When I send my shock & awe package to someone, the response is always one of, well, awe. They’ll actually send me pictures of themselves enjoying the package.
Many times, they tell me they took it around the office to show everyone, or they felt like they got a Christmas present, or some variation of being blown away. They emphatically declare, “We need to do something like this!” And then when the dust settles, they wonder, “Um, how do we do something like this?”
So I thought it would be helpful to make a list of what sort of items go in a Shock & Awe package, and then talk about that X Factor that gives it “shock & awe.” Sound interesting? Read on…
These are the must-have items in a shock & awe:
Presentation folder to keep things organized. For this, you can be very budget friendly with a basic folder or go all the way with a tricked out, custom folder.
Testimonials. This can be formatted on a flyer, as a booklet, a brochure or postcard.
A nicely formatted cover letter that greets the recipient, explains what they just received and why, and tells them what to do next. Ideally, you would have multiple versions of a cover letter for different categories of clients or cases.
Information about your firm. This can be a traditional brochure, a dvd, a booklet, or special folder inserts.
An informative or educational item authored by you, such as a book or a special report.
These are the items you should have in a shock & awe (but don’t hold it up if you don’t have this):
2-4 pieces of swag, such as branded notepad and pen, a Koozie®, a cell phone holder, etc.
Something edible, like candy or a fun snack.
A magnet with your contact information.
A bookmark that you can tuck inside your book or special report with your unique message.
A branded mailing envelope
The X Factor. These are the things that will give POW! to your package:
A customized box. Putting your shock and awe items in a nice box will make it feel more like a special gift.
Crinkle paper or tissue paper. The idea of “unwrapping” or “unveiling” something is irresistible.
A luxury gift. This can be swag, but it’s fancier or more expensive. For example, a leather padfolio, a boxed pen set, a favorite book relevant to your relationship with them, or a small electronic device like a Bluetooth® speaker. Again, this is another gift in a gift that requires more unwrapping and builds their suspense!
You can also make any of the ‘should have’ items more luxurious (e.g., Godiva chocolate, metal engraved pens, or just higher-quality swag).
Once you have your items, make sure it is nicely packaged and presented. Don’t just throw them in an envelope or pile them in a box. You must choreograph the experience by controlling what they see first (the packaging), second (the cover letter), third and so forth.
Always FedEx your box or send priority mail.
Your shock & awe package is a visual, tactile introduction to you and your firm. Even with the minimum must-have items, make sure it looks polished and carefully put together. Most importantly, have a system in place that sends out the package at the correct time and in the correct way.
That means once you determine what it should look and feel like, it should be put together exactly the same way every time. If you don’t control this, it will degrade over time.
I Have a Shock and Awe Package. Now What??
The basic goal of an S&A is to let your client or prospective client know how much you value them, and give them a memorable foretaste of what they can expect when working with you.
Other goals can be to educate them, to upsell them, to thank them, to prepare them, or any other outcomes you’d like to happen. A successful S&A buys you their rapt attention. It is your window of opportunity to get the outcome you want.
With that in mind, I want to answer the three most common questions about how to use an S&A: Who do I send the package to, when do I send it, and how much will it cost me?
Who do I Send the Package To?
An S&A should be sent to prospects (people who have contacted you in need of your services, or have requested information) or to new clients. Or to both!
Some businesses get hundreds of calls from prospects every month. Even if it only costs them $20 per package, that is over $2,000/month in prospecting expense, not to mention the staff resources required to put the packages together and ship them out.
In this case, you want to have a system for qualifying the prospect. Is it a client you want? If so, then unleash your S&A power on them. If not, then send them on their way*. For prospects who are not well qualified, you can send a mini S&A (a smaller version of your S&A that is still impressive), but not as costly to produce.
Some businesses prefer to give their S&A to new clients. If conversion (turning a prospect into a client) is not an issue for you, then that’s fine. But I strongly recommend you create an S&A package for prospects to increase conversion. You’ll get the biggest bang for your buck this way.
Even if they don’t convert, you will stay top of mind as the lawyer who sent them “that package of stuff!” You can still create an S&A welcome package for your new clients that has it’ own caliber of shock-and-awe-ness.
When do I Send It?
As I alluded to in the previous section, you should send it in response to a prospect’s request for information. That is why it is important to have different levels of an S&A for different qualifying levels. In most cases, having a mini and a main S&A is sufficient.
You can also create an S&A thank-you package. This is an S&A you would send to people who refer cases to you. Or you can send it your client when the case is successfully closed.
And don’t forget to follow up with people who have received your package. Follow up with them within 5-7 days, while the “awe” effect is still new.
How Much Will it Cost Me?
As I often say, and say again…and say yet again: marketing should be measured in ROI, not expense. Ask yourself, how much is a new client worth to you? Some of you calculate this in the net transaction amount. Others consider the lifetime value of the client.
Or you may consider both. If a new client is worth $5,000, wouldn’t spending $50 or $100 or even $200 be a mighty sound investment? Yes, it would! So be sure to count the cost, but always consider what those dollars will bring in. Be shrewd, but don’t be cheap.
There is no one right way to create an impressive and effective S&A, but there is a wrong way, and that is NOT having one. The information I gave you should get you started. Your initial S&A package won’t be perfect. Expect to change it over time as you refine it, make corrections and create a system that will fit your firm and your ideal clients.
At Zine, we think making S&A packages is just so darn fun. So if you still need help getting started, or want to add more pow! to your current S&A, let us know.
*There is a way to “reject” cases and still be a hero to that person. You can send them on their way, but arm them with some helpful information, and keep them on your newsletter list.
