Direct Marketing Update for February 26, 2009

Mobile marketing triumphs of the Super Bowl

The Super Bowl was a lost opportunity for marketers who violated direct marketing rules. Lost sales. Lost time. Lost marketing dollars.

But it was a great day for advertisers who used mobile direct marketing.

In the February 17 Bonus Issue, I discussed how Monster.com’s “Need a new job?” ad completely missed the boat. But the company redeemed itself by pairing up with the NFL for the Fandemonium campaign. Viewers were prompted to respond via text, and then received a text message directing them to a related URL. Here’s the key: The site was optimized for mobile viewing, and everything worked smoothly.

One weak spot: The call to action was too quick. To give users more time to react, the 5-digit text message short code should have been shown in the corner for the entire spot. (The short code is where the text message is sent. In this case, users were instructed to “text Fan to 24421.”)

Another interesting use of mobile marketing can be found in Cars.com’s spot. The ad showed a person using his mobile phone to access Cars.com’s mobile site—an example of direct response images at work.

United Way also debuted a short, sweet and effective text-to-donate program.

Lesson learned: Mobile direct marketing is moving into direct response TV in a big way.

If you’re not sure how to create a mobile marketing campaign…if you’d like to improve your current results…or if you want to create a direct response TV campaign, call me at 310-212-5727 or email me at craig@cdmginc.com. My team and I are ready to design a mobile strategy to outperform your current control by 200%.

Web strategy: A recession-beating way to reach prospects online

Another key to being successful in a recession is making sure your marketing really stands out from your competition. That’s why I recommend using a video spokesperson on your landing pages and microsites.

A video spokesperson helps you cut through the clutter by combining audio and video to engage your prospect…instead of sending him or her to a static landing page. It’s a personal, powerful way to connect with prospects on the web and create the one-to-one communication that is so critical to direct response marketing success.

If you haven’t seen a video spokesperson, also known as a walk-on, you can find one on my agency’s home page .

I use this technique to introduce visitors to the site and dynamically point out the different types of information they can find there.

Here are 3 more ways your site benefits from a video spokesperson:

Your offer. A strong offer is even stronger when your spokesperson or representative walks onto your webpage and explains it in a simple, direct way.
Your product explanation. Complicated products or services are suddenly made clear and easy to understand with video demonstrations.
Your credibility. When you showcase an expert witness or your company’s CEO, you’re demonstrating to your prospect that you’re a leader in your field. You can easily build credibility with statistics, examples or testimonials delivered person-to-person.

If your script is well written with direct response copy and well executed, you’ll convince your prospect to spend some time on your page—rather than click your page into cyberspace.

Although this technique is becoming more popular, it is far from mainstream. Click the links below to see more examples.

If you want to learn more about video-spokesperson technology, and how it can double your impact, call me at 310-212-5727 or email me at craig@cdmginc.com. I’ll explain in more detail how it can work for your website. In fact, we will be shooting a series of walk-ons shortly…and it would reduce your costs if you join in now.

Copy tip: 6 ways to supercharge your subheads

Writing subheads may seem like a quick-and-easy task. You may be tempted to throw down a few punchy words and move on. But these phrases contribute a lot more than you think—and every piece of marketing copy needs them.

Subheads are mini-headlines. They grab the reader’s attention and guide him along. They break up large chunks of text and improve your piece’s overall appearance. They even help convince those who are just scanning that they want to read more.

Your very first subhead should tie in with your main headline, reemphasizing its strongest points.

To turn your subheads into a sales boost, pay attention to these key components:

Benefits. Like all good direct response copy, subheads should shout out the benefits.
You. Try “you get” or “you’ll save” or “you’ll learn.” It helps the reader see exactly how she will benefit from responding to your offer.
Action. Action verbs like “discover,” “produce,” “get,” “avoid,” and “save” will keep the reader moving…right to the order form.
Urgency. Make your action verbs even stronger with a sense of urgency. Pair them with “right now,” “quickly,” and “today” to motivate the reader to act now.
Specifics. Saying “You’ll save 50% now” is much more powerful than “you’ll save now.”
Design. Don’t forget to use white space above and below your subheads. Use color, bold fonts and larger font sizes to make them stand out.

Here are some easy-to-follow guidelines for placing subheads:

Sales letters: 1 or 2 subheads per page
Emails: 1 or 2 per screen
Websites: 1 or 2 per screen
Long-copy ads: 1 subhead for every 3 to 4 paragraphs

Finally, here are some examples of successful subheads I’ve created:

Your secret to safely making profits
of 300% or more in today’s volatile markets

Enjoy FREE lifetime technical support
when you order today

Now you can avoid getting caught
in a frivolous lawsuit

Detailed charts help you
cross-reference every topic instantly

When done right, subheads reinforce the key points of your message…and give you a sales boost. Now you can see why they are too important to ignore.

Stay tuned to Direct Marketing Update. In an upcoming issue, you’ll learn 4 ways to improve your headlines.

Testing corner: Which paid search headline is the winner?

Did you know that paid search ads are a great way to test headlines and subheads for your print campaigns?

Take a look at this paid search test, which used three different headlines paired with the exact same copy and URL.

Headline A
Jeep Parts
Instant Rebate & 100% Price Match
Shop Jeep Parts & Accessories
4WD.com/Jeep-Parts

Headline B
Jeepers Guide
Instant Rebate & 100% Price Match
Shop Jeep Parts & Accessories
4WD.com/Jeep-Parts

Headline C
Gear to get you there
Instant Rebate & 100% Price Match
Shop Jeep Parts & Accessories
4WD.com/Jeep-Parts

With nearly 55,000 impressions, Headline A, “Jeep Parts,” was a clear winner with a click-through rate that was 24% higher than Headline B. Headline A also had a higher conversion rate of 1.5%, while Headline B converted just 0.4%. As for Headline C…it was left in the dust completely.

Why do you think Headline A had the best response? Email me at craig@cdmginc.com. I’ll share some reader responses in the next issue (without disclosing your full name).

Action Items

Consider testing a new direct response format. If you’ve never tried mobile marketing, paid search or a 3-D mailing, let’s talk about how you can double your response rates in this recession. Call me today at 310-212-5727 or email me at craig@cdmginc.com.
Mark your calendar for Tuesday, March 31. I’ll be presenting an online seminar, 24 Proven Keys to Finding the Most Successful Lists and Selections, at 11:00 a.m. (PT). (That’s 2:00 p.m. for marketers on the East Coast.) You’ll learn how picking the right postal and email lists can dramatically increase your response—by as much as 300% to 400%.
Take a look at your copy. In this recession, you can’t afford mediocre marketing. Make sure your body copy is preemptive, addressing your prospects’ biggest concerns right now. To help you keep your response rates up, I’ll be starting a series on overcoming marketing evils in Direct Marketing Update next month. You won’t want to miss it.

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.

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