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Direct Mail Tips
Return to News Items March 1, 2011When designing your next direct mail package, consider these tips for increased response:
- You can be assured that Joe Reader will scan a headline placed above the salutation, the first paragraph, the signature, the P.S., and any underlined, bold-faced or otherwise highlighted text (see our articles on Professor Vogele's direct mail-eye study.
- Testimonials and guarantees are your friend. Testimonials make your offer more believable to new prospects, and guarantees take away any perceived fear on the part of your prospect.
- Make it easy for your prospect to buy from you. Include a reply card, an 800 number, and a method to pay online at your website. Different people like to pay different ways.
- A personalized mailing will always out-pull a generic mailing.
- Always put captions under any photos. Captions are read at a significantly higher rate than body copy.
- To increase readership, 10-point type should be the smallest size you ever use. But 12-point type is preferable.
- Experienced direct marketers know these words increase response: free, you, proven, safe, now, half-price, last chance, guarantee, results.
- Test your direct mail package against another with different prices, or a different format. Send each to random addresses on your mailing list to judge which format pulls better. Remember to test only one variable at a time, or you'll get all confused and won't know which one made a difference.
Try these tips and see how much your response increases!
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