The Danielle Adams Publishing Company

Direct Mail - The First 7 Seconds.  Increasing Readership and Response in Direct Mail Marketing Letters

    Direct Mail Letters - The First 7 Seconds. Increasing readership in the opening of marketing letters.

Abstract: Learn how to create the opening of your direct mail marketing letter to get the highest level of immediate readership.  Fine-tune your major opening elements for maximum response.

    The first in a three-article set of marketing tips to increase your direct mail response. In the next direct marketing article, learn how to increase mid-level readership in the body of your letter.  In the third direct marketing article, learn 12 direct mail advertising tips to increase response.

Elements of Traditional Direct Mail Letters

    All direct mail marketing packages have common elements: outer envelope, letter, brochure, a reply card or reply envelope.  While a 4-color brochure can supply the glitz and glamor, it’s the letter in today’s direct mail that brings in the orders.  Let’s examine the letter in your direct mail campaign, with an eye to generating higher readership, more phone calls and orders.  

     Once people open your direct mail package they look at your brochure, but they read the letter. A great direct mail letter can overcome a poor offer or a product’s expensive price tag and still bring in orders. In fact, a well written direct mail letter can work when mailed just by itself.

    But is it really a letter?  No, it isn’t.  A letter is a personal correspondence you write to one or two people.  When you send it to ten, ten thousand, or ten million people - it’s an ad.  It’s a highly stylized ad designed to look like a letter.  Any arguments?

    Like any direct mail advertising, the opening parts of the perfect direct mail marketing letter attract readers and pull them into the rest of the package. Here’s the first two letter parts.

Johnson Box.  

    Named after the late Frank Johnson who first isolated this space in the 1960’s, it’s the area above the salutation, across the page on the upper right. The Johnson box is where you put the ad for your sales letter.  It’s function is to quickly capture reader attention, and drive customers to read the rest of the sales letter copy.

    The reason this part of the page has such incredible pulling power is it’s the highest visibility area on the page.  It’s above the fold - and a natural catch place that draws the eye and captures attention.  

    If copy is brief and well designed this area gets exceptionally high readership.  And since it’s not actually inside the body part of the letter it’s usually not perceived as part of the letter copy.  So it stands out and away from the rest of the letter.

    This area can be just a line or two in the same typestyle of your letter (Courier is my favorite).  My preference is to have two short lines of 5 to 8 words, flush right, and then directly above (or above and below if you have the vertical space) these on the very next line type ****’s (shift 8) spanning the length of the words.  This graphically separates these lines from the rest of the letter.

    This area can also be used as a small ad.  Design this space tightly: short and sweet with typeset copy, with a one inch offset from flush right, and show the ad without a border.  Keep in mind it’s a hot area and should be written and designed solely to entice the reader into the rest of the package. It can contain teaser copy, a quick synopsis of your biggest benefits, or a line or two showing your best offer.

    The Opening  

    This is one or two lines that become your entire first paragraph.  Keep in mind the shorter the better.  Your opening lines can even be just one or two words, set off by themselves to be the entire opening paragraph.  With an opening paragraph of just two words, readership is ensured.  Next paragraph - just 5 to 7 words  This is the perfect direct mail letter opening:

    Your best offer.

    And a few words about it.

    See how this works? You need to electrify this area.  Readership survival of your whole direct mail marketing campaign is at its highest risk in the your first line of your letter.  Good just isn’t good enough for this particular spot, your letter opening needs to be G-R-E-A-T!

    Like the headline of an ad, the first line of a direct mail marketing letter is written and designed to further pull readers into the body copy by way of intrigue, interest, coercion, desire, and seduction. Hey, wait a minute… this sounds like how I got married!  Funny thing about marriage - while most women don’t seem to marry you for your money, they all seem to divorce you for it.
 
No selling in the opening line of the letter.

    The objective of your sales letter’s first line is just to make people continue reading.  The first line is a critical junction: readers don’t have any commitment in your marketing letter — they haven’t invested reading time, don’t know how great your product is or how reasonable your offer.  They don’t identify with you — or anything you’re selling.  Readers can jump ship without guilt or curiosity at this point.  Your copy here better be great.

    Additionally, it’s way too early in the mailing package to sell anything; it’s before you have made any kind of any value proposition: shown the benefits of what you are offering, and how great your offer is to get those benefits.

    Reader fall-off at the beginning of your letter is at its greatest danger, unless you’re really perfect with your first line.  You know what that means, don’t you?  Yes, use the Jeff Dobkin 100-to-1 Rule to create your first sentence.  Write 100 opening lines, go back and pick out your best one.  Hey I didn’t say you’d like it, I just said it was effective.  The 100-to-1 rule is from the book, Uncommon Marketing Techniques, Danielle Adams Publishing Company.

    The next article in this series shows tips for increasing readership in the body copy of your direct mail marketing letter.  Each paragraph is dissected for what you need to include for maximum response.  


