Mail Fail: Timing is Everything

“Start Saving Now!” – that is a pretty good headline. I shall read on. Next I notice “Visit us at Booth#1918″, OK I’ll investigate a little more and if still interested, perhaps I will.

Wait a second, I pondered. Booth #1918…. where? Is Booth #1918 setup outside my office, the parking lot, maybe Booth#1918 will be waiting for me at home? Instead of reading the rest of the front of the postcard, I flip over to the back. You see, now I want to know where this mysterious booth is located, I care less about what is even at this booth!

Here we go… bottom right of the back side of the postcard: Booth#1918 is at the AIM/OnDemand Conference in Philadelphia. Cue “Wait a second” number 2. Wasn’t AIM/OnDemand LAST week?

Timing is everything. How can I visit an event that has already come and gone? It is possible that the postcard was help up in the postal system, it happens. It is also possible that the timing of the postcard was not planned very well, that happens too – and all too often.  Postcard campaigns need to hit three key factors to be a success. 1) Attention grabber so as not to hit the recycle bin, 2) Be of relevance, an offer or call to action that makes sense to the recipient, 3) Timing, the message has to hit the right person at the right moment.

So lets review the 12 seconds of me with the “Booth #1918 postcard” (which in one respect is a winner cause it surpassed the “1″ second rule)…

Good headline…

was invited to a mystery booth…

care less about the postcard…

care more about the missing booth…

find the booth only to realize that the booth is now probably back in Gainesville Florida, NOT in Philadelphia – where I was last week.

Timing is everything.