Promotinal Ideas

[Technonotice]

we are offering a FREE "service" for charities and other organisations to promote our new business. Quite a few we will contact via email/letter. What's a good way of approaching this? I.E I'm a bit stuck on what to say.

We are currently offering a Free ******* ******* service for local charities and organisations. We realise the valuable work do with the local community and would like to offer our services for free. Since launching in 2008...


then i get a bit stuck

I'm going to mention the charity work I have done in the past etc but don't want to come across as pushy or patronising.

What other things should i be saying?

cheers

[Brink]

A free chav extermination service?


OK maybe not, but without knowing what you're doing we can't really be that helpful.

[JustinP1]

Don't explain who you are until later.

I don't open my mail to get the story of your business. I would have dumped it by then.

Put yourself in the mind of the person you are writing to. What do they want, what do they need? I don't need to know when you started or you sell your own hair for Comic Relief. I'm busy.

However, if you can explain to me in 10 seconds why my life is going to be better by not chucking your letter in the bin, then you have another 20 seconds of my time.

Whats the service and the angle? I'll give you a start.

Edited by JustinP1 on Tuesday 5th May 17:50

[roadsweeper]

JustinP1 said:

Don't explain who you are until later.

I don't open my mail to get the story of your business. I would have dumped it by then.

Put yourself in the mind of the person you are writing to. What do they want, what do they need? I don't need to know when you started or you sell your own hair for Comic Relief. I'm busy.

However, if you can explain to me in 10 seconds why my life is going to be better by not chucking your letter in the bin, then you have another 20 seconds of my time.

Whats the service and the angle? I'll give you a start.

Edited by JustinP1 on Tuesday 5th May 17:50

+1

[Technonotice]

service is web design/development. Going in at the cheap/free angle to build our portfolio.

[JustinP1]

Technonotice said:

service is web design/development. Going in at the cheap/free angle to build our portfolio.

Well, is it cheap or free?

Seriously though, completely different proposition. However, what you need to do in the letter is:

Tell them what their problem is - of course if it isn't their problem then it won't work.

"We do web design." as a heading is all very nice. Bin. So what?

"Are the North London WI making the most of the internet?" means that you have taken the trouble to personalise my mail and makes me ask myself the question. Even if I am pretty sure, I'll read on to make sure I am, and in those next 10 seconds of my time I'll decide whether I'll finish the letter and the ending will make call now, or file it on my desk. Which means in the bin a week later.

Explain to them how you solve their problem.Tell them the *benefits* of working with you. For example, telling me where you are based is not a benefit. Telling me you are local and therefore you come to my office to discuss my site and will be close for updates is a benefit.

End with getting a foot in the door. The letter is a method of getting to speak to them seriously, not to sell in one letter. So, offer a free overview of their website to see how new technologies can help them further, or if they don't have a site a free mock up. Then there is no reason NOT to call as they are still getting something for nothing.

[Technonotice]

Thanks for that! I'll let you know how I get on and report back