The 12 Most Common Direct Mail Mistakes ... And How To Avoid Them

1. Ignoring The Most Important Factor In Direct Mail Success,
2. Not Testing,
3. Not using a letter in your mailing package,
4. Features vs. Benefits,
5. Not having an offer,
6. Superficial copy,
7. Saving the best for last,
8. Poor follow-up,
9. The magic words,
10. Starting with the product -- not the prospect,
11. Failing to appeal to all five senses,
12. Creating and reviewing direct mail by committee,

Mistake No. 6: Superficial copy

Nothing kills the selling power of a business-to-business mailing faster than lack of content.

The equivalent in industrial literature is what I call the "art director's brochure." You've seen them: showcase pieces destined to win awards for graphic excellence. Brochures so gorgeous that everybody falls in love with them--until they wake up and realize that people send for information, not pretty pictures. Which is why typewritten, unillustrated sales brochures can often pull double the response of expensive, four-color work.

In the same way, direct mail is not meant to be pretty. Its goal is not to be remembered or create an image or make an impact, but to generate a response now.

One of the quickest ways to kill that response is to be superficial. To talk in vague generalities, rather than specifics. To ramble without authority on a subject, rather than show customers that you understand their problems, their industries, and their needs.

What causes superficial copy? The fault lays with lazy copywriters who don't bother to do their homework (or ignorant copywriters who don't know any better).

To write strong copy--specific, factual copy--you must dig for facts. You must study the product, the prospect, and the marketing problem. There is no way around this. Without facts, you cannot write good copy. But with the facts at their fingertips, even mediocre copywriters can do a decent job.

Don Hauptman, author of the famous mail-order ad, "Speak Spanish Like a Diplomat!," says that when he writes a direct-mail package, more than 50% of the work involved is in the reading, research, and preparation. Less than half his time is spent writing, rewriting, editing, and revising.

Recently a client hired me to write an ad on a software package. After reading the background material and typing it into my word processor, I had 19 single-spaced pages of notes.

How much research is enough? Follow Bly's Rule, which says you should collect at least twice as much information as you need--preferably three times as much. Then you have the luxury of selecting only the best facts, instead of trying desperately to find enough information to fill up the page.

Mistake No. 7: Saving the best for last >>

• Articles
• Newsletters
• Discussion
• Resources

Free Customer Lead Generation Course
Learn quickly how to generate leads for your business no matter what "business" you are in.

Discover Exactly What Your Customers Want
Learn how to quickly uncover profit creating products your customers want to buy now.

Revealed: What is Wrong With This Marketing Genius?
What you don't know about marketing your business is making you poorer each year.

How to Save Money with Reliable Business Hosting
Consultant shows you how to choose the right web hosting provider for your business without breaking the bank.