Each year in early May, as the days stretch longer, and the air carries with it the smell of freshly-cut grass and cookout, my son Leo becomes aware that his birthday is near. For weeks before the grand day, he repeats the same question to my wife and me : Is it my birthday yet? Now, it might be that for him, his birthday serves as a reminder that we should celebrate life for life's sake. That on this day, we should refrain from judging based on accomplishment. That its reward comes from being itself, not from doing. I do have him reading Plato, after all.

Just kidding. He just likes the presents. When he opens a present, his face undergoes a transformation: naturally stoic it becomes full of glee.

That’s how people are with lumpy mail.

What exactly is lumpy mail? Lumpy mail is any direct mail piece that includes an item – such as an eraser or boomerang – ON or INSIDE a direct mail piece. The purpose of this mail is to entice the receiver into deeper engagement and increase the open rate.

When I receive something in the mail with an envelope that reads “FREE gift inside,” I have to know what it is. My sensible side assures me it’s junk, but the more emotional side of me demands I open it. The open rate for me? 100%.

When doing marketing, there are a few different types of lumpy mail.

To begin, you might want to start small. Drive to Target and pick up the cheapest pack of pencils you can find. Don't worry about how it feels in the hand or how well it writes. It does not matter.

Next, write your copy. Let's say you are in the business of selling row machines. After writing all of your copy, delving into why your row machine is superior, listing the benefits etc... At the very end, come up with some copy to tie in the pencil. Your body before XRow2033 is like this pencil, not sharpened, unused, and unable to do anything. But sharpen this pencil, and it becomes an instrument for so much more. That's the power of XRow2033. Once completed, glue your pencil to the letter. This won’t cost much, and you’ll have many more opening and reading your letter.

There is another level of lumpy mail that might cost more, but it increases the open rate too.

Each year around the holidays, we send a letter along with a mug or calendar to our customers. It costs more than a pencil, but we think the cost is worth it. Customers and prospects hesitate in throwing these items away because they see value in them. It’s one thing to toss a pencil in the trash, another to throw a mug in there. And a mug or a calendar will stick around, offering a reminder of our presence. When direct mail is needed, something will trigger in their brain that we are the ones to call.

There are a number of important details with the actual mailing of the lumpy mail piece, but I won’t get into all of that. It all depends on your budget and the product you are trying to sell, as well as the package through which you are delivering your item. If you’d like more information on this, please reach out to us!