- Make sure your call
to action is date-driven. Always ensure that the
direct-mail piece requires the recipient to act within one
week of receiving it.
- Personalize
Everything! Write out their address and a note on a
copy in your own handwriting. In addition, mention a
person's name to dramatically enhance the credibility of the
message.
- Stand Out!
Your direct-mail piece must have some visual feature that
allows it to stand out from all other mail and encourages
the recipient to read more.
- Quality names
matter! It's not the total number of pieces you
mail, it's who you mail it to that counts. Spend more time
and effort developing a high-quality list. It will always
deliver more results than the quick mailing to an unverified
one.
- Test various
messages. Set up varying offers and response
mechanisms to test how different mailing lists respond, as
well as how people reply to different messages.
- Good copy sells!
Don’t short-circuit your direct-mail effort by
thinking you can develop your own copy. Good copy pays for
itself many times over. Use outside resources to help you
develop your message.
- Know when to mail.
Know your target audience well enough to understand
their buying patters and, more importantly, when your
direct-mail piece will be best received.
- Repetition drives
awareness and action. Sending multiple messages
will reinforce awareness and drive overall response. Do not
think one mailing will be sufficient.
- Focus on benefits!
Just like the sales material used on a sales call,
the message must be about what the customer will receive as
a benefit. We often think the customer will easily translate
product features into benefits, but they don't!
- Make your offer
24/7. Have a way for the person reading your
direct-mail piece to be able to get in touch with you either
via the phone, website, email, etc. at any time of the day.
Mark Hunter, “The Sales Hunter”, is a
motivational sales speaker and industry expert who addresses
thousands each year on how to increase their sales
profitability. For more
information on his sales training or to receive a free weekly
sales tip via email, contact “The Sales Hunter” at
www.TheSalesHunter.com.
Reprinting of this
article is welcomed as long as the following is included:
Mark Hunter, "The Sales Hunter",
www.TheSalesHunter.com,
© 2007
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