Your list is the most important part of your direct mail
campaign. Who you mail to is more important than what
you mail. So if you are persuaded that your offer is attractive,
your creative is compelling and your timing is spot on,
mail to a different group of people and see what happens
Change your offer
The offer is the most important part of your direct mail
package after your list. So if your response rates are
lacklustre, change your offer (my thanks to fellow direct
mail copywriter Bob Hacker for this counsel).
Improve your creative
Maybe your response rates are depressed because your package
is depressing. Why not mail something else, something
radically different? Instead of a letter, mail a postcard.
Instead of a self-mailer, mail a dimensional mailer. Even
hire a brand new direct mail copywriter, someone who will
add a fresh set of eyes to your challenge. Just make sure
that your new creative is different enough from your existing
package that you'll know that it made the difference when
your response rates change.
Mail at a different time
Timing is vital in direct mail. So check yours. Are you
mailing to the right people at the right time of the year
and the right time of the week? Check and make sure. test
your hunches by mailing during a different time slot and
see what happens.
Offer better payment options
Offering payment by credit card boosts response. Offering
a credit or "bill-me" plan will improve results
by 50% or more (says Richard Benson).
Offer a premium
Instead of a cash discount, offer a premium (such as an
Apple iPod).
Give something away
Free is still a powerful word in direct mail.
Offer a guarantee
Remove the hesitation that some prospects have by offering
a no- questions-asked money-back guarantee.
Improve your credibility on paper
Read your package cover to cover, including the cover,
and ask yourself (or better yet, ask someone else), why
a stranger should trust you. Then overcome that distrust
with testimonials, your credentials, third-party endorsements,
accreditations and other facts that build trust.
Make ordering easier
Is your order form too busy? Have you frustrated prospective
customers by giving too few ways to order (only mail,
for example, instead of mail and fax and phone). A change
here can make a dramatic difference.
Ask for the order sooner
Read through your sales message and see how long you are
in getting to the point. Experiment with putting your
offer and call to action further up in the message.
Add to your package
The temptation when response rates are lower than expected
is to reduce the size of the package. Instead, add something
to the mailer, such as a brochure, buckslip or liftnote
(if you don't know what these things are, visit the Direct
Mail Glossary at www.sharpecopy.com/glossary.html).
You are more likely to boost response by adding to your
package than you are by making it cheaper.
Alan Sharpe is a business-to-business direct mail
copywriter and lead generation specialist who helps business
owners and marketing managers generate leads, close sales
and retain customers using cost-effective, creative direct
mail and email marketing. Read his free weekly e-newsletter,
Alan Sharpe's B2B Direct Mail Tactics, at www.sharpecopy.com/newsletter
Phone: 1 877 SHARPE COPY
