Nobody likes to fail. But when it comes to direct-mail efforts, lessons that arise from stunning failures often can lead to stunning success

By Margaret Battistelli Gardner

The Flop: The provocative/stress-inducing teaser did, indeed, get lapsed members to open the letter — probably frantically, right in front of their mailboxes, with their hearts pounding!

But when they opened the letter and realized it wasn’t an official summons, they felt duped and were furious! The organization’s headquarters was nearly overwhelmed by phone calls from angry members, and the mailing did not reach its financial goals. Even L.W. Robbins Associates staff members who were seeded on the client’s file were “aghast” when they received this mailing at their homes. They truly thought they were being summoned by a court.