Know-How Exchange : Advertising/PR

Eric:
There are many variables (as you might guess) to achieving success with direct mail. Investment is down the list, believe it or not.

I'd focus on a compelling yet simple message with the offer of the one-month pass as the call-to-action. (And state very clearly in the piece what the $ value of that offer is.)

Since you have chosen a target demo already, I'll assume it's because you feel it has a pressing need you can solve for. So stay on message with that - I see from your website you have MANY benefits, but you don't want to overwhelm the target. What is/are the one or two BEST benefits for this target?

If you've got someone creative there, the "money" could be spent in creating a unique piece -perhaps the mailer is in the shape of the transit pass. Or at least the pass is very prominent, saying "Your chauffeur awaits you" or something compelling like that. I'm no creative, so I'll stop here...

In sum, go for a meaningful artifact/visual, simple copy, compelling benefit(s) TIED TO THE TARGET, and the pass as the call to action. Given your geo, you could wrap your value messaging with one final emotional poke of "doing good for the community" (pollution, carbon, etc.) as an added hook.

Best of luck. Sounds exciting!

I agree with BARQ. These days, print is expensive. I would print a direct mail piece that highlights the benefits (not services) for the rider, and direct them to a web site for more information. You'll save a TON on printing / mailing cost, and can quickly update information on the site as well.

Eric

I HATE public transportation so, from that viewpoint, let me tell you what I need

1) Proof that I'm still in control. Not being stuck waiting on repairs because the line is down
2) Door to door service
3) Cost savings..though it is a distance 3rd
4) Ease of route planning...not a bunch of time tables
5) Print my tickets and pay for them online
6) Friendly and knowledgeable people when I'm on the service...not just during the sale pitch.

You can squeeze this all on a card or you can put it online but it better be easier than turning the key in my car.

Hope this helps. I honestly don't think I'm the only one.

Michael

Tell them how many of their neighbors are using public transit. Testimonials from people in their community how quick, easy, inexpensive, clean, on-time and feel-good it is. Keep the message focused and simple. With a website/phone # you can track response rate, which will be useful to you in the future as well.

Some good comments here, and some that may be too broad for this pitch. I've done a lot of work for the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA), and though I'm in Dayton now, Boston and NYC are both my home towns, so I also understand the challenges from a "strap-hangers" perspective.

DM is helpful, but, Eric, you should also leverage the media you already "own." Bus shelters, and bus and trolley wraps are the high visibility billboards that non-riders will see from their cars. And don't discount traditional billboards in areas where traffic jams are the norm. If you do use DM, you'll want an offer that makes sense and has real value — like a free ride pass with purchase of X rides, or a free companion pass, or added benefits associated with monthly passes.

Another route (no pun intended) is to approach employers located within your service areas and encourage them to in turn encourage their employees to commute via pub trans. The MBTA, and NYC's Metropolitan Transit Authority, for instance, offer employee pass programs, through third party providers, that offer significant benefits to employers and employees alike.

At least for now, you've lost the "high gas prices" argument, but you can certainly play the "green" card. And the idea that one can read a book or work on a report or just snooze on the way to and from work can be a strong hook.

Just understand that getting people out of their cars and into a vehicle that they don't control means overcoming a huge emotional barrier. And once you've convinced them to get aboard, you need to deploy a robust relationship marketing effort to keep them engaged and riding, and to convert them to pub trans evangelists.

Good luck!

My intuition says less info on the mailer, and direct them to a website. If the mailer isn't interesting, it doesn't matter that you gave them all that information, if they don't read it. A phone number for more info is nice, but I'd bet that most people would rather find it online.

However, I am a huge proponent of testing and using data, rather than following intuition. Can you do an A/B test of a small batch of mailers, before spending the money on the whole batch? Or, you could also run a quick focus group if you don't have the resources for running the A/B test. You can even recruit focus group participants on Craigslist.

Many old assumptions from marketers have been overturned with testing.

I like a lot of the advice here. I would like to add just one thing, and that's the word "campaign." I believe you need a series of mailings to achieve the results you want. I do not believe a single mailing will help you much.

I did not see anything on how you plan to track the results, will it be tied into your free ride coupons somehow?