39 Direct Marketing SECRETS

This was recommended By Ted Nicholas

39 Direct Marketing
Rules of Success​

1. Spend up to 80% of your time on the headline of a space ad or sales letter.
(Your letter headline can often be used as the teaser copy for the
envelope.) Reason? 50% to 80% of the sales success of your advertising
message is a direct result of your headline. That means your message loses
up to 80% of its effectiveness without a strong headline! Another
important reason to invest this time is that the offer's positioning is
determined by the headline theme. Most copywriters do not spend nearly
enough time on headlines. I write as many as 250 headlines before I select
the final one for a campaign.


2. Use either "ragged" right or justified right margin for each column of copy
when you have a space ad set in type. I've tested both and I have seen no
effect in response rates.

3. Use Courier typeface in sales letters. Some call it old-fashioned, but my
experience shows that Courier outpulls any other type style. The
typewriter "me to you" look "feels" more personal and urgent.

4. Use highly salable products as free bonus gifts. Bonuses always increase
sales with one exception. I once made the mistake of using a failed
product as a bonus with disastrous results. Remember this: if you can't sell
it, you can't give it away successfully!


5. Always use a headline at the top of your sales letter. Never use a company
logo or your name and address at the top of a sales letter. It is a "me"
message and depresses response. Use logo at the end of a letter on the last
page. Exception: if you are writing to an audience who would be
positively influenced by your name or credentials, e.g. a famous doctor
writing to other doctors.


6. Never change a word of winning copy for anyone until you test it.
Especially "for copy acceptance reasons." I learned the lesson the hard
way. A magazine's legal department asked me to change three words in a
1200 word full-page ad, which I did. The response dropped to 1/10 of the
former level! My recommendation: If it's working, don't change even a
comma. If someone insists on changes, it's prudent to just pull the ad.
Remember, because a winning ad often challenges conventional thinking,
it seems to attract requests for change. But don't do it. Once you agree to
do it with a given media, you've lost control of the creative process. And
your sales will usually plummet.

7. Copyright all your sales materials. Your winning ads are worth their
weight in gold. You are bound to have people who try to copy your
success. For your protection on every letter, space ad, brochure, etc., add
the copyright symbol, a small c in a circle like this, ©, along with the word
copyright, the year and your name. It should look like this:



8. Use a caption under every photo. The eye is drawn to a photograph. If you
don't at least identify who is in the photo, at minimum you will lose many
readers who will stop reading your sales message.


9.Test a photograph in your space ads. It often improves response. But it
must support and tie into the headline and copy. For highest response,
always include human beings rather than just objects in copy. Children are
the biggest attention-getters of all. Remember the old saying, which
happens to be true, "A picture is worth a thousand words."

10. In photos of people, make certain they are looking directly into the
camera. Eye contact with the reader is a good involvement strategy.

11. Do not use more than 17 words in a headline. Why? Based on my tests,
I've never been able to make a headline work that is longer than this.

12. Use the two most underused and powerful words more often in your copy.
Free and You.

13. Do not use "I", the biggest turn-off word in copy, at all or very sparingly.

14. Always use a "drop" first letter in a space ad. This helps get the reader's
eye from the headline into the body copy. Here is an example of a drop
first letter


How to get everything you ever wanted in life…


15. Use subheads which are strong enough to be headlines. They both help
keep the prospect reading plus break up large blocks of copy which appear
to require so much effort, reading is discouraged.


16. Do not use a screen behind any copy area. (Except for yellow behind
black, which can make copy more readable.) A screen in any other color
diminishes readership. Use screens only for things for which you don't
particularly want readership, such as some obscure regulation you may
need to include in your offer. However, a screen for borders outside blocks
of copy can help copy stand out.

17. Never print body copy in any color other than black. Black is easiest to
read. Colors should only be used for headlines or sub-headlines.

18. Eliminate the word "that" in your copy. After copy is written, see if you
can eliminate the word "that" as many times as you can. The word "that" is
perhaps the most overused word in copy. It's boring and tends to weaken
strong sentences.

19. Be provocative. If copy doesn't bother or offend someone it usually
doesn't work! When getting feedback on new copy from colleagues,
advertising media and prospects, if everