How Entertaining Can Increase Readership

One of the biggest challenges of any communicator is getting the attention of their target audience.
 
As businesses, our messages arrive at the consumer’s eyes and ears but are allowed in only with their permission. Very often, they’re not seeking what we have to say.
 
The entertain-engage method of communication is one way to break through the sea of communications. Give your target audience something they’re hungry for—whether it’s entertainment, inspiration or a mental break—before you give them the message you want them to absorb.
 
We recommended this method for a university’s recruiting piece we helped develop targeting high school sophomores. We know that messages that carry entertainment value are more likely to be allowed in, and chose to pay an irreverent visit to age-old clichés that parents use to get the readers’ attention and build a platform for a deeper message.
 
Besides increasing the chance for engagement with this audience, its unexpected approach provides a fresh take on college recruiting material—much of which looks very similar.
 
Are there opportunities for you to tell your brand’s story using this method?

Consumers Prefer Direct Mail and E-mail

According to a 2011 study,  consumers prefer to receive direct mail and email when hearing from companies who want to do business with them.

• Three in four people (71%) welcome receiving direct mail from organizations they are already customers of, and 57% said it was appropriate communication for prospective customers, as well.
• 78% of people say they willingly accept emails from companies they patronize; the figure dropped to 52% for prospective customers.
• Less than one in 10 (9%) of existing customers feel that receiving marketing text messages is appropriate, and just 4% feel it is acceptable for companies to contact prospective customers this way.

Consumers are using technology to control their relationships with brands and filter out unwanted communications. Chris Combemale, executive director of the DMA (Direct Marketing Association) UK states: “As Acxiom’s survey highlights, consumers are very clear about how they want to be contacted, with mail and email continuing to be their preferred channels. Above all they respond best when the communication is timely, relevant, and targeted. This should be at the forefront of every marketer’s mind in these tough times, as they fight to retain customers and win new ones.”

Source:  Marketing Magazine, Consumers Use Technology to Filter Relationships with Brands, Says Report, September 1, 2011. The survey, commissioned in July among 1,000 UK consumers and 200 marketers.  The full results can be found in: 'Tug of Love: How technology is changing the relationship between consumers and brands – and what marketers can do about it'.

Client Showcase: St. Anthony North 40-Year Collateral Piece

This is the final piece in a campaign to promote St. Anthony North Hospital's achievements via its 40-year anniversary. This printed piece serves as both a direct mail and a brochure that tells the hospital's story and casts a vision for its future. The campaign theme, "We," celebrates the team's efforts in reaching this milestone, while creating enthusiasm for the hospital's future. It pairs well with the employee video, where we build on a reality-style production to show what "we" means. 

 

The campaign included transit, outdoor boards, mall displays, building banners, kinetic typography, Web content, videos, and print ads. 

 

The focus of the messaging was not just about their accomplishments and plans for the future, but was a way to celebrate the achievements of the team, which always infuses energy into an organization.

We can't wait to see what they do together in the next 40 years.

 

How are you celebrating the achievements of the people who make your business successful? What company do you know that does this well?



Client Showcase: North Ridge Medical Practice Steps Ahead of the Competition in their Promotion

This new campaign for North Ridge Medical Practice in Colorado combined direct mail with a mini-animation ad—allowing for targeted advertising and putting them ahead of their competition by having a more Web-friendly, social media-friendly promotion. The presence of the mini-animation ad also delivers information in a format that consumers are showing preference for.

 

Physicians who can deliver strong, targeted messages using contemporary media will likely experience immediate growth in their practice if the message is right and the market has pent-up demand. You can see how they've used this on their  Web site—and how it not only brings the Web page to life but reinforces their key brand messages.

 

Have you seen other physician practices breaking out of the print ad-only approach to promotion?

Client Showcase: A Direct Mail Piece That Won't Be Ignored

For their 100 year anniversary, the law firm of Gresham Savage wanted a direct mail piece for community leaders, clients and prospective clients that would make an unforgettable statement about their firm’s legacy. For this, we worked with them to create a handsome gift box that paired a brochure with a Gresham Savage pen and five custom-developed note cards that featured historical images of their community.

This allowed us to not only tell their story but to acknowledge the role their community has played in reaching this milestone. The vintage note cards showcase local sites and leave the recipient with a handsome collection of cards and envelopes to use as they see fit. It isn’t often that a direct mail piece delivers something of value to the recipient, but when it does, you can guarantee a higher level of impact.

Client Showcase: Law Firm Direct Mail Piece

When the growing southern California law firm of Gresham Savage brought on a successful new attorney, they wanted an announcement that would be memorable and impressive. We designed this five-panel piece to introduce him to their clients, using confident colors and sophisticated imagery to make a winning first impression.

This direct mail piece won a 2010 Silver Award in the 7th Annual Service Industry Advertising Awards.

Client Showcase: Using Direct Mail to Identify Qualified Leads

When St. Anthony North Hospital in Westminster, Colorado, called on us to get the word out quickly about upcoming classes, we created this colorful, engaging direct mail piece to send to their target market. Working within the corporate graphic standards, we developed a distinctive look for their class schedule, which helps drives qualified leads to key services.

Client Showcase: Pacific EP Invitation

We worked with the Los Angeles-based Pacific Rim Electrophysiology Research Institute, under the direction of internationally renown Koonlawee Nademanee, MD, to create an invitation for an open house promoting this remarkable facility.

Dr. Nademanee has developed an advanced cardiac electrophysiology procedure (EP) that offers new hope and vitality to patients suffering from EP problems. We also developed the logo for the Institute, which has offices on the campus of White Memorial Medical Center in California, as well as in Hawaii and Thailand.

This direct mail piece won a 2010 Silver Award in the 7th Annual Service Industry Advertising Awards.

Client Showcase: Hospice Direct Mail

Yakima Valley Memorial Hospital is raising money for an innovative, home-like facility for hospice patients who are unable to live out their final days at home. This direct mail piece launched their fund-raising campaign for Cottage in the Meadow and revitalized conversations about living every stage of life fully.

The imagery of the piece reflects the idyllic setting of Cottage in the Meadow, inspiring the reader to become a part of something destined to matter deeply to those who need this kind of care.

Client Showcase: Using Testimonials to Promote Your Service

Littleton Adventist Hospital (LAH) wanted a piece to follow up on the successful “Littleton Loves Little Ones” campaign, reminding women why they should have their babies at LAH. To do this, we showcased real moms who chose Littleton. We then listed physicians who delivered at the hospital, and we encouraged recipients to “ask your doctor to take you to Littleton.”

The campaign garnered a Gold Award in the Aster Awards, a Silver Award in the 23rd Annual Healthcare Advertising Awards and a Bronze Leaf Award in the Colorado Healthcare Communicators Gold Leaf Awards. The direct mail piece itself won a Gold Award in the 4th Annual Service Industry Advertising Awards.