 Part II

Direct Mail Marketing Letters - Increase readership and response in direct mail

    The second of three articles about direct mail marketing letters.  In the first article of direct mail tips we discussed the first 7 seconds a person spends with the top portion of your direct mail marketing letter: the Johnson Box and your letter’s opening lines.  
    
    Here, we discuss increasing mid-level readership and increasing direct mail response.  Learn to fine tune the body of your letter, paragraph by paragraph.  The last article in the series shows 12 rules to make your direct mail marketing letter draw maximum response.

    We’ll start with the opening paragraph of your direct mail letter.  

    Here’s the place to show your biggest benefit.  Lead with your best stuff first - did you want to wait till you lose readers?  This should be your hottest copy and your most exciting benefit.

    “Enjoy the biggest benefit of our new product - and here’s our best offer!” - might sound like this:  “Enjoy the easy and extra-fast swing our our new ultra-lightweight tennis racquet - and try it FREE for 30 days!”

Show benefits

    In any direct mail marketing campaign you show the features in the brochure, and the benefits of those features in the letter.  The brochure tells, the letter sells… and asks for the call frequently.  Direct mail marketing has it’s own set of rules.

    You remember the difference between features and benefits, don’t you?  Products have features - a teacup has a handle, that’s a feature.  The benefits are what you derive from the features - when you hold the teacup with the handle you don’t burn your hands.  The benefits - what people get from the features - go in the letter.

    Second paragraph.  This is a transitional paragraph of your direct mail letter expanding on your biggest benefit.  Keep all paragraphs flush left with a 4- or 5-character indent, rag right and under 7 lines.

    Third paragraph - a great place to show all your benefits.  Best: place a bulleted list of benefits right in the center of your direct mail marketing letters.  Showing all benefits here sometimes become too fluffy, so including a few product features is OK in this list.  

    · Bulleted lists have high readership.  
    · Show one benefit to a line.  
    · Everyone likes a bulleted list.
    · Know who will read this paragraph?  Everyone.
    · Even people who just skim your letter read this.
    · Don’t forget to direct readers to call now & order!  

    So you need better-than-average copy here, since it is the highest readership in the body of your letter.  You need short and sweet killer copy.  Each single line drives the reader further into the rest of the letter, closer to buying your product and closer to the phone.

    Fourth paragraph.  Want to make your direct mail letter visually different?  Indent this paragraph and place it in italics.  Move the margins in, one inch on BOTH sides, so the paragraph width is about 3 inches at most.  And reduce the font size by two points.  This gives your letter copy some air - a little breathing room - and makes it look easy to read, even if it isn’t.  Tout the benefits and ask for the phone call in this foreshortened paragraph.

    Fifth paragraph.  Here’s where you really sell the phone call. “Just pick up the phone and call us right now.  Questions, comments - your call is always welcome — here’s our phone number: 800-987-6543.”

    Don’t be afraid to ask people to call you several times in any direct mail advertising, and the sales letter is no exception.  The fourth and fifth paragraph.  This fifth paragraph is where you MUST sell the phone call hard.  Remember, no phone calls - no orders = failure.  

    Also - show your actual phone number in the text of the letter in this body copy of your direct mail letter.  Yea yea, I know - it’s in the letterhead.  Show it again here in the text. And again in the PS. It encourages phone calls.  Any arguements?

    Signature.  Sign legibly.  Even if your real signature looks like the X made by Attila the Hun, sign so people can read it.  It’s a visual hook - keep it legible.

    The PS in your direct mail letter is your last chance to briefly restate your one or two biggest benefits, your offer, and ask for the phone call.  Last chance - make a great, irresistible call to action.

White space.  

    Don’t forget the other half of your direct mail letter - white space.  Keep a lot of breathing room around your copy, let it air out.  This may mean reducing your font size from my first preference of 12 points to a slightly smaller 10 point size, but if it makes the letter look light, breezy and easy to read, it’s worth it.  

    BTW, I always prefer Courier typeface to make the letter look like a traditional letter.  While the letter may be an ad, to make your direct mail letter the most effective it can possibly be, it’s got to look like a letter.  Direct mail letters, remember - are secretly ads - not really letters.  They have their own set of distinct rules.  We’ll still call our ad a letter, though.

    In the next and final article in this series, you’ll learn 12 succinct rules to increase letter readership and response.
Part III

Direct Mail Letter Tips - 12 tips to increase letter readership and response

    This is the third and final article in the series help you increase the response from your direct mail marketing letters.  Follow these rules, and get as much readership and many calls and orders as you possibly can.

    In the first article you learned the “7-seconds rules” to increase readership in the first 7 seconds.  Create an effective top portion of your direct mail marketing letter: the Johnson Box and the letter opening.

    In the second article we discussed increasing min-line readership and response by fine tuning the body copy of the letter.  In this final direct marketing article - learn 12 indispensable tips to draw maximum response from your direct mail marketing letters.

    Start by writing your objective in the upper right hand corner of a blank sheet of paper.  Then write your direct mail marketing letter to achieve this objective.  

