When you spend the time and effort putting together a direct marketing campaign, you want to be sure it’s going to get a response. And let’s face it, some marketers are better writers than others. Even if you’re using a professional writer, it pays to know what works and what doesn’t so you can achieve a successful direct mail campaign. Here are 8 copywriting tips that will make the world of difference to your response rates.
1. Keep it Brief
People don’t want to read screeds of copy. The shorter your missive is, the more likely the reader is to get the message you want to deliver. Don’t fall into the trap of thinking that the more you write the higher your success rate will be. It’s the opposite!
2. Format for Easy Reading
Following on from #1, you’re likely to give your reader the “glazed eye” look if you present them with a solid page of typed copy! It really doesn’t matter how interesting the information is, if it doesn’t get read the customer won’t buy. Make it easy to see the important points in your direct mail by using formatting that displays short, succinct messages that are scannable.
3. Use Word Power in HotSpots
Focus on the parts of the page that draw the reader’s eye, such as the headline, subheads and the beginning of sentences. Use your most powerful words in these positions so they will get seen first. For example: “Buy now and save 10%” works better as “Save Money! Buy now and get 10% off.”
4. Focus on Benefits
Don’t make your reader wade through a meaningless list of features. Tell him or her what the benefit to them will be. Example: “We’re open 24 hours a day” works better as “Enjoy 24 hour access.”
5. Get to the Point
Use short, sweet sentences that get to the point quickly and work better than long ones for lead generation. You can even use sentence fragments to communicate, for example:
Before: You can call us today and get instance assistance
After: Call us. Get help instantly.
6. Find and Replace
Get rid of all instances of the following words by doing a find and replace of your direct mail before finalizing it:
- There is/are
- Also
- Etc
7. Use “Doing” Words
Start sentences with verbs or action words as far as possible. They give your copy an impetus that’s lacking when you write about something. Speak to your reader as directly as you can.
8. Check, Check and Check Again
Proofread and check the copy several times over, and if necessary get a fresh pair of eyes to do it too. This will help you to catch every single typo or error. Read it aloud to hear how it sounds, and if necessary tweak your punctuation to give it the right tone and flow. If you find any sentences that are longer than two lines or contain more than one comma, break them up into additional sentences to make them easier to read.
It’s not just about the design process. Make your direct mail campaign the very best it can be by using these methods to create faultless copy.
