I've been calling myself a "Junk Mail Expert" for years (decades?). One night I was at the head table with Dr. Gene Del Polito. After introducing myself, I explained that people feel empowered when I use the term. We are actually giving our recipients the right to throw away our beautiful (or not) creativity, GUILT FREE.
Lest you think that trivial... tell me what else fits? Even the spoilage in the fridge lets us know that we bought too much, didn't cap the bottle or haven't cleaned regularly. Only junk mail can be tossed aside with no thought that "I might need this some day." No worries, more will come! This is the foundational basis for the Supreme Court allowing us to directly intrude peoples' homes. "The distance from the mailbox to the trash can is sufficiently short not to constitute an invasion of privacy."
Gene got up to give his speech... somewhere in the middle he was overcome with uncharacteristic passion... He pounded the podium looking straight at me..."How are we going to be taken seriously and get decent rates... when even WE call it 'JUNK MAIL'"?
Like it or not its here to stay... if I'm not in the market for a car, then all the dealership mail is junk... if that little red light starts blinking those same mailers are carefully evaluated. It isn't about us... we work harder than ANY medium to be relevant. It is market's core dynamic that there are more prospects than buyers. "Junk mail" is a tongue-in-cheek reminder that it is OK to market, that we are not communistic, that free enterprise is alive and well... God Bless America!!!
