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101 Ways to Improve Your Direct Mail Response
1. Mail to your customers more often. If you are now mailing 4 2. Use a P.S. on every direct mail letter. This is second in 3. Don't forget to thank your customer for their order. Enclose a 4. Vary your mailing format. Use self-mailers, lettergrams, 5. Ride on the coattails of current events, e.g. energy crisis, 6. Look for other products you can successfully sell to your 7. Include more offers in your mailing package than you already 8. Think about using simulated handwriting for emphasis in your 9. Try an unusual format you've never used before. 10. Test selective distribution to your list. Maybe only a portion 11. Stimulate off-season business by asking for it. If you normally 12. Word your offer differently. Put a unique twist into it by 13. You can even add a smell to your envelopes. Check with your 14. Change the size of your mailing package frequently to create 15. Test credit terms. You'll find that accepting Master 16. Let people "peek" into your envelope with multiple windows on 17. Test buck slip routing for addressing, and use it to reach 18. Try using illustrated letterheads and test them against 19. Put a simulated check into your mailing to emphasize a discount. 20. Consider using stamps, coupons, early order bonuses, Etc. 21. Pack order starters - a special offer that will get a person 22. If you can sample your product, including one in your mailing. 23. Make more sophisticated use of your own list and the lists you 24. Test simulated telegrams, mailgrams, and other imitation formats 25. Test a tiny letter with a tiny pencil accompanying it. Test a 26. What is your "wastebasket readability factor" - and what can you 27. Put a wraparound on your catalog. It gives you two covers 28. Test your catalog approaches and mailing dates. 29. Use teaser copy on your outer envelope and test it vs. a blind 30. Acknowledge orders promptly and include additional sales 31. Periodically send a statement to your customer that shows he's 32. Follow up inquiries promptly and persistently. Make it easy to 33. Tie in a timely topic (current events, special problems, etc.) 34. Get to know your printers... not printer, printers. Every 35. Test multiple premiums with your offer and give your prospects a 36. Remail your mailing to your better customers three or four weeks 37. Remember the 5 basic rules... test, test, test, test, and test. 38. Don't be afraid to run without a test if your gamble is small. 39. Use a bounce-back package enclosure to get an extra order. 40. State your guarantee in the strongest possible terms... and 41. Spotlight your sales points in your headlines. 42. Start your message on your envelope and lead your reader inside. 43. Feature last-minute merchandise on the back of your envelope or 44. Offset delays in mail delivery by extending cutoff dates. 45. Cultivate customers with special savings, bonuses or premiums. 46. Use lightweight paper to save postage and to allow more sales 47. Use a "Publisher's Letter" to give the prospect an extra reason 48. Put distinctive differences in your catalog to add interest. 49. Stimulate action by featuring a time limit at the top of your 50. Show how merchandise solves problems and enhances the stature of 51. Use full-view envelopes to display attractive literature. 52. If buying your product spells numerous benefits, spell them out 53. Increase customer goodwill and purchases with advance notice of 54. Use stock photos for much less than the cost of making original 55. Cultivate customers with special catalog offers directed 56. Use unusual techniques to get your customer into your envelope. 57. Use action stimulators to get your customer to open your 58. Dramatize big news by using a big format to present your message. 59. Can you use the inside of your merchandise carton as part of 60. Increase the impact of your advertising with clip art, at 61. Express appreciation to your customers for their past business. 62. Offer premiums that are unusual. 63. Include smart-selling stuffers in envelopes, packages, etc. 64. Update your catalog with supplements or newsletters. 65. Use a second letter in the package to increase the impact. 66. Use a second letter in the package to make a second offer. 67. Notify the customer if there is going to be a delay in 68. Test post card deck mailings as an inexpensive method to get 69. Put an unusual message on the outside of your envelope. 70. Put an alternative offer in the reply envelope to create bonus 71. Try a massive display of stamps on the outside of your envelope 72. Try a pre-holiday mailing to invite a former customer back. 73. Try a customized response vehicle to get your customers to 74. Offer to provide specific benefits to the customers. 75. Offer potential benefits to both customers and prospects. 76. Use customer gift lists as future mailing lists for your 77. Call your business reply order form by some other name, such as 78. A double coupon in your package could double your response. 79. A reply envelope plus loose stamp might be more effective than a 80. If a postcard can tell your story... test it. 81. If a postcard is too small, step up to a self-mailer. 82. Follow-up your prospect's inquiries promptly with hard sell 83. Make the space on the inside of your mailing envelope work for 84. Prove to your prospect that your free gifts are really free. 85. State your guarantee boldly, in strong words... and repeat it 86. Test allowing another mailer in your envelope and vice versa. 87. Test simulated gram formats. 88. Develop a distinctive personality for your business. 89. Make major anniversaries a plus factor in your promotions. 90. Have your reply envelope emphasize your prompt shipping service. 91. Present outstanding testimonials in a big way for big impact. 92. Never stop selling the advantages of direct marketing to your 93. Consider using special formats to make ordering easier. 94. Test different length trial periods. 95. Promote seasonal products in off-season times... and offer 96. Ask customers their opinion of a proposed new product. 97. Test the plastic record message in your mail formats. 98. Use the negative to accentuate the positive. 99. Use simulated handwriting in your message. 100. Use match-up and comparison tables to increase selection ease and 101. Always offer an "extra" or "bonus" to encourage a quick response. Copyright 2004 by DeAnna Spencer This article may be redstributed freely on the Internet as long as the resource box remains intact. $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
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