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Dear Direct Marketer,
Welcome to Direct Marketing Update. Did you know your order form could be doing serious damage to your response rate? Find out how to fix it in this installment of our series on direct mail blunders. We’ll also take a closer look at the Google Adwords keyword generator…and how it can help you see what real people are searching for, right now.
Plus, you’ll learn about a critical change in postal service requirements that carries a hefty penalty. You simply can’t afford to miss it.
In This Issue…
7 Costly and common direct mail blunders
(Part 4)
If you missed past issues, here are the links you need to avoid making the first five costly and common direct mail mistakes:
Blunder #6
The sixth major blunder that you must avoid is failing to tap the full sales potential of your order form.
Order forms, also known as response devices, are critical components to the success of your campaign. One of the primary reasons direct mail pieces pull subpar results is that the order form fails to follow tested-and-proven direct marketing rules.
And in this business, ignoring the rules can cost you.
We have discovered long ago that the length and setup of your order form affects your response. Many clients come to us with a small order form that looks something like this:
That’s a good start, but it’s not complete. An oversized response device is a more effective choice. While we have sometimes used order forms that are 8" x 14" most are 8.5" x 11". Both sides are used, and a coupon with a certificate border appears at the bottom.
Take a look at this example from one of my recent DM packages:
This type of order form produces a much higher response rate. Note how the back of the order form features testimonials and copy that reinforces how the offer will benefit your prospect.
In a sense, an oversize response device takes the place of a brochure because it can also use graphics that wouldn’t be appropriate for the sales letter itself. Here’s an example of an effective B2B order form:
Here are 4 elements your order form absolutely must have:
- A clear call to action. Even if your customers ultimately choose to respond online or through an 800 number, the order form is your chance to clearly spell out your offer, guarantee, discount, premiums and the most important benefits—all in one spot. Clearly outline what your prospect will receive by responding to your offer and why they simply cannot wait.
- Easy instructions. Your customers must be told exactly how to fill out your order form. If it is not easy to understand, he or she will lose interest and you’ll lose the sale.
- Professional artwork. Remember, your prospect will judge your product or service based on the quality of that response device.
- A positive acceptance statement.This powerful copy technique engages your prospect and reinforces how he or she will benefit from your product. For example, an investment newsletter writer found this effective:
 |
YES! I want more opportunities to be on the winning side of today’s market. I’d love to add to my profits with your Wall Street Stock Forecaster picks that could bring returns of 100% to 300% or more! |
Please begin my no-risk subscription to the only source of your huge safe-profit strategies, Wall Street Stock Forecaster, for the term I’ve selected below.
Simply saying “Check this box for a one-year subscription” will do nothing to help you make the sale.
Here’s another good example from a local charity’s holiday campaign:
|
YES! I want to help feed hungry and homeless people this Thanksgiving season. Enclosed is my gift of: |
- $27.60 to help feed 15 people
- $36.80 to help feed 20 people
- $____ to help feed as many people as possible
Bottom line: your response device can help your response…or hurt your response. Be sure you’re not depressing your campaign results by committing costly Blunder #6.
To find out whether your order form follows the rules or veers off track, email a sample to craig@cdmginc.com. I’ll give you a FREE critique and let you know what you’re doing right…and what is sending you into the danger zone.
Online marketing: Try this little-known, powerful intelligence tool
You need to know about a valuable tool I use for search engine optimization (SEO) and paid-search campaigns. It’s the Google Adwords Keyword Tool—and it’s absolutely free.
All you have to do is plug in a few terms and phrases, and you can quickly see how real people are using (or not using!) these terms in the Google search engine.
You’ll also get related search terms, including some you might not have thought of. Plus you can easily see which phrases are popular…whether the popularity of terms is rising or falling…and which words are used more frequently at certain times of the year.
For example, I ran a search this morning that revealed that more people search with “Internet marketing” than “web marketing” or “e-marketing.”
If you’re a health marketer, you can use the Google Adwords Keyword Tool to find out whether more people are searching for “cardiovascular health” or “heart health.” Here is what I found:
| |
Approximate average monthly search volume |
Highest volume occurred in… |
| cardiovascular health |
1,900 |
October |
| heart health |
12,100 |
February |
The results include a bar graph that displays how the number of searches has fluctuated over a 12-month period.
Google Adwords will also show you other related searches—like “heart disease,” “healthy heart recipes,” and “women heart disease,” in this case—to help you expand your keyword list.
Let’s try one more. Pretend you’re a B2B marketer selling Internet monitoring software. Getting started with phrases like “employee internet monitoring” and “employee web surfing” will yield results like these:
| |
Approximate average monthly search volume |
Highest volume occurred in… |
| employee internet monitoring |
1,000 |
April |
| employee web surfing |
110 |
October |
| employees web surfing |
58 |
October |
| internet monitoring |
40,500 |
November |
| internet usage monitoring software |
1,300 |
July |
| workplace monitoring |
3,600 |
October |
This represents only a fraction of the results. Keep in mind that this search will also pull data for terms like “parental internet monitoring” and “employment law,” so you will want to use the available filters to refine your results. You can also specify whether you want to see searches using only your exact keywords and phrases, or if you want to see broader data.
