Direct Marketing Update: The most overlooked method to boost web profits

Copy tip: The power of the “bucket brigade”

Every direct response piece you write—whether it is a magalog, direct mail package, email, website, radio ad or TV commercial—must engage the reader in a one-on-one conversation.

To perfect this person-to-person feeling in your copy, you need to call in the “bucket brigade.” That is, conversational words and phrases that pull in the reader, keep the conversation moving and prevent your copy from sounding too stiff.

Here are some of my favorite bucket brigade phrases that have been proven effective time and time again:

You already know that…
And what’s worse…
You see…
But it doesn’t stop there…
Let me ask you this question…
Keep reading to find out…
Now you can…
But what you really must know is…

The true test for conversational copy? Read it out loud. You’ll be able to tell right away whether you’ve created a fireside chat…or a one-sided lecture.

Want a FREE critique of your latest mail piece, email campaign, insert, display ad or website? Email me at craig@cdmginc.com. I’ll let you know what you’re doing right and what, if anything, could be adjusted to increase response.

Wrap up more sales this Christmas…despite tighter purse strings

Last holiday season, shoppers planned to spend an average of $859 on gifts, according to a poll by American Research Group.

A full 16% of consumers said they would pay full price for gifts. 50% planned to wait for sales and 34% responded that it depended on the item.

How will these figures change with the current economy? Time will tell, but projections show that there will be fewer dollars to go around.

Check out the results of a recent Harris Interactive poll of Internet users:

80% of consumers said they’ll purchase fewer gifts this year.
63% plan to buy less expensive gifts.
44% said they’ll shop at discount stores.
35% will turn to coupons.
32% plan to shop online for better deals.
24% will shop online to save money on gas.
19% will shop during Black Friday sales.
13% will make all online purchases at once to lower shipping costs.
12% are planning to save with last-minute discounts.

Now, your first reaction might be despair. But this doesn’t have to spell doom for your fourth quarter. If you read between the lines, you can use this information to your advantage.

Drive your online sales with aggressive and professional direct marketing. This can include direct mail, display ads, TV, radio and more. But in a recession, you cannot afford to have a mediocre direct response strategy…or mediocre copy.

Improve your online advertising. Now is the time to do paid search right, to have the best direct marketing microsite and to use the V.I.V.A.^™ (Valuable Information, Value-Added) system in your emails. Click here to learn more about V.I.V.A. and call me at 310-212-5272 to find out how it can work for you.
Be sure to review your online shopping cart. As we’ve been talking about in recent issues, it is critical to keep it simple and with a minimal number of pages so you don’t lose orders or leads.

With the goal of saving money online, consumers will be more responsive to free shipping offers and online-only discounts. In all of your marketing, emphasize value.

Your advertising must break through their financial concerns. Emphasize that you want to help them get the best deal in these tough economic times.

Keep watching for more seasonal strategies in the next issue of Direct Marketing Update.

Testing corner: Which email subject line grabbed the most clicks?

When it comes to email marketing, here’s my golden rule: If at first you don’t succeed…test, test again.

Just after the government announced its $700 billion bailout, I created an email campaign for a Switzerland-based publisher and provider of financial services.

We tested two subject lines for an email about the current economic crisis. Take a look:

Test A

Crisis unfolds: Carter-era inflation on the way

Test B

Bailout nightmare: Your wealth is in jeopardy

Which subject line enticed the greatest number of people to open it? My response analysis showed that Test A’s opening rate was 45.1% higher than Test B.

Why do you think Test A beat Test B? Are you surprised by the results? Email me at craig@cdmginc.com to share your thoughts. We’ll include reader feedback in our next issue.

ACTION ITEMS

Take a look at your most recent marketing piece. Identify areas where you should call in the “bucket brigade” to improve the conversational tone of your writing. (And, as always, feel free to take me up on my offer for a FREE critique. Just call me at 310-212-5727 or email me at craig@cdmginc.com.)
Now is the time to start planning for Q1 campaigns. If you haven’t started, you must act quickly. Click here to read our last Direct Marketing Update Bonus Issue about scheduling your mailings for the busy shopping season to come. Then call me at 310-212-5727 for help with your marketing.
Want to learn more about marketing during a recession? Right now I’m writing an in-depth article on that very topic for my industry-leading newsletter Direct Response. You won’t want to miss it. Save $15 when you subscribe now.

Yours for direct marketing success,

Craig A. Huey signature
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.

This direct marketing newsletter has been prepared by and is the property of Creative Direct Marketing Group, Inc. The information contained herein has been carefully compiled from sources believed to be reliable, but its accuracy cannot be guaranteed. All photos and graphics are used by permission of their creators. Reproduction or electronic transmission of information contained in this report in whole or in part is strictly prohibited.

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