Strapline

Copy - Content - Marketing Communications Planning

Thursday 9 April 2015

Posting invoices improves sales

I used to email my invoices because it was direct, fast, efficient and cost nothing.

Why would I want to pay for the envelope, printing, paper and the stamp and then have to take the time to print and fold the invoice and then stuff the envelope, stick on the stamp and then walk to the post box?

Do you email your invoices?

Email everytime - until three months ago.

I had a number of invoices to send and I wondered what would happen if I mailed them and included a few extra items.

The thing is the invoice gets opened - I address it to Accounts Payable and or the MD.

Weight wise, a 4 page newsletter or set of service offers can be included without any extra postage being charged.

You can send your invoice with a nice covering letter on nice paper - your invoice will stand out if it's on nice stock and in colour with a good offer.

You can include all sorts of items.

I recently suggested sending a nice wrapped teabag out with a jovial letter directed at the MD suggesting now was a good time for a cup of tea and a sit down to read all about some new social media research -  that was included in the same envelope as the invoice.

My results are pretty impressive.

It costs me in time and material costs about £2 to mail an invoice, marketing update, and two copywriting offers.

So far my invoices have been settled quicker, which is marvelous and I've picked up several hundreds pounds worth of new work.

But the biggest shock was when I sent a referral request out and asked for people who I could contact and received 3 responses - no work yet but 3 new warm leads.

So don't email something that your client has to process - mail them something they can deal with and also benefit from.

This month I plan to do both. Mail and email - same info and offers to see what will happen.

Image courtesy of Stuart Miles at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

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