Click here
to check out the Google Adwords Keyword Tool now. If you’re having trouble using it, email me at craig@cdmginc.com
and I’ll send you instructions.
I’m managing the paid search campaign for my clients. Maybe I can help you do paid searches right. Email me at craig@cdmginc.com and I’ll be glad to show you how we can generate more leads or sales.
Copy tip: Use preemptive copy to ease their worries
Before you put pen to paper, you absolutely must understand who it is you’re writing to. Some of my clients become so focused on other parts of their campaign that they lose sight of their prospect.
Understanding your prospect is the only way to anticipate his or her needs, objections and apprehensions. As soon as your prospect hears of a new product, they think of reasons not to buy it. Your challenge is to discern their objections to your product and counteract them.
Picture your customers comparing your product with your competitor’s, and identify what differences would make them want to buy from you…as well as what negatives you see.
Once you’ve identified these Q&As, you’re ready to write what is known as preemptive copy. That is, copy that answers your customer’s questions and combats their objections.
Start by listing out ther negatives and come up with positive responses to counter them. For example:
-
+ |
“I've never heard of this company.”
Counterpoint: “The new leader in laser technology” |
-
+ |
“It costs too much.”
Counterpoint: “For a few dollars more, you’ll have superior quality that you can’t find anywhere else.” |
-
+ |
“Maybe someone else has a better alternative.”
Counterpoint: “Only one company brings you industrial-grade quality and 24-hour customer service.” |
If you craft copy that addresses your prospects’ objections, you’ll gain credibility and instantly position yourself as an authority on meeting their specific needs.
Here are three more examples of preemptive copy to…
- Overcome concerns about safety and reliability: “This fail-safe timing system is the most valuable investing tool you could own. Here’s why it’s so safe—and why it has never failed…”
- Overcome skepticism about a product’s effectiveness: “You may have tried other diet plans that left you frustrated and disappointed. But this is comprehensive plan is different. Let me explain why.”
- Overcome worries about ease of use: “It’s design is so simple, even a computer novice will find it easy to use. Plus, you’ll receive clear, step-by-step installation instructions so you can have your software running without ever reading the manual.”
This strategy can be used to sell anything from low-priced consumer items to high-priced B2B services.
Take the preemptive copy strategy a step further by trying to find the holes in your campaign—and fixing them.
Remember, you only have a matter of minutes, or even seconds, to gain your prospect’s trust. They’ve got questions, so you must have the answers.
It’s direct response copy strategy and tactics that can help your websites, direct mail, TV, radio—double or triple your response. Call me at 310-212-5727 on how I can help you.
Comply with new USPS rules or pay the price
In this economy, you can’t afford to break the latest Move Update requirements from the United States Postal Service (USPS).
Move Update refers to the periodic matching of mailing addresses to customer-filed change of address forms received by the USPS.
Currently, if you’re claiming presorted or automation rates for First-Class mail, you’re required to update your address lists within 185 days of sending your mailing.
But as of November 23—at the start of the busiest mailing season of the year—mailers will be required to update every 95 days. And the rule will apply to both First-Class and standard mail.
To keep tabs on your compliance, USPS will use the MERLIN verification system, according to Business Mailers Review. Those who fail to update their lists will face a penalty of 7 cents per mail piece.
The bad news is this 7 cents will be multiplied by the total number of mailing pieces you’re sending—not just those that were deemed UAA.
This initiative is part of the Postal Service’s goal of reducing undeliverable-as-addressed mail (UAA) by 50% in 2010. This type of mail, which goes straight from the post office to the dumpster, costs an estimated $2 billion every year.
For more information about Move Update,
click here
for a USPS press release.
Or contact one of the mailing experts in my office at 310-212-5727. Ask for Laura or Michael. They can get you great printing and mailing quotes and coordinate your entire mailing for you.
Testing corner: Which headline pulled more clicks?
Tests by MarketingExperiments.com revealed that a powerful headline has a greater effect on your click-through rates than body copy when it comes to pay-per-click (PPC) ads.
But the question remained, would that headline work better as a statement or a question?
| Ad A |
Need Website Content?
Free content from the top brands
Add value to your site and make money
www.Mochila.com |
| Ad B |
Web Content Make Money
Free content from the top brands
Add value to your site and make money
www.Mochila.com |
| Which do you think pulled the highest response? |
| Results: Ad A’s question-style headline pulled best |
| Landing Page |
Click-through rate |
| Control |
2.71% |
| Treatment |
1.99% |
| Relative Difference |
36.18% |
Usually a question-style headline depresses response. Why do you think Ad A was the winner in this case? Email your thoughts to me at test@cdmginc.com and we’ll share reader feedback in the next issue.
Need help with your testing? My team of experts and I can help. Call me at 310-212-5727 or email me at craig@cdmginc.com. We can help you get the most out of your web marketing efforts.
ACTION ITEMS
- Take a look at your current order forms—both print and online. Are you committing costly direct mail Blunder #6?
Click here
to read my article from Direct Response and get more tips for improving your online order forms.
- Learn more about optimizing Google Adwords for lead generation in the next issue of Direct Response. Call us at 310-212-5727 to subscribe.
- If you’re mailing after November 23, get in touch with your list broker to find out about the Move Update schedule for the list you’re using.
If you’re not satisfied with your list broker’s service, call InfoMat at 310-212-5944 and find out how they can serve you better.
- Call me at 310-212-5727 to help you with your marketing.
That’s it for this week’s issue of Direct Marketing Update. Don’t be afraid to put these tips to work right away. After all, higher response means higher profits.
Yours for direct marketing success,
Craig A. Huey
President
Creative Direct Marketing Group, Inc.
email:
craig@cdmginc.com
phone: 310-212-5727
www.cdmginc.com
Click here
to visit the Direct Response Library. You’ll find numerous articles from past issues of my Direct Response newsletters that provide even more valuable direct marketing help.
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About Craig Huey:
Craig Huey is the #1 authority on accountable advertising.
He's recognized as one of the top direct response marketing experts in the nation.
In addition to publishing Direct Marketing Update and the industry newsletter, Direct Response, Mr. Huey is president of Creative Direct Marketing Group, a full-service direct response advertising agency, and InfoMat, a postal and email list brokerage and management company.
Email Craig at
craig@cdmginc.com.
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Craig is one of the most dynamic, entertaining and sought-after speakers in the direct marketing world.
Speaking and training nationwide more than 20 times a year, Craig informs, inspires, challenges and provides answers to marketers and executives at companies of every size and specialty.
Book Craig for your company event or annual sales meeting.
For starters, you’ll find out how to motivate skeptical prospects despite turmoil in the economy.
Each attendee will walk away with new understanding and an action plan for direct marketing success.
Now is the time to find out more. Call Deb at 310-212-5727 Ext. 117 to request information about customized seminars.
Reader Response
One reader was enjoying our Direct Marketing Update archives and came across an article from our February 26 issue, “Testing Corner: What’s the best way to capture email addresses?” To answer that question, the article compared the effectiveness of pop-up windows vs. embedded copy.
Here’s what our reader had to say:
Dear Craig,
The power of pop-up ads creates a “now” feeling, therefore creating a fast response from the person on the computer. Instant results! —P.C.
Dear P.C.,
You’re right! The test revealed that using a pop-up window almost doubled the response…despite the fact that many browsers have pop-up blockers. The dynamic pop-up window calls attention to the email capture field and, with well-crafted copy, reminds the reader that they could be missing out on valuable information.
Thanks for your letter! —Craig
P.S. Readers who missed that edition of Direct Marketing Update can click here to read the article and catch up.
Quote of the Week
“If you can’t turn yourself into your customer, you probably shouldn’t be in the ad writing business at all.”
—Leo Burnett
101 Direct Marketing Tips from the Direct Response Archive
Creative Testing
Success with Magalogs
Offline Marketing
Improve Your Subheads
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Let Craig Supercharge Your Results!
For more than 25 years Craig has worked for over 400 companies of every conceivable:
- Size
- Product
- Marketing challenge
Here are just a few of the clients Craig has helped.
B2B
800 DIRECT
Compusource
Group 3 Electronics
SurfControl, Inc.
The Weather Channel
See more B2B clients
Consumer
Baby Lulu
Chevron Oil
Hooked on Phonics
True Religion Jeans
WeightWatchers
See more consumer clients
Health and Wellness
Blue Cross Catalog
Health Alert
Metagenics, Inc.
Prostata
Sun Chlorella
See more health clients
Publishing
Charisma Magazine
Agora Publishing
Philips Publishing
The Hollywood Reporter
VNU Publishing
See more publishing clients
Investment
Barry Kaye Associates
Accutrade
The Motley Fool
Standard & Poor's
VectorVest, Inc.
See more investment clients
Fund-raising/Political
Biola University
Athletes in Action
Jews for Jesus
Save Proposition 13
Stop Forced Busing
See more fund-raising/ political clients
...and in all these direct marketing media:
Direct Mail
Intelligence Digest
Teens & Tweens News
The Dines Letter
TheStreet.com
Wall Street Digest
See more direct mail clients
Paid Search
Constitution Mining
Retirement Watch
The CHEAP Investor
Vestopia
Websites/Microsites
Downey Savings
Mommie Helen’s Bakery
RealMoney.com
South Bay Back
Spectrum Holdings
See more website clients
TV/Infomercials/Viral Videos
Dr. Bruce West
DTN
Fawn’s Secret Stock
Citizens Committee for a
Strong National Defense
Variel Health Spas
Radio
Education Connection
Reagan for President
Saturday Night Singles
Sun Wellness
Reach Craig Huey now at 310-212-5727 or craig@cdmginc.com to discuss how he and his team of marketing professionals can create the same profit-exploding results that will work for your next campaign.
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