1. Mail to a different list
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
2. 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).
3. 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.
4. 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.
5. 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).
6. Offer a premium
Instead of a cash
discount, offer a premium (such as an Apple iPod).
7. Give something away
Free is still a
powerful word in direct mail.
8. Offer a guarantee
Remove the hesitation
that some prospects have by offering a no-questions-asked
money-back guarantee.
9. 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.
10. 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.
11. 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.
12. 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.
? 2005 Sharpe Copy Inc. You may reprint this article online and
in print provided the links remain live and the content remains
unaltered (including the "About the author" message).
About the author:
Alan Sharpe is a business-to-business direct mail copywriter who
helps business owners and marketing managers attract new clients
using direct mail marketing. Learn more about his services and
sign up for free weekly tips like this at www.sharpecopy.com
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