Stirring councils into action
Business challenge:
The deadline for the Civil Contingencies Act was fast approaching and the majority of local authorities were either unaware of their new responsibilities or overwhelmed by the sheer scale of the task and paralysed into inaction. Leading business continuity provider SunGard Availability Services asked us to write copy for a direct mail letter that would provoke an urgent response from an apathetic audience without scaremongering, which could harm its reputation.
Solution:
We drafted a plain-speaking direct mail letter with a strong call to action to make local councils aware of their statutory obligations, the imminent deadline and that SunGard could help. The result? The letter sent to 320 emergency planning officers generated 96 appointment requests – a response rate of 30%, almost five times the average for business mailshots.
