The Empty Envelope
Recently, I did a mailing for the Susquehanna Valley Jewish News.
I asked people to subscribe to the paper. We had a promotion that all subscribers will have their names in the special High Holiday paper wishing the community a Happy Sweet New Year.
We got about 50 responses back.
To make it convenient as possible, we used postage paid envelopes.
This means, that we pay for the postage (about 1 dollar), but I thought it was worth it to be able to gauge community interest.
I asked a marketing expert if 50 responses from our mailing is considered “poor, fair, or good.”
He thought it was excellent.
We got 3 people wanting their names of our list.
That’s fine.
I want to know if someone is not interested. It saves me time, effort, and energy. I can focus on people who are interested in what we have to offer.
We got one envelope back with nothing inside it. No name, no check, no request to be taken off our list.
Why do you think this person sent in an empty envelope?
2 comments:
Three possibilities come to mind:
1-They were annoyed by your mailing. They wished to return the annoyance by causing you an element of cost (assuming these envelopes didn't have regular stamps on them - in which case the expense was already there) and, in their mind, a delicious sense of frustration for you.
2-The envelope was accidentally mailed. There was no intention of annoying you or giving a donation.
3-There actually was an intention to give (the check may even have been made out), but the envelope was closed and mailed before being properly stuffed. Now, that there's no envelope available and the check is lying there, it may be "simpler" to rip up the check than prepare a new envelope, hunt the address, find a stamp, and....
An aside...
If you went door to door and personally asked the same people for support what would you expect to happen...
Some might greet you with a smile, and offer a gift.
Some might say, politely, I'd like to help but I can't afford it.
Some might say politely, "No, thank you."
Some might give you a dirty look, while saying, "No."
Some might look out their window and then not answer the door.
Some might come to the door and scream at you for waking them because they work during the night and they need to sleep during the day.
... and probably a few more variations, too.
May we all enjoy eternity,... even if it's only for now.
I think that they were annoyed.
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