Creative & Copywriting: Using Creative to Power the 1-2 Punch of Mail and Web

Of course, if you send mail to drive Web traffic, as do the folks from Flowerbud, it's a nice idea, except that without an offer it becomes a "so what?" I'm a customer of Flowerbud, but these mail campaigns never get me shopping. They don't give me a reason to.

Many retailers use e-mail to achieve this same goal — to get consumers in action. But based on response numbers, mail is often a more powerful vehicle and something that should be included in the mix to create a synergy to grab consumers' attention. There are some weeks when I don't look at any promotional e-mail when I'm really busy, regardless of the subject line. But if I get a mail promo that same week, I'm more likely to notice it.

It's really all about synergy — never letting the customer feel like they've seen it all before. Keep them on their toes with a variety of offers from multiple media sources. This is why the combination of mail and Web can be so effective.

If you've tried mail as part of your marketing mix and it's not working or hasn't worked in the past, look at your campaigns to ensure you're using best practices. Do you have a great offer? Is the piece easy to read? Is there a connection between your print, Web and e-mail promotions? If you can answer yes to those questions, you're on your way to creating a powerful one-two punch!

Carol Worthington-Levy is the founder and creative director or Worthington-Levy Creative, a multichannel marketing creative consulting firm. Reach Carol at cwl@worthington-levy.com.