Marketing Information

Direct Mail Response Rates Low? Eliminate These Mistakes


Are your direct mail response rates lower than you expect? Check your sales letter or direct mail package against this checklist to uncover the reasons for your poor response.

LIST
You are mailing to people who are never likely to buy
You are not mailing to others in the same business who influence the buying decision
Your list is out of date
Your names and addresses are not formatted correctly for proper delivery
Your list has job titles only, not names

FORMAT
You are using the wrong format for your audience (self-mailers to professionals, for example)
Your letter and brochure are not complete sales pitches in themselves
Your liftnote or buckslip confuses your offer or main selling promise

ENVELOPE
Your envelope gives too much away, so your prospects throw it away unopened
Your mailing envelope looks like junk mail
Your package is addressed to "Occupant" and not to a person by name

MESSAGE
Your letter lacks a strong, customer-focussed headline
The opening line in your letter is not compelling
You spell your prospective customer's name incorrectly
Your letter lacks specifics about product size, weight, color and other vital details
You discuss product features but not customer benefits
You talk too much about your company and not enough about your reader
You do not create enough desire
Your letter lacks urgency
You do not offer a guarantee

OFFER
You are offering the same thing that your competitors are offering
Your offer is not specific
Your offer is not exclusive
Your offer is not relevant
Your offer is not valuable
Your offer is not unique
Your offer is not useful

CALL TO ACTION
You do not ask for the order
You ask for the order, but too late in your letter
You conclude by saying, "If you have any questions, don't hesitate to contact me"
You give too many ways to respond-or not enough

REPLY DEVICE
Your reply device is too cluttered
You do not tell prospects what to do to buy your product or service
Your reply device is not postage-paid

TIMING
You are mailing at the wrong time of the year
Your letter is arriving on the wrong day of the week
You are mailing too often, so prospects ignore you
You are not mailing often enough, so prospects do not remember you

About the author
Alan Sharpe is a business-to-business direct mail copywriter who helps business owners and marketing managers generate leads, close sales and retain customers using creative direct mail. Learn more about his services and sign up for free weekly tips like this at http://www.sharpecopy.com.

© 2005 Sharpe Copy Inc. You may reprint this article online and in print provided the links remain live and the content remains unaltered (including the "About the author" message).


MORE RESOURCES:

Los Angeles Times

Chrysler marketing chief denies Super Bowl ad was political
Detroit Free Press
Olivier François, Chrysler's marketing chief, denies that its Super Bowl ad aimed to endorse President Barack Obama. By Brent Snavely Chrysler Chief Marketing Officer Olivier François insisted that the "Halftime in America" Super Bowl ad was not ...
Chrysler's Super Bowl Ad: Debated, Like It or NotHuffington Post (blog)

all 160 news articles »


TSN

Andretti group plans IndyCar race to Milwaukee
Boston Herald
Andretti Sports Marketing, founded last fall, will bring the IZOD IndyCar Series back to the historic State Fair Park oval June 16 — the Saturday of Father's Day weekend — the group announced Friday. Milwaukee returned to the IndyCar schedule in 2011 ...
IndyCar returning to Milwaukee MileESPN
IndyCar returns to Milwaukee for June 16 raceSan Francisco Chronicle

all 135 news articles »


7 Marketing Lessons From RIM's Failures
Mashable
And, mostly, really bad marketing. On this, RIM is in good company in the consumer electronics industry, where so many manufacturers market poorly. But few have made so many marketing mistakes so quickly. Here are seven marketing lessons from RIM's ...

and more »


BILMBA Marketing & Associates Launches 1SwingThought.com to Aid Golfers in ...
Sacramento Bee
By BILMBA Marketing & Associates LOS ANGELES, Feb. 10, 2012 -- /PRNewswire/ -- BILMBA Marketing & Associates has launched a new website http://www.1SwingThought.com with a simple yet revolutionary product for golf equipment designed to help the 20+ ...
BILMBA Marketing & Associates Launches 1SwingThoughtcom to Aid Golfers in ...Review seeker (press release)

all 12 news articles »


SEO Services Alert: Internet Marketing Blueprint Unveiled at 2012 AAJ Winter ...
Sacramento Bee
10, 2012 -- /PRNewswire/ -- When you design your house you need an architect; when you design your lawyer Internet marketing campaign, you need an SEO architect who understands the online legal marketing industry. Cepac lawyer marketing consultants ...

and more »


Nan Richardson Named Director of Marketing & Business Development for JG ...
MarketWatch (press release)
based commercial/retail contracting firm JG Construction as director of marketing and business development. In her new position, Ms. Richardson will be responsible for all marketing activities both internal and external, including client relations, ...

and more »


5 Ways to Market Your Brand on LinkedIn
Mashable
Linda Coles is the author of the book Learn Marketing with Social Media in 7 Days (Wiley) and is a social media speaker and consultant at Blue Banana. LinkedIn provides plenty of marketing opportunities, but lets take a look at some of the lesser-known ...

and more »


BancorpSouth Insurance Hires Texas Region Marketing Manager
Sacramento Bee
10, 2012 -- /PRNewswire/ -- BancorpSouth Insurance Services, Inc. hired Larry D. Batie II as marketing manager for the Texas region. He previously served as account executive and assistant vice president at Marsh & McLennan Companies.

and more »


Ammon News

Entourage redefines marketing standards in Jordan
Ammon News
AMMONNEWS - entourage, among the fastest growing marketing and events agencies in Dubai is stepping into Jordan with ambitious expansion plans. Already a success among the most admired brands in the world and the region, including Google and ...

and more »


Deadline.com

NBC Layoffs Hit Marketing and Publicity Departments
Hollywood Reporter
Somewhere in the neighborhood of 10 marketing employees were let go Friday, with publicity layoffs expected next week. The pink slips are being doled out across NBC's marketing and publicity ranks. The news of structural changes comes as entertainment ...
NBC cuts 10 jobs in marketing unit: 26-year veteran ousted; more layoffs expectedChicago Tribune
EVP Jim Vescera Departs In NBC Marketing Department DownsizingDeadline.com
NBC entertainment chief spending big bucks as pink slips loom for marketing ...New York Post
mediabistro.com -O'Dwyer's PR News
all 7 news articles »

Google News

home | site map
© 2006