Hawkgirl - 10:30 am on Jul 6, 2002 (gmt 0)

You're sending me an ad. I know it and you know it. The more honest you are about it being an ad, the more likely I am to actually look at it to see if I'm interested. If you try to pretend you're my buddy just writing to let me in on a great deal, whether you do it via email or snailmail I'm that much more likely to throw it away.

I want to qualify this a little.

I work with a product that is really low-interest (confusing, misleading and annoying widgets :)). I've done a ton of in-depth interviews with customers (generally they're site usability and/or ad tests). I always delve a bit into marketing techniques to see what people are/are not receptive to, and one of the things I've talked to them about is mail.

Many of the people I've talked to <qualify>who are in my target segment(s); some of whom were randomly recruited and some of whom weren't; directional data only and not statistically significant; no purchase necessary; void where prohibited</qualify> say they're highly likely to just throw out any mail (without reading) that looks immediately like advertising - like your faux ballpoint-pen envelope example or anything else that looks like an ad (glossy, tri-fold, bulk mail postage, yada yada).

But nearly all of my respondents said they're most likely to open and (at the very least) read the first line of a solicitation if it looks like a regular old business letter - names & addresses printed on the front of the envelope and a 'real' stamp. And they're more likely to read the whole solicitation if the first line makes them think the letter is from a professional, trustworthy organization. (How to craft this make-or-break first sentence, however, is something that eludes me to this day!)

Similarly for email (opt-in customer email and not unsolicited junk of any sort), people say they're more likely to read the email if you give them something upfront that entices them to keep reading. And by 'give them something' I don't mean Unlimited Monthly Earning Potential! or Free Viagra! :) ... I mean a fun fact or a piece of information that is particuluarly relevant to them.

You're right that the whole, "Hey, I'm your buddy, I'm on your side!" thing doesn't work. But the, "Hey, I'm a professional and I can be trusted because {insert proof of expertise here via gimme}" thing at least has a chance of working.