How to Write a Better Direct Mail Letter
Research has shown that 65% of the people who open your direct mail, if they are inclined to respond, will do so because of your letter.
What does this say? It says you better have a
letter ... and it better be good ... in your direct mail!
Here are the golden rules for writing the better direct mail letter:
1. Write it like you say it. Don't worry about grammar.
Don't concern yourself with punctuation. And don't word-smith every sentence.
Make it human.
Now that I have said that, let's back-up a step or two. If you tape record
yourself and then transcribe it and read it, most of the time it is unreadable.
Why? Because, even though I highly recommend that we write like we talk ...
that is not really how it happens.
What I recommend is that you use a language that is comfortable for your
audience. And speak in a style and format that the audience will understand.
And be likely to respond to. Most often that is writing like you speak.
2. The best direct mail is very personnel direct mail. Multiply
it and mail it to everybody. Write to the person you know best, say the things
to them that you know are important about your property, and then send it
to everybody you feel is a prospect and a customer.
And do it again and again over and over. Because it works. Personal direct
mail is the best direct mail.
On the other side, trying to be personal and missing is absolutely horrid.
All of us have received direct mail where our name was misspelled. That takes
away from all the personalization ... and destroys the impact you are trying
to make on the marketplace.
Maybe the best thing to do is not personalize your mail. What I mean by that
is you don't use information that you have to guess at ... you only use information
that you know is accurate.
So in place of a dear name, you can do something that is interesting. Such
as dear boating enthusiast. Or dear business traveler. Or dear preferred
customer. These things work -- because they are out of the ordinary, and
more interesting to your audience.
3. If your audience is octogenarians then you need to become
an octogenarian. And write like one.
If your audience is business travelers, pretend you are a business traveler.
It's not too hard ... you are one.
If you are trying to get a group of doctors to stay with you, then you need
to write to them in a fashion that is going to appeal to a doctor. The same
thing goes for plumbers. Or sky-divers. Or a woman's organization. Or a youth
group. You need to write to the audience at a level that makes them comfortable
with doing business with you.
4. Never, but never talk down to your audience.
Look them straight in the eye and write to them.
When you write, talk with them about benefits. Not the features that you
offer ... but the benefits that they gain from these features.
Also, make sure you write to them about your offer. The specials over and
above the ordinary that you offer that the other guy doesn't.
Always talk to your audience through direct mail the same way you would talk
to them in their office.
5. Never, but never tell a lie. Tell funny stories. Be entertaining. Weave
a scene. Make a point. Be dramatic. Share a case history. Include testimonials.
But never exaggerate. Always be true.
6. Have something to say ... and say it in a way that's understandable by
your audience.
This may seem silly to have to say. But, frequently I receive direct mail
that doesn't really say anything. When you beat around the bush ... or the
message roams or rambles, you are never quite sure what the point is. Make
sure you have something very specific to say -- and then present it in such
a way that the audience can read it and understand it.
Some of the things you might want to do to make sure your direct mail is
more readable and understandable are these:
- Make sure that at least 70% of all your words are 5 letter words or less.
- Never have a paragraph of more than seven lines in any direct mail letter.
- Try to keep all your sentences short ... make certain the average of all is 14 words or less.
By the combination of short words and short sentences and short paragraphs
you make it easier to read. Research indicates that when sentences begin
to become 15 words or longer ... a certain percentage of your audience falls
away. They do not get the message. The longer the sentence, the fewer people
understand what it is you are really trying to do.
7. Make me an offer I can't refuse. Make the very best possible offer to
your audience that you can. Because, if the best offer you have doesn't succeed,
nothing less will even begin to work.
Making the best possible offer you can, many times will make the difference
between success, or lack of success.
Again, what is an offer? An offer is over and above your features and benefits.
It's the extra. It's the what's in it for me philosophy and attitude. Meaning,
what is the customer going to get if they do business with you. Make the
very best offer you possibly can.
8. The eighth point is very simple. It is Ask For The Order (A.F.T.O.). Very
specifically and very exactingly, ask for the order.
Ask the people to call. To come into your property. To make a reservation.
To send money. To do whatever it is you want them to do ... be sure to ask
for the order.
As you are doing this, one of the best places to repeat your offer and to
repeat your A. F. T. O. is in the P.S. Yes, you must have a P.S. in the letter.
Why? Because 4 out of every 5 people who open your direct mail will read
the P.S. before they read your letter! Four out of five!