Direct Response Marketing Made Simple

Direct response marketing is probably the most powerful but most misunderstood and wrongly used marketing tool available to the small business owner.

I've had many clients come to me saying "I sent some letters... it doesn't work!".

Although all they can really say is it didn't work on that occasion -- and that's an indictment of their implementation, not the strategy itself. Because the truth is, a well crafted direct mail piece to a good list and containing an irresistible offer is as good as money in the bank.

I personally have created a direct mail piece for a client which got a 57% response rate and a 46% conversion rate on a £6,000 item. Her Return on Investment (ROI) was 36:1!

That means for every £1 she invested in the piece, including my fees, she got £36 back in her pocket. Now tell me direct response copywriting doesn't work for small businesses!

Two Vital Direct Response Marketing Fundamentals

Of course, there's more to it than just having any old letter sent haphazardly to a list of people you think might want to buy your stuff. The very first two things to understand are ROI and testing.

The first, ROI, is important because you need to make sure your marketing is at least breaking even, and preferably making a profit; although there are times you can profitably not make money on an initial mailing.

Secondly, testing: don't send more than 1000 of any new mailing. Even as few as 500 is enough for you to get a good idea how it's going to perform.

Don't send 10,000 pieces of direct response marketing in an untested mailing unless you like losing a lot of money! I talk about ROI and testing in much more detail in my newsletter -- see below for details.

So let's get on to the other things you need to consider before you even sit down to write your direct mail piece.

1. Send It to the Right People

It's no good sending a letter selling pork sausages to a list of vegetarians, or condoms to a list of nuns! Your list of existing customers is the place to start!

In the example above, the one which gave my client a 36:1 ROI, she sent it, against my advice, to a poorly chosen list... and got a ZERO response rate, ZERO sales and ZERO ROI! Yes, and she blamed me... meaning she was instantly an ex-client.

The list you choose is the most important thing in any mailing. It's that simple. So take your time and really think it through before you decide whom you're going to mail to.

2. Ensure Your Letter Gets Delivered

Hand-address your envelopes to a named individual, don't use corporate stationary, and use a real live stamp, not a frank! Make it look like a personal letter.

Why?

Because, believe it or not, the postal service isn't always that reliable. Mail looking like "junk" mail is neither expected nor valued. It's too easy for the recipient to throw it out without opening it.

But if your direct response marketing is in a letter that looks personal, then not only will the recipient want to open it, but the postman, and any staff in the mail room are more likely to pass it on without classing it as "junk".

3. Give Them a Reason for Opening It

Now you have the letter in their hands... but will they open it? If they don't open it, they can't read it. If they don't read it... then they can't respond to it and give you money.

Hand-addressing the envelope and using a live stamp go a long way to getting your direct mail advertising opened as well as delivered. But there's more you can do, too.

For instance..... put something "lumpy" in the letter to pique their interest, or some compelling "teaser copy" on the outside of the envelope to get them to open it. Just use your imagination.

4. Get Them to Read It

Most letters don't get read. It's amazing... you've managed to get this far... then you turn off your reader with a dull and insipid letter which is very "professional"... but deadly dull to read.

So start it with an attention-getting headline, not your logo or company name.

Follow the AIDA formula: Attention, Interest, Desire, Action! Write long copy rather than short copy and forge that emotional connection.

Be sure to have a proper offer, a genuine reason for them to respond to you. Don't just say, "call us if we can help". They won't. There's no drive, no urgency there.

5. Get Them to Take Action

It's called direct response marketing for a reason: it's direct. Straight from you to your prospect, and the response comes right back to you if you tell them how to respond to it!

Not only do you need to make them an offer in all your direct mail, but you need to tell them exactly why, how, and when they need to respond to it! And the more ways you give them to respond, and the more urgent it is, the more responses you'll get.

People are essentially lazy. You've got to tell them clearly how to respond else they just won't bother.

Learning the art of profitable direct response marketing isn't hard - it's just a matter of following well established, battle-tested and proven rules.

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