One of our subscribers wrote us regarding last week’s article on using personalization in direct mail campaigns. In that article I suggested that it was never a good idea to use both the first and last name in the salutation of your direct mail letter. I advised that instead you should address your letter either “Dear John” or “Dear Mr. Smith” but never “Dear John Smith.” What our readers are saying
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I’ve been talking a lot about readability and how you can construct a direct mail campaign that is pleasing to the reader’s eye both online and offline. Something that is not often considered, but can be a strong factor, is spacing. It is very important that you watch the spacing in your letter. For the sake of improved readability, break up paragraphs with an extra space.
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Recently, a website that specialized in selling tech products did an interesting test on email campaigns. Less graphics, more content will boost responseHere is an example of a typical email message that the company was sending to a list of more than 60,000 customers and prospects: “Christmas Blowout. Coupon code GIFT 5% off any purchase. Offer expires December 31st. Not valid with any other offer. ONLY 1 COUPON PER ORDER.” [Click-through URL] Click here to send this to a friend: [link] [Subscription and removal info]. As you can probably guess, the message was heavy on the HTML/graphics and, as you can see, very low on content. Test: Both the tone and the content of the email message was changed to include more te
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A personalized sales letter can often improve response, especially in database marketing. But poor personalization can hurt response. Here are 3 common personalization blunders you can’t afford to make
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It’s a little-known secret that testimonials that are too general don't do enough to help increase response. However, testimonials that use specifics increase response dramatically. A “meaty” testimonial will gain trust and increase responseYour prospects want evidence of how your service or product is going to positively impact their lives. The best way to give them this is to use specifics in your testimonials.
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Last week, I talked about recovering abandoned online shopping carts by implementing a method that collected the consumers' email addresses early in the buying process. This method helped the conversion rate by 24%. Well, in this week’s test, we’ll share a simple tip that improved the conversion rate by more than 80%. Test: In an A/B split, 2 different order pages of the same website were tested in an 8-day microtest. Page A had sales copy in two columns of copy.Page B laid out the sales copy into a single page.
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In creating a direct marketing website, there is one thing you must do for Search Engine Optimization (SEO). As you're probably aware, using SEO techniques helps search engines find and rank your site. Including a site map will almost always help you achieve a higher position within the list of websites displayed by the search engine your prospects will likely use to find your service or product.
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It’s sad, but even when your customers want to receive your email, it still might end up getting trashed. Recently, we discovered that an average of 20.5% of all permission-based emails in the second half of last year ended up in recipients’ spam folders or didn’t get delivered at all. 73.4% of consumers said they have had email they wanted to receive either end up in their spam folders or go missing.
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The recent postage increase is just settling in and already they are already talking about another one. In fact, it’s possible that a case regarding a postage increase of 5.4% for next year may be filed with the Postal Board of Governors as soon as next month.
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Every direct marketing letter, every email and most direct marketing websites should have a carefully chosen closing. And no, I’m not talking about a closing such as a summation of your sales presentation, but the actual closing words of your letter just before you sign you name, typically “Sincerely” or “Yours truly.”
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Sometimes even a few cents can have a big impact on sales. Case in point: American Express Publishing tested three price points for one of its publications. Three of the prices were within 5 cents of each other. The biggest range in price was 50 cents. But the results were significant. Test: Starting with a control price of $19.95, American Express compared these three price points to its control price. - $19.97
- $19.99
- $19.49
Before you read on, can you guess which one resulted in better sales?
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It’s been proven time and time again that many direct marketers lose significant sales because their websites' opening pages don’t immediately identify what prospects are looking for. Why exactly are customers at your site?The fact is, depending on what you’re offering, there could be several reasons for people to check out your website. For example:
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There are 183 million cell phone subscribers age 13 and older in the United States and of those users, more than half of them use their cell phones for more than just talking. Direct marketers should not ignore this statistic—they should discover how they can reach their prospects through mobile marketing. With the largest group of texters between the ages of 18-29, you shouldn’t overlook this opportunity. Not to mention, according to recent data, 65 million cell phone users within this age group send or receive text messages each month.
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If you want your prospect to open your direct marketing envelope rather than toss it aside, then you must find a way to “call out” to your audience. Your prospect might get dozens of pieces of mail every day, so it is critical that you make your mail seem tailored just to them. Know your prospects and they will want to know youPeople like to know that they are being recognized as an individual not as a general group. And why wouldn’t they? Keep in mind who they really are; what are their interests, their hobbies, their careers?
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I recently tested three separate subject lines for an email campaign I sent out for my client Spectrum Holdings. The audience receiving the email was mostly male investors, 50-years and older. Note that the subject line in this case had to be tame enough for regulatory agencies and by passing filters. Test: - The first subject line read “$100 million merger sparks growth opportunities for homeland security firm.”
- The second subject line read, “Homeland security merger creates $100 million company.”
- The third subject line read, “Merger creates $100 million homeland security leader.”
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Consider testing your direct mail package or website with a picture of your spokesperson. Controversial? Yes. But it’s been proven time and time again, that one of the little-known ways to increase response with consumers or business to business in direct mail or online is to have a personality attached with your direct marketing campaign. By using a photo of your spokesperson, your customers will build a trust with your service or product. I’ll never forget when Charles Schwab said the best thing he ever did for his marketing/advertising campaigns was to be the spokesperson.
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Are you carefully monitoring your pay-per-click response for click fraud? Google recently announced it reached a $90 million settlement with plaintiffs in a class-action lawsuit. Apparently, the search engine giant has not policed its pay-per-click ad programs well enough to eliminate substantial fraud. Being a victim could severely damage your bottom lineThe suit was filed last year accusing the defendants of overcharging advertisers in their pay-per-click ad programs for clicks that did not come from legitimate sales prospects.
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We live in a world where communicating via the Internet comes second nature. So it is crucial we know what role the First Amendment plays in our right to have unregulated freedom of expression on the Internet. There is now an attack on the 1st amendment rights by politicians wanting to further regulate political advertising and future advertising on the Internet. Both sides of the billThat’s why I wanted you to know the “Online Freedom of Speech Act” that will protect the “Freedom of the Press” for all individuals on the Internet.
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Be selective in your salutation for a website, direct mail letter or email. Avoid, at all costs, using those trite, stuffy openings like “Dear Sir” or “Gentlemen.” An often overused choice among direct mailers is “Dear Friend.” It’s OK, but if you can personalize your opening, do so. For example, “Dear Software Engineer” “Dear Art Collector,” “Dear Tennis Nut,” “Dear Executive” or “Dear World Traveler” can help you zero in on your readers and establish a better rapport. However, how personal you get should depend on your audience
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In marketing to pastors of churches, remember that they are among the most skeptical audience you can mail to. Further, they have really tough gatekeepers. As with business-to-business marketing where you have to get by a secretary, with pastors you have to get by a church secretary. I tested two envelopes I had created for my client Ministries Today. Both versions had a stamp that read “FREE REPORT ENCLOSED: DO NOT BEND.” However, each envelope was designed with different tease copy on the outside to get the prospect to open it.
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