| Some companies that use direct mail to sell | | | | and value into the new millennium." Big yawn. |
| their products and services are like the | | | | Big mistake. Aim your messages at the |
| blind man in the dark room looking for the | | | | prospect and say everything from the |
| black cat that isn't there. They repeat the | | | | prospect's point of view. Don't begin your |
| same mistakes, and enjoy the same poor | | | | copy with "we" when you can begin with |
| results. Here are their eight most common | | | | "you."5. Slow in getting to the point |
| misdemeanors, and a cure for each.1. Wrong | | | | |
| list | | | | You have five seconds. After that, your |
| | | | reader is either still reading or is |
| The most important part of any direct mail | | | | preparing your mailing for a flight test into |
| campaign is not the copy. It's not the art | | | | the wastepaper basket.Don't make the mistake |
| direction. And it's not the offer. It's the | | | | of a slow build-up. Avoid the roundabout |
| mailing list.That's why you can mail | | | | approach. Start your letter with your most |
| identical packages to two lists, one good and | | | | compelling sales point. Fire your biggest |
| one poor, and find that the good list pulls | | | | cannon in the first line of copy. Promise |
| 10 times more responses than the poor list | | | | your reader a benefit. Give them a reason to |
| does. Your mailing list, after all, is not | | | | continue reading.6. Poor follow-up |
| just a way to reach your market. It is your | | | | |
| market.2. No testing | | | | Don't spend all your time and effort in |
| | | | generating a response and none in following |
| There are no answers in direct mail except | | | | up inquiries. Slow fulfillment is deadly.So |
| test answers. I didn't write that. Eugene | | | | are inadequate marketing literature and |
| Schwartz, the author of Breakthrough | | | | unprofessional telemarketing. They can |
| Advertising, did.If you don't test one | | | | destroy the interest that you work so hard to |
| package against another, one list against | | | | build. Fill requests for information within |
| another, you won't know what works and what | | | | 48 hours. Send follow-up mailings to those |
| fails. So test lists. Test offers. Test | | | | who do not respond first time. Follow-up, |
| formats. Test envelope teaser copy. Don't | | | | follow-up, follow-up.7. No time limit |
| assume you know what works. Test and be | | | | |
| sure.3. No offer | | | | Time may heal all wounds, but it kills |
| | | | response. Your enemy is procrastination. Your |
| The second most important part of a direct | | | | enemy is tomorrow.Don't make the mistake of |
| mail package is the offer. The offer aims to | | | | letting your readers put you off until they |
| persuade readers to choose your product or | | | | forget your mailing altogether. Put a time |
| service over what your competitors are | | | | limit on your offer: "Call now. This offer |
| selling. Your offer must differentiate you | | | | expires June 1, 1999." Time-limited offers |
| from the competition by way of price, terms, | | | | almost always outpull offers with no time |
| guarantees or extras.To generate leads, offer | | | | limit.8. No call for action |
| free technical information, a free analysis, | | | | |
| free consultation, free demonstration, free | | | | Ask for the order. BUY NOW! PHONE TODAY! |
| trial use or free product sample. To build | | | | ORDER YOUR FREE SAMPLE! If you don't ask for |
| retail traffic, offer premiums, special | | | | a response, you won't get one. Tell readers |
| discounts or exclusives. To sell a product | | | | what to do. Show them the next step. Make |
| directly through the mail, offer a free | | | | your order form easy to read and easy to |
| trial, sample, premium or discount.4. | | | | follow.Fortunately, others have gone before |
| Starting with you, not me | | | | us. My favourite sources for tested, |
| | | | practical wisdom on direct mail techniques |
| You're at a party. You meet two people. One | | | | are Successful Direct Marketing Methods by |
| greets you this way: "Hi, I'm a swell person | | | | Bob Stone and anything by Herschell Gordon |
| and I make lots of money. But enough about | | | | Lewis.Alan is a business-to-business direct |
| me, what do you think about me?" The other | | | | mail copywriter and lead generation |
| greets you this way, "Hi, I'm Tony. You look | | | | consultant. As President of Sharpe Copy Inc. |
| like an interesting person. Tell me about | | | | ( Alan specializes in helping businesses |
| yourself."Now, then, which of these two | | | | generate leads, close sales and retain |
| people would you rather talk to? Your readers | | | | customers, using cost-effective, compelling |
| prefer to hear you talk about them, not about | | | | direct mail and email marketing. Alan also |
| yourself or your product. Yet many businesses | | | | uses his direct mail advertising services to |
| mail sales letters that begin: "ABC | | | | help charities raise funds and raise |
| Incorporated was founded in 1982 and is in | | | | awareness of their causes, using fundraising |
| the business of delivering quality, service | | | | letters. |