Direct Mail Responses... aka People are Strange...

[Elizabeth Wilson]

We just started DM in January.  We send out between 2-4k postcards a month in the Memphis area to various lists we have created or bought.  We receive about 5% of calls from them, but well over half are people who must not ever get direct mail because they say things like:

1. "I ain't selling nothing!"  (in an angry tone implying that I am forcing them to sell at gun point)

2. "How much you give me for my house?"  Me:  "I don't know ma'am; can you give me the street address again"  Lady: "you the one who sent me the postcard - you tell me!"   (yeah, cause I just sent one computer-generated card to only you...)

3. "I received your card and didn't want to be rude so I'm calling you".  (followed by a sweet 30 minute chat about his recently deceased wife.   No interested in selling)

Then last week the same elderly lady called me 30+ times in two days (before I blocked her) leaving messages that were either illogical and/or threatening to call her lawyer because my postcard was harassment (I only sent one).

I'm sure I'm not the only one with stories.  Anyone else want to share or am I just choosing the crazy ones to mail?

[Stephen Akindona]

No your not alone. I once had a guy I mailed to call me and tell me he knew what I looked like and that he was going to shoot me with his shotgun if I came driving by his house! He said I drove a white BMW, and was going to shoot me on sight! I for one, do not drive a white BMW and had never even driven by. I just hope some poor unsuspecting BMW driver was not harassed by this guy!!