Mailing to home or place of business?

When you're cold mailing, do you send them to the owner's place of business, or to their home?

It seems like common sense and it's been posted around the net that you would send mail to a business, because that is the time when they handle their business. When they go home, they want to relax.

The reason I bring this up is because I actually like to test things myself, and I'm obsessed with my "business" and would take time out of my "free time" to do work. I'm wondering if some business owners have that same mentality, or if most of them act like their brick and mortar is just another 9-5.

I'll post results at the end of the next week (around the 22nd) if I remember, or if someone reminds me.

P.S. I'm not doing anything special that you couldn't find with a G search and a few hours of reading on BHW.

Interesting....
Another way to look at this is that the business owner that WOULD look at a piece of marketing direct mail, IS your target market. (I.E. Hungry, Open & Willing to listen)

I'm not sure how you are going to perform the test. I was thinking that a personal letter that had a hand written (NOT cursive text) envelop with/without a personal message on the outside. Also, in the letter assure them that they can call you day OR night leave a message and YOU will get back to them. That way they don't have to remember to call you the next day.

What do you think about this? Put in a call to action to call now!! Give them a choice to call your regular number OR a "message only" number that they can leave a number & time to call them back at!! This lets them get it off their plate and starts the conversation, isn't that all you want from a piece of marketing?

Just an Idea.

I set a reminder to prompt you in a week!

I've tested the personal vs professional approach, and the professional got the best results in my town.

For now I'm just going send half of the letters (professional) to their home, and the other half to businesses. I've included a call to action, scarcity, and limited time.

Call to action: "Call me as soon as you can."
Scarcity: "If I'm on the phone with another client, leave me a message and I'll get back to you as soon as possible."
Limited time: "I'm leaving town at the end of next week."

imperial109 said:

Call to action: "Call me as soon as you can."
Scarcity: "If I'm on the phone with another client, leave me a message and I'll get back to you as soon as possible."
Limited time: "I'm leaving town at the end of next week."

Click to expand...

I like how you've implemented the scarcity, but the limited time - are business owners really that silly anymore to fall for some of these wording tricks? Reminds of some of the lines they used in Glengarry Glenross, is there a possibility that putting something like that on there could effect their perception negatively?

Remember these business owners probably get a lot of promotional mail every day with the same sort of talk, I know its only a minor pick up but it just peaked my interest.

james111 said:

I like how you've implemented the scarcity, but the limited time - are business owners really that silly anymore to fall for some of these wording tricks? Reminds of some of the lines they used in Glengarry Glenross, is there a possibility that putting something like that on there could effect their perception negatively?

Remember these business owners probably get a lot of promotional mail every day with the same sort of talk, I know its only a minor pick up but it just peaked my interest.

Click to expand...

I haven't tested whether the time limit matters. It might also be based on their age, but one thing at a time.

I'm taking general advice given around here and in sales books when writing the letters, then changing one thing at a time to see which performs better.

Also, if they don't call me, I call them.

Its always better to mail at the business address as you are looking for business. Usually a person will be in right frame of mind at his business place to read your mail.