One way to increase membership…
Don’t ask for money, just bill people instead.
We all rely on shortcuts to simplify our lives and that’s why some unscrupulous marketers try to make their junk mail look like legitimate bills. They know a certain percentage of us will simply pay them without thinking. So I was a little upset to see the Minneapolis Institute of Arts (MIA) resorting to this tactic when I received a bill from them today. “Statement Enclosed” the envelope says.
My first thought is either my wife signed us up again (we were last members a few years ago) or they’re resorting to slimy marketing tricks.
I open the envelope and enclosed is a “Membership Acceptance” statement. Great – they accepted my membership. Except I didn’t apply. But I better hurry and send my payment because it’s due June 14, 2007. Yeah, right.
I don’t think I’ll be sending them anything anytime soon.
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On a related note – a client just contacted me, saying they had received a, ‘your domain name is expiring soon, renew now’ email from their registrar.
When is ’soon’? 13 months from now.
Argh.
WAY too many organizations outsource their direct mail campaigns to what pretty much amounts to paper-based spammers. I really wonder how many of these organizations actually LOOK at the stuff their vendors send out on their behalf. I think it makes them all look like used car salesfolks.