What you say and how you say it when it comes to your direct mail material will either make or break your campaign. A direct mail campaign should persuade the prospective customer to act.
The success of your direct mail campaign really hinges on whether people read what you have sent them and become aware of your product/service. In turn, they are more likely to consider you in the future when they need your products or services.
However, if the sales message, regardless of its format, is unclear, too convoluted, is not catchy or is badly thought-out and planned, there is less chance of your targeted customers reading it. Hence, your direct mailing efforts would have failed.
You need to plan and develop how your direct mail material will be shaped and what the message will be.
To do this you should work to a plan. Firstly, consider the following:
Your prospective customer
Your product/service
Why your product/service would appeal to the prospective customer.
You will then need to consider a few questions before creating your first draft of your material. These include questions such as:
What are likely to be the main characteristics or common threads to your prospective customers?
What response are you trying to get from the prospective customers?
What can you offer to get them to react how you want them to?
Why should they react how you want them to?
What is likely to be the biggest hurdle to getting a favourable response from the prospective customers?
What aspects of the product/service are the most saleable or attention grabbing?
Is this what the prospective customers will really want to know about or is there a “hidden” benefit to the product/service?
It is important to remember not to bombard your prospect with information “overload” where there is too much to read or take in and they disregard the material. The aim is to find a balance.
Here we look at what to consider when creating direct marketing copy:
First gain attention.
Create interest. Expand on your opening statement.
Promote desire as your copy proceeds to divulge and demonstrates the prospects’ need for such a product/service.
Give the reader a reason to believe. Back up your statements where possible.
Demand action. Ask for the prospects’ business, encourage them to act and buy your product.
One of the most important sentences in your direct mail will be the headline. Often the PS at the end of a letter can also be an important element in a direct mail letter.
Don’t be afraid to lead your letter off with a great offer, if you have one, of course.
It is better to send personalised letters rather than generic ones such as Dear Householder, etc.
Try to give your customers as many options to respond as possible such as the phone, fax, e-mail, after-hours, mobile, etc.
Try to keep sentences short.
