1. Giving a free gift increases response.
2. Be at the printer when your brochure is being run to check the quality.
3. Highlight the free gift prominently.
4. Let the design of your direct mail package follow your subject matter.
5. Make your offer easy to respond to.
6. Evaluate your competitors promotional material.
7. Prove your claim with details to add credibility.
8. Make sure your mailing speaks to all of your potential customers.
9. Using graphics or a color background can increase response.
10. Thinks through all the possible uses of your mailing before it is designed.
11. Eliminate risk by offering a free trial or guarantee.
12. Make all your writing changes before typesetting.
13. Always make the most powerful offer you can for thegreatest response.
14. For self-mailers, check with your Post Office on postal rates and design before preparing artwork.
15. Write your copy in plain, simple English. No buzz words.
16. For self-mailers, back up the reply form with the key-coded mailing label.
17. Make your offer easy to understand -at a glance.
18. Have someone else proofread your copy and look over your artwork.
19. Invest in a direct mail copywriter and a graphic designer for higher response.
20. More benefits make for greater response.
21. For good copy and design people ask someone who has mailed successfully.
22. Put benefits on the reply card, in the P.S. and on the outer envelope.
23. Get input from your printer on your direct mail package.
24. Benefits are the reasons to buy, promise many.
25. Ask your printer about your paper options.
26. Use an incomplete P.S. in your letter. Make your letter look like a personal, typewritten letter from you.
27. Include a "lift note" as an additional reminder of the benefits.
28. Ask for the order right away.
29. End a page of a letter in the middle of a sentence to encourage turning of the page.
30. Your offer should be the most prominent copy in your piece.
31. Tell the whole story in the letter and on the brochure. Make all your points on one side of your brochure.
32. Keep your paragraphs short. Break up long copy with graphic devices.
33. Start your letter selling immediately. Don't give a history or use humor.
34. Eliminate the risk with a free trial period and assured nationwide service.
35. Keep the sales pitch positive and benefits driven.
36. Use typefaces that are easy to read, inviting, accessible and exciting.
37. To get orders, use long copy and include every benefit.
38. Encourage immediate action. Give an order deadline for a Free gift.
39. To get leads, use short copy to tease the reader to respond.
40. Include the price. The reader can compare benefits with your price.
41. Include postage paid or a return envelope in your mailing.
42. Your product should encourage repeat business - the heart of successful direct mail.
43. Have a toll-free 800 or 888 number.
44. Delivery of your product must be easy and economical.
45. Take credit card orders.
46. Offer a special discounted price.
47. Make your order form simple and easy.
48. Increase response with a deadline.
49. Tell your reader what to do.
50. Introduce an add on product as a free gift with the purchase of a current product.
51. Use testimonials using a name, title and affiliation attached to the quote.
52. Guarantee the customer's satisfaction.
53. Use capital letters, bold facing, underlining, handwritten notes, a second color and paragraph indents.
54. Offer your customers to pay by installment.
55. Tell your reader to respond in the beginning, middle and end of your letter.
56. Your offer must induce the reader to respond now.
57. Offer free information, freedemonstrations and free samples.
58. Continue to develop new offers to test against your current offer.
59. Response options should be open to phone, fax, e-mail and mail.
60. Your offer must be simple and easy to understand.
61. Before preparing a reply card or envelope, check with the Post Office.
62. Be careful not to confuse a feature with a benefit. Emphasize benefits.
63. Highlight your phone number and give the reader a reason to call.
64. The appearance of your letter should attract attention.
65. Set up a telephone answering procedure to deal with the incoming calls.
66. Break your letter down to smaller "bite- size" segments.
67. Get the readers involved by tearing out a coupon or answering several questions.
68. Put an photo of your product on top of your letter to increase response.
69. Use handwritten notes to summarize key benefits of your offer.
70. Make alluring promises in the beginning of your letter to entice the reader to continue.
71. Make "FREE" stand out.
72. Use the middle of your letter to prove how the benefits are true.
73. Show a picture of your product or brochure.
74. Use the last part of your letter to assure the reader of the no-risk guarantee.
75. Use key words that will stimulate your target audience.
76. Link benefits with key features.
77. Maintain a list of customers and inquiries as an in-house list. This is the best list you will ever use.
78. Restate your offer near the end of your letter.
79. Store all your customer and inquiry data on computer.
80. Use captions under photos to sell.
81. Order your mailing list early.
82. The P.S. is one of the most frequently read parts of a letter.
83. Merge-purge all of your mailing lists.
84. Your envelope should sell as well as get the reader to open it.
85. Discuss list selection with your mailing list professional.
86. If you have a strong offer, begin your benefits on the outer.
87. Repeat your offer and benefits on your reply card.
88. Expand your supplier network by asking your suppliers to recommend other suppliers.
89. Make your reply card look like a certificate.
90. Get estimates from mailing list professionals.
91. Mail several pieces to yourself to determine the timing.
92. Get realistic timetables from your suppliers.
93. Test different copy.
94. Keep in touch with your suppliers throughout your entire mailing.
95. When hiring copy writers, designers, printers and lettershops, see samples of their previous work.
96. Have back-up suppliers.
97. After your mailing, evaluate your mailing. Can it be improved?

Back To Index