Chances are good that you probably don't enjoy going to the mailbox any longer. What makes me say that? Well, who really cares about the mail unless it’s Christmas card season? Our mailboxes are regularly jammed with crap that, frankly, most of us do not care to see, so it’s off to the circular file or to become a firestarter.
Seniors are THE MOST marketed to people in America using direct mail, and for a simple reason... They actually read their mail. For nearly 20 years, I have been using the mail to reach my target clients and have had one heck of a lesson as to what works and what doesn't. So I’m going to give you some pointers for what to look for on a mailer that will help you determine the wheat from the chaff.
Companies sending mailers to seniors will often try to make the mailer piece look like it’s an official document by using bold fonts and colors like yellow, orange, red, white, and blue. They will use language that seems official, using words like “Official Notice”, “Immediate attention Required”, “Penalty for Personal Use”, “Important Health Care Update'', and other somewhat ominous-sounding phrases. Many of these mailers will look very “generic” with no brand names and nothing that identifies the sending party. Any legitimate company (this does not mean all mailers are bad) will work hard to ensure that large enough writing is used to identify themselves because legitimacy is important.
Some mailers will have disclaimers in small print that make it clear that they are not a government agency or that they, for instance, do not “work” for Medicare. These disclaimers are generally required by law and, in most cases, are required to be printed large enough to read. Many States have laws that govern how companies send mail and identify who they are. For some mailers, you will see that they have return addresses like “The Distribution Center” or “Mail processing Department” this is not always bad as many companies pay a 3rd party service to sort their mail and provide them with information on the returned leads.
For those of you reaching retirement age, you will see a substantial uptick in the mail related to financial products as you turn 62, which is generally the earliest you can take Social Security payments. As you reach 64 years old, the deluge and the Medicare mailers start in earnest, and, at Age 64, you become one of the most valuable assets to an insurance company or brokers who sell Medicare Health Plans. The earlier you can be sold a Medicare Health Plan, the more the Insurance company or broker can make on commissions. To be clear, I am an insurance broker and do not begrudge any company making money or a broker who does fine work getting paid a commission; after all, we work hard to remain knowledgeable about our profession and to serve our clients better.
Many mailers will have a Business Reply Card with prepaid postage. These mailers are sent to a processing facility where the information is then forwarded to the client who sent the mailer. In many cases, when you respond to a mailer, you will get a call from the company that sent it. Other times, you may receive many calls as your information was shared with multiple businesses trying to sell you a product or service. Again, it is important to stress that not all mailers are bad, but you should be aware of who you are responding to before you call that number listed or fill out the Business Reply Card.
If you are confused about the mail you receive or believe it to be a scam, ask someone you trust to take a look at it or bring it to Hometown Senior Solutions, and we will help you sort it out.
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