Demystifying TransPromo

What is 'TransPromo' – a movie with Felicity Huffman?

No. The term is given to communication that provides the dual functionality of Transactional documentation and Promotional material; and it is used, most effectively, in the realm of electronic communication.

The biller asks: How can we apply it electronically?

You previously sent your bills / invoices / statements / etc by post and your marketing department came up with a great idea to send your latest promotions or specials in the same envelope. These were referred to as bill stuffers. Anyway, the point is that the recipient, received a nice bit of marketing delivered directly to them.

Now you use electronic document delivery, as the opportunity for cost saving, increased delivery rates and reduced days sales outstanding (DSO) convinced you that this was the right way to go (shameless plug). But your marketing department is far from impressed - how are they supposed to get their marketing material, that was traditionally the ‘bill stuffer’, to the consumer without ramping up their delivery costs?

The answer is simple - the cover letter of the email and the white space of the actual document provide the perfect opportunity for the marketing department to incorporate their promotional messages. Not only are you resolving the bill stuffer issue, but their promotional message is now part of the bill, not an extra bit of paper that can easily be disposed of.

Very neat.

The consumer asks: What do I get out of this?

A warm fuzzy feeling, because you know that your biller is saving the environment; and also the hope that the cost saving they have experienced as a result, is passed onto you

I like reading promotional offers. Obviously the fine print is crucial in determining the actual benefit for me, but if I didn’t get this information, then I wouldn’t know if the product I currently use is most suited to my current or future needs.

I agree that it may be a relief not to encounter the bill stuffers along with the extra admin of chucking them away every month. But, as we understand that the best way of finding out about new products and services is when sales people advise us of them, so we understand that the use of electronic TransPromo documentation does benefit us as consumers.

TransPromo documentation

The biller sends an electronic invoice / statement / bill / document / etc to the consumer. Instead of adding extra marketing documentation or sending subsequent promotional communication; the biller incorporates the promotional material into the same message as the billing information, so that the promotional information is passed onto the consumer.