    Is your objective to generate further interest in your product or service?  Generate a phone call?  Have customers place orders by direct mail or phone?  Generate phone calls for inquiries or product sales?  Fill in the BRE for a follow up sales call?  In store visit?  Whatever your objectives, state them in writing - then draft your letter to fulfill those objectives.

Marketing Tip #1. Include copy in the Johnson Box.  This is the hot spot to begin your direct mail letter.  This small are is 2” x 3” above the salutation but across the page on the right hand side.  Include one or 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.

2. The salutation: salutation should be as personal as possible without the danger of turning anyone away.  This is a high risk area, if it’s too far off readers won’t identify with it.  So better safe than sorry here.  Be as personal as you can but don’t take chances.

    Examples would be “Dear Motorcycle Enthusiasts”  “Dear Colleagues” “Dear Pet Lovers”.  

    Also, adding “and Friends” can increase familiarity and loyalty.  “Dear Neighbors and Friends”  “Dear Dog Owners and Friends”

3. Write benefit-packed direct mail marketing letter copy.  Show your best stuff first - why wait till you lose them?  Then immediately expand on the biggest and best benefit.

Marketing Tip #4. Don't try to write your direct mail letter in a few minutes.  Don’t forget - this really isn’t a letter - it’s a highly stylized ad designed to look like a letter.

    Like any good ad, a polished letter takes hours to create - both write and design.  You can’t dash it off like the letter you write to grandma every Thanksgiving to make sure she remembers you at Christmas or Hanukkah.  

    It takes me 5 to 8 hours to write and design a clean, crisp one page direct mail letter; more if I’m hung over.  If it takes you less, let’s compare notes.  No, no TV on, either - even if it is on only in the background.

5. Make it look like a real letter — the personal medium that it really is.  Use typewriter style type (Courier).  Include a personal salutation.  Use an informal writing style.  Short words - like you’re writing to a friend.  You are.  Sentence fragments are OK.  This isn’t English class, and the only grade you receive is by readers placing orders… or not placing orders.  Your choice.

    Marketing Tip #6. Design your direct mail advertising letter to look easy to read, even if it isn’t.  A well designed direct mail letter increases readership and response. Use lots of white space and direct the eye flow of the reader, don’t leave it to chance or let your computer design it for you.  

    Use a short one or two line opening paragraph.  

    Like this.  

    See how it commands attention.

    Indent the first line of all paragraphs.  No paragraph over 7 lines.  Vary paragraph length.  FLRR, never ever justify the type.  Bullet list in the center. Foreshortened paragraph in the body for added visual interest.

7. Accent words you want readers to read, and what you want them to do. Use sparingly: bold, italics, underscore, caps, marginal words. Accent action words always pointing at the phone number and asking readers to call now.

Marketing Tip #8. A bulleted list of benefits in the center paragraph gets high readership.  Visually stimulating letters work best, and everyone reads a short bulleted list.  It can’t hurt to have the last bullet-point ask for the order, or for readers to call right now.

Best Marketing Tip #9. Call to action early… and often.  Soft sell of the product, show the benefits, and sell the phone call hard - this is the secret for success in direct mail marketing.  Ask for the order and the call several times - if you don’t get a call, nothing else matters.  If a person calls, your letter is a complete success.  It did everything you asked it to do.  Then it’s YOUR turn to persuade the caller to become a customer.

10. Sign legibly. This adds credibility.

11. Include a PS.  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.  Give your best feature and biggest benefit then make your offer sound irresistible. And ask for readers to call you again.  Give the phone number again, too. Yes, right there in the text of the PS.  Yes, I know it’s in the masthead.

    Sure, people know it’s not a personal letter.  But if it’s done well, they’ll somehow overlook that and let you into their hearts and minds. If you’re really good, they’ll also follow by letting you into their wallets.  If your direct mail letter shows them some hard hitting benefits that strike home it will show up here: your telephone will ring.  It’s easy to tell when your letter is successful in direct mail marketing: your phone rings.

    Now here’s the 12th tip: it’s the Jeff Dobkin $1 idea. Dobkin’s best copywriting trick of all time, and the best copywriting trick you’ve ever learned in your entire life!  

    Go back go back and cross out your first sentence.  No, don’t pay me for this idea now, just send me $1 every time you use this.  Having a bad day?  Go back and cross out your first paragraph.  Still… a bargain at just $1!  Better letters = greater response = more revenue, make yours a winner.

    Only in direct marketing can you send a personal note to 10,000 or 10,000,000 of your closest friends.  Show them reasons why they should order from you, and they will.

Jeffrey Dobkin is a direct marketer specializing in writing direct mail letters.  Call 610-642-1000 to speak with Dobkin about writing assignments for your firm.  He is also a marketing consultant who will analyze yours current campaigns, copy, letters and corporate literature and show you how to make it more effective.  Dobkin is a catalog analyst, and a print media specialist.  When asked about his work he summarizes it in one sentence:  "I make the phone ring!"  He has written 5 books on successful direct marketing methods.
Copyright . Danielle Adams Publishing Company. All rights reserved.