With so little time on your holiday hands, here are 99 quick tips that will boost any direct mail program:
1. Make an irresistible offer.
2. Give away something free to boost response.
3. Prefer a free gift over a discount.
4. Increase the perceived value of your offer.
5. Reduce the perceived risk in accepting your offer.
6. Offer attractive payment options.
7. Use a time limit to increase urgency.
8. Test a two-step offer for high-priced goods.
9. Test a yes/no offer to clarify the buying decision.
10. Test a yes/maybe offer to lower perceived commitment.
11. Dramatize your offer with tokens and other widgets.
12. Make your offer more tangible with a check or coupon.
13. Create the envelope exclusively to get opened.
14. Use teaser copy to tease, not tell.
15. Consider using a plain envelope.
16. Test a different envelope color, size, or format.
17. Use a low-key envelope for business prospects.
18. Use your sales letter to sell and your brochure to tell.
19. Make your letter look like a real letter.
20. Grab attention in your letter with a short first sentence.
21. Express one central idea in your letter.
22. Write your letter in a friendly, personal tone.
23. Keep your letter paragraphs short and readable.
24. Have a high-authority person sign your letter.
25. Personalize your letter, if possible.
26. Use a P.S. to cite a benefit, deadline, or extra detail.
27. Use your brochure to add credibility.
28. Use brochure tables, charts, diagrams, and visuals to support your claims.
29. Design your brochure for easy reading.
30. Use clear benefit heads and subheads in your brochure.
31. Include all features and specifics in your brochure text.
32. Include complete ordering information in your brochure.
33. Test your package with no brochure.
34. Use a separate, stand-alone order form.
35. Restate your offer on the order form.
36. Include an acceptance statement: "Yes, please send ..."
37. Make your order form easy to fill out and return.
38. Highlight the deadline.
39. Make your order form look valuable.
40. Call the order form something other than "order form."
41. Consider extra order forms for pass-alongs.
42. Order something from yourself to see if the process is actually easy.
43. Offer a fax response option for businesses.
44. Use your order form to highlight last-minute specials.
45. Preprint your customer's name and address to simplify ordering.
46. Restate your guarantee on the order form.
47. Offer a toll-free number for faster orders.
48. Avoid a two-sided order form.
49. Use the back of your order form for supporting information.
50. Give clear, simple ordering directions.
51. Include a BRE if you ask for confidential information.
Secrets of Direct Marketing Testing
PURLs for Profit
