![\"direct](\"https:\/\/www.marketingforsuccess.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/08\/direct-response-marketing.jpg\" "\\"direct")
<\/a>two lines flush right – to highlight your offer, pitch your best benefit, or for teaser copy to make the reader read the rest of the letter.<\/p>\n2. The salutation<\/strong>: salutation should be as personal as possible without the danger of turning anyone away.\u00a0 This is a high risk area, if it\u2019s too far off readers won\u2019t identify with it.\u00a0 So better safe than sorry here.\u00a0 Be as personal as you can but don\u2019t take chances.<\/p>\n Examples would be \u201cDear Motorcycle Enthusiasts\u201d\u00a0 \u201cDear Colleagues\u201d \u201cDear Pet Lovers\u201d.<\/p>\n Also, adding \u201cand Friends\u201d can increase familiarity and loyalty.\u00a0 \u201cDear Neighbors and Friends\u201d\u00a0 \u201cDear Dog Owners and Friends\u201d<\/p>\n 3. Write benefit-packed direct mail marketing letter copy.<\/strong> Show your best stuff first – why wait till you lose them?\u00a0 Then immediately expand on the biggest and best benefit.<\/p>\n 4. Don’t try to write your direct mail letter in a few minutes.<\/strong> Don\u2019t forget – this really isn\u2019t a letter – it\u2019s a highly stylized ad designed to look like a letter.<\/p>\n Like any good ad, a polished letter takes hours to create – both write and design.\u00a0 You can\u2019t dash it off like the letter you write to grandma every Thanksgiving to make sure she remembers you at Christmas or Hanukkah.<\/p>\n It takes me 5 to 8 hours to write and design a clean, crisp one page direct mail letter; more if I\u2019m hung over.\u00a0 If it takes you less, let\u2019s compare notes.\u00a0 No, no TV on, either – even if it is on only in the background.<\/p>\n 5. Make it look like a real letter<\/strong> \u2014 the personal medium that it really is.\u00a0 Use typewriter style type (Courier).\u00a0 Include a personal salutation.\u00a0 Use an informal writing style.\u00a0 Short words – like you\u2019re writing to a friend.\u00a0 You are.\u00a0 Sentence fragments are OK.\u00a0 This isn\u2019t English class, and the only grade you receive is by readers placing orders\u2026 or not placing orders.\u00a0 Your choice.<\/p>\n 6. Design your direct mail advertising letter to look easy to read, even if it isn\u2019t.<\/strong> A well designed direct mail letter increases readership and response. Use lots of white space and direct the eye flow of the reader, don\u2019t leave it to chance or let your computer design it for you.<\/p>\n Use a short one or two line opening paragraph.<\/p>\n Like this.<\/p>\n See how it commands attention.<\/p>\n Indent the first line of all paragraphs.\u00a0 No paragraph over 7 lines.\u00a0 Vary paragraph length.\u00a0 FLRR, never ever justify the type.\u00a0 Bullet list in the center. Foreshortened paragraph in the body for added visual interest.<\/p>\n 7. Accent words you want readers to read, and what you want them to do.<\/strong> Use sparingly: bold, italics, underscore, caps, marginal words. Accent action words always pointing at the phone number and asking readers to call now.<\/p>\n 8. A bulleted list of benefits in the center paragraph gets high readership.<\/strong> Visually stimulating letters work best, and everyone reads a short bulleted list.\u00a0 It can\u2019t hurt to have the last bullet-point ask for the order, or for readers to call right now.<\/p>\n Best Marketing Tip #9. Call to action early\u2026 and often.<\/strong> Soft sell of the product, show the benefits, and sell the phone call hard – this is the secret for success in direct mail marketing.\u00a0 Ask for the order and the call several times – if you don\u2019t get a call, nothing else matters.\u00a0 If a person calls, your letter is a complete success.\u00a0 It did everything you asked it to do.\u00a0 Then it\u2019s YOUR turn to persuade the caller to become a customer.<\/p>\n 10. Sign legibly.<\/strong> This adds credibility.<\/p>\n 11. Include a PS.<\/strong> Busy people know the best parts of the offer are often repeated in the PS – make this last shot a response-generator, call-getting, order clincher.\u00a0 Give your best feature and biggest benefit then make your offer sound irresistible. And ask for readers to call you again.\u00a0 Give the phone number again, too. Yes, right there in the text of the PS.\u00a0 Yes, I know it\u2019s in the masthead.<\/p>\n Sure, people know it\u2019s not a personal letter.\u00a0 But if it\u2019s done well, they\u2019ll somehow overlook that and let you into their hearts and minds. If you\u2019re really good, they\u2019ll also follow by letting you into their wallets.\u00a0 If your direct mail<\/a> letter shows them some hard hitting benefits that strike home it will show up here: your telephone will ring.\u00a0 It\u2019s easy to tell when your letter is successful in direct mail marketing: your phone rings.<\/p>\n Now here\u2019s the 12th tip: it\u2019s the Jeff Dobkin $1 idea.<\/strong> Dobkin\u2019s best copywriting trick of all time, and the best copywriting trick you\u2019ve ever learned in your entire life!<\/p>\n Go back go back and cross out your first sentence.\u00a0 No, don\u2019t pay me for this idea now, just send me $1 every time you use this.\u00a0 Having a bad day?\u00a0 Go back and cross out your first paragraph.\u00a0 Still\u2026 a bargain at just $1!\u00a0 Better letters = greater response = more revenue, make yours a winner.<\/p>\n Only in direct marketing can you send a personal note to 10,000 or 10,000,000 of your closest friends.\u00a0 Show them reasons why they should order from you, and they will.<\/p>\n – Jeff<\/em><\/p>\n