Now that we’re opening again, it’s time to get cooking! For 30 years, ROBYN has provided businesses like yours the marketing materials, apparel and promotional products needed to connect with your customers. In this post we're sharing three marketing activities that, when brought together, form a recipe for marketing success!
Direct Mail lets customers know you're here.
In recent years direct mail has seen its popularity with marketers resurge. The proliferation of pay-per-click and social media advertising took a big bite out of direct mail's usage. But we've seen it make a comeback for the following reasons:
- Advertising on the web has gotten harder thanks to ad-blockers and customers overlooking advertising inserted in sidebars, direct mail puts your messaging in their actual hands. Direct mail's average response rate is 5.1% (compared to 0.9% for paid search).
- With the popularity of email (which only gets a response rate of 0.6%), physical mail feels special again.
- Technologies like variable data printing (VDP) can create a personalized message with custom text, images, maps and more.
- Specialty mailers with incorporated magnets or other small gifts give your campaign a "lumpy" feel.
Did you know that for every $167 spent on direct mail in the U.S., marketers sell #2,095 in good? That's a 1,225% return! For more information on the power of direct mail, download our free Ultimate Guide to Direct Mail.
Care packages and gifts let them know you care.
During this time of reduce physical interaction, ROBYN and our customers have received incredibly positive responses to the care packages sent to contacts and customers. Without missing a beat, I could name the companies that were thoughtful enough to send me, and even my kids, care packages to make life a little easier these days. It doesn't take a huge budget to let someone know you are thinking of them. Here's a quick list of items we've given and received in recent months:
- Branded mugs and tumblers to help rep our favorite companies on video chats.
- Ear buds to dampen household noise while focusing on the work at hand.
- A journal to remember these crazy times with.
- Coloring book and pencils.
- Thoughtfully and creatively packaged in "gram-worthy" gift boxes and mailers.
Phone and Zoom calls to say hello.
You cannot deny how important personalized communication has become and nothing does that better than a phone or Zoom call. Before the lockdowns I was happy to receive a text message or email. However, I didn't realize how much I missed interacting with my friends, family, co-workers and customers until I joined my first Zoom call! You've probably been on a few yourself. Don't feel like you need to sell something in order to make a call. A simple check-in to see how someone is doing is incredibly nice and thoughtful.
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What we're cooking this summer.
A food metaphor wouldn't be complete without some recipes. We hope you have the opportunity to see small groups of friends and family soon. Here's what your pals at ROBYN are cooking this summer.
Sara's Pea Salad
Ingredients:
1 head of iceberg lettuce, shredded
12 oz frozen peas, thawed and cooked
1 cup mayonnaise
1 cup cheddar cheese shredded
½ lb. bacon pieces, cooked and crumbled
salt & pepper to taste
Instructions:
- In a 9 x 13 pan, add shredded lettuce.
- Add cooked and cooled peas. Salt & pepper to taste
- Add mayonnaise in large scoops, then spread to cover the peas.
- Cover in shredded cheese.
- Sprinkle with bacon pieces.
- Refrigerate at least 2 hours before serving.
Kalli's Baked Beans
I don’t really follow a true recipe, I made my own – my family always asks me to make these beans.
Ingredients"
Bush’s Baked Beans - I prefer to use the Brown Sugar Hickory Flavor, but they have a lot of different options available.
Onion
Bacon- chopped into bits
Brown Sugar
Butter
Head Country Original BBQ Sauce (this is the secret weapon – made right here in Oklahoma)
Instructions:
- Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees
- Large Can(s) of Bush’s baked beans (don’t drain) – 1-2 cans depends on the size of your group rest of the ingredients you adjust based on quantity you are cooking.
- Fresh Chopped Onion (to your liking)
- Bacon chopped into bits (to your liking)
- Cook the chopped onion and bacon on stovetop in a 2-3 of tablespoons of butter until cooked
- Mix cans of beans, cooked onion & bacon, brown sugar (to your taste) and Head Country Original BBQ Sauce (to your taste) together in a bowl. Make sure the brown
- Sugar is not lumped together but dispersed.
- Put in a baking dish. Cover tightly with foil and bake for 30-35 minutes in a 350 degree oven. Remove foil and stir then bake for approximately 10 more minutes until bubbly and hot.
Enjoy!
Sherry's Cowboy Cookies
I worked at a Dude Ranch in Colorado when I was in college one summer. Such a GREAT time, so many fond memories. One of their famous recipes was their COWBOY COOKIES - they put them on a baking sheet with a small ice cream scoop - so they were super large cookies. I have made these over the years for my family, they have become my signature cookie.
Ingredients:
2 eggs ½ tsp salt
1 cup granulated sugar
2 cups unsifted flour
1 cup lightly packed brown sugar
2 cups regular oats (not quick-cooking oats)
2 sticks (1 cup) butter, softened
1 package 16 oz. semisweet chocolate bits
1 tsp vanilla
chopped pecans or walnuts to taste (optional)
1 tsp soda
½ baking powder
Instructions:
- Beat eggs, granulated sugar, brown sugar, and butter in large bowl until mixture is fluffy, scraping down sides of bowl frequently with rubber spatula. Mix in vanilla.
- In another bowl, stir together soda, baking powder, salt, flour and oats. Add these dry ingredients to creamed mixture. Mix well. Stir in chocolate bits and nuts. Dough will be very stiff.
- Drop about ¼ heaping cupfuls or a small ice cream scoop of the dough onto greased baking sheet. Put only eight mounds of dough on the baking sheet, staggering them about 3 inches apart. Cookies will spread as they bake.
- Bake in preheated oven of 350 degrees 10 – 15 minutes or until golden brown but still spongy when touched on top with fingertips. Don’t overbake cookies. They should have a chewy texture. Let cookies cool about 5 minutes before removing them from baking sheet.
Makes about 20 big cookies, each about 4 ½ inches in diameter. Cookies may be made smaller, if desired; in this case, reduce the baking time accordingly.
Wayne's Favorite Rib Rub
This time of year, Wayne likes to bake ribs in the oven with this sweet and spicy rub.
Amy's Potato Salad
When celebrating the summer months with my family, I frequently turn to this classic recipe for potato salad.
Katie's Patriotic Pizza
If you're looking for a spin on the traditional fruit salad, you can't go wrong with this refreshing Patriotic Fruit Pizza recipe submitted by our very own Katie.