How to Market and Prospect With an Invitation Page

Though polls show that factors generate new clients equally using direct marketing and online networking for generating their leads, success as a true professional as a commercial finance consultant is all about relationship building and most often, eye-to-eye networking contact.  You have to get in front of the prospect and creative consultants have learned to design many guerilla-styled direct market tools to help them succeed.  One of those tools is a quick addon to their website called an “Invitation Page”.  And once you have a page, you are now ready to launch “Invitation Page Marketing”.

What is an Invitation Page and Invitation Page Marketing?

Creating a direct marketing campaign tool that combines a special web page (the invitation page) with physical direct mail invitations can be a powerful way to engage your audience, drive conversions. and begin the relationship building process. Here’s how you can design and implement this powerful lead-generating tool:

1. Define Your Campaign Target Audience: Understand who your target audience is for any campaign and what their preferences and behaviors are. This will help tailor both the online and offline components of your campaign to resonate with them.  For example, you may be creating a campaign that invites business owners to meet you at a particular Chamber of Commerce event, a S.C.O.R.E
2. Design the Direct Mail Invitations: Create visually appealing and personalized direct mail invitations. Consider using high-quality paper, unique designs, and customization (such as the recipient’s name). Do NOT use any call to action on your invitation.  Only use the call to action on your website page.
3. Develop the Invitation Web Page: Design a dedicated web page that mirrors the theme and messaging of the direct mail invitations. The page should provide more details about your offer or event and make it easy for visitors to take the desired action (e.g., sign up for a booklet or RSVPing to an event).
4. Integrate Tracking and Analytics: Implement tracking mechanisms such as unique URLs  web analytics tools to track visitor behavior on the invitation web page.
5. Enjoy Near 100% Success Rate: This simple direct mail invitation insures a near 100% envelope open rate.  Who does NOT open a hand addressed invitation to a wedding or event?
6. Implement Multi-Channel Follow-Up: Employ telephone marketing (warm calls) to follow up with recipients who visited your invitation web page but didn’t take the desired action (filled out a form). Use targeted after hours phone messaging to encourage them to attend your event.

Part 1:  Direct Mail Success…The Job of the Envelope

Every component in a direct mail marketing campaign has a job. Let’s focus specifically on the envelope:  This is what makes this powerful marketing campaign work.

The Envelope (A7 or A8 Wedding Style):

• • Job: The primary job of the envelope is to grab the recipient’s attention and entice them to open it. A larger A7 or A8 wedding-style envelope stands out in a stack of mail and suggests that its contents are special or important.
  • Features:
    • Larger size: A7 (5.25 x 7.25 inches) or A8 (5.5 x 8.125 inches) envelopes provide more space for eye-catching designs and text.
    • Elegant design: Choose envelopes with a wedding-style design, such as embossed patterns or metallic finishes, to convey a sense of importance and exclusivity.
    • Quality paper: Opt for envelopes made from high-quality paper stock to enhance their tactile appeal and reinforce the perception of value.
    • Hand-addressing: Personalize each envelope by hand-addressing it rather than using printed labels. Handwritten addresses feel more authentic and are more likely to be opened.
    • Commemorative stamps: Use commemorative stamps instead of regular postage stamps to add a unique touch and further grab the recipient’s attention. Commemorative stamps often feature visually striking designs and can pique curiosity.

By following these guidelines, the envelope becomes a key element in capturing the recipient’s interest and increasing the likelihood that they will open the direct mail piece. Its size, design, handwritten address, and choice of stamps all work together to make a strong first impression and encourage engagement with the enclosed message or offer.

Part 2: You’re Invited!

The simple “Your invited” insert paired with your envelope serves as a “teaser” to pique the recipient’s curiosity and encourage them to visit your special invitation page on your website. Here’s how you can optimize the wording and design of the insert:

1. Simple and Direct Messaging: The message “Your invited” should be clear and straightforward, with minimal wording to ensure it’s easily understood at a glance.
2. Attention-Grabbing Design: Use eye-catching typography and design elements to make the message stand out. Consider using bold or stylized fonts, along with complementary colors, to draw attention to the text.
3. URL Mention: Provide the URL of the invitation page (e.g., www.mywebsite.com/invitation) prominently on the insert. Make sure the URL is easy to read and type, using a larger font size if necessary.

By crafting a compelling and visually appealing insert, you can intrigue recipients and motivate them to visit your special invitation page on your website, where they can learn more about the event or offer being promoted.  Invitation mailers often will be used for different offer, the card and enveleopes are always identical.  You can save significant amounts by ordering in bulk (5,000 cards or more) from your printer since these cards never get stale.

Part 3:  Creating Your Invitation Page

Design a dedicated web page named “invitation” that mirrors the theme and header of your current website.  Do NOT include this page in your site’s main menu.  Invitation pages are unique and are always designed to support a single dedicated direct mail campaign at a time.  The envelopes and cards are always the same.  Only the offer on the invitation page changes.  One time you may offer a free BDO podcast on factoring, another an invitation to a coming expo event where you’ll be a vendor, maybe you’ll market with an after hours S.C.O.R.E. get together, or about a luncheon sminar or pizza lunch you are hosting.   The page content changes and should provide more details about your offer or event and makes it easy for visitors to take the desired action (e.g., complete a form, sign up for a booklet or RSVP to an event).

Part 4: Your Follow Up Warm Call 

The warm call is a crucial part of the invitation page marketing campaign, especially in industries like commercial finance where building relationships is paramount. Here’s how you can approach the warm call effectively

1. Prepare Before Making the Call: Take some time to review the recipient’s interaction with your invitation page. Note any actions they took, such as visiting specific sections or filling out forms. Also, familiarize yourself with the details of the event or offer you’re promoting so you can discuss it confidently.
2. Personalize the Conversation: Use the information gathered from the recipient’s interaction with the invitation page to tailor your conversation. Reference their visit to the page and any specific interests they may have indicated. Personalization demonstrates that you value their engagement and helps establish a connection.
3. Focus on Relationship Building: Approach the call as an opportunity to start building a relationship rather than immediately pushing for a sale. Express gratitude for their interest in your offer and ask open-ended questions to learn more about their business needs and goals.
4. Provide Value: Offer insights or information that may be relevant to the recipient’s business or industry, even if it’s not directly related to the event or offer you’re promoting. Providing value demonstrates your expertise and positions you as a trusted advisor.
5. Listen Actively: Pay close attention to the recipient’s responses and concerns during the call. Listen actively to understand their needs and challenges, and be prepared to address any questions they may have about your services or the invitation page offer.
6. Set Next Steps: End the call by discussing potential next steps, whether it’s scheduling a follow-up meeting, providing additional information, or exploring how you can further assist them. Setting clear next steps helps keep the conversation moving forward and reinforces your commitment to helping them achieve their goals.
7. Follow Up Promptly: After the call, follow up promptly with any promised information or materials, and continue to nurture the relationship through personalized communication channels such as email or LinkedIn.

It’s All About the Call

So Invitation Page Marketing is all about the followup warm call.  It is an exceptional method of relationship building.  By approaching the warm call as an opportunity to begin the relationship building process and focusing on providing value to the recipient, you can lay a solid foundation for future interactions and potential business opportunities.  True professional commercial finance consultants understand that releationship building (eye-to-eye) is the quickest way to success in the industry.  Highly successful CFCs create campaigns to generate thopse eye-to-eye reletionship opportunities.  Invitation network lead-generation campaigns are by far, one of the easiest methods of taking advantage of relationship building opportunities.