency sorting tasks—or you can let MOSER help you cut costs 4 ways.” The response rate came in at a strong 80%.

Citicorp World Link needed to get through to 100 very busy hotel executives, from 50 of the top international hotels, to present a settlement and payment system designed to simplify financial transactions for the travel industry.  They designed a black gift box bearing the gold embossed title: “Two Universally Acceptable Payment Systems.” Inside, they enclosed a grain of gold and a check stating: “World Travel Payment—Good As Gold.” Response came in at 12%.

Here are some of the key elements in doing a successful three-dimensional campaign:

1. As with any direct mail, the most important component is your mailing list. Is it targeted and qualified?
   
   
2. You also need to consider your allowable cost-per-lead. If the three-dimensional piece is going to cost you $7.00 per piece to mail, and you receive a 10% response, is that acceptable? Three-dimensional mailings could cost anywhere from $5.00 to $35.00 or more. Be sure you determine your budget.
   
   
3. Never use borrowed interest such as sending a model telephone and saying: “Please call us.” Instead, you’ll want to have a product that is dramatic in its presentation but relevant to your offer.
   
   
4. In most cases, a series of two or three mailings is more powerful than one.
   
   
5. Send the package Federal Express or UPS—not via USPS.
   
   
6. The piece must be of high quality. It must be relevant. And it must have enough perceived value to keep.
   
   
7. From a creative perspective, the piece should inspire the recipient to call others into his office to share his unusual package...even bring it home to show his family because it’s so different.
   
   
8. One of the most important parts of a three-dimensional campaign is the letter that accompanies it. It must be persuasive enough to cause the recipient to want to pick up the phone and speak with you.
   
   
9. Three-dimensional mail is much more effective when there is a telephone follow-up.

With the three-dimensional campaign, you’re able to break through the mail clutter, dramatically make your presentation and open the prospect’s door wider to receive your phone call. If the prospect hasn’t called first, a good salesperson will initiate a call with the reminder: “We’re the company that sent you the _____.” You’d be amazed at how creative three-dimensional packages break down barriers.

Finally, even if you’re doing mass mailings, almost always the 80/20% holds true. The 20% of your customer base represents 80% of the business. In some cases, you can know this special audience before you mail. For example, the size of a company with 500+ employees may be making bigger purchases than a smaller company. If that is the case, you should segment your audience so that some receive traditional direct mail and others receive the three-dimensional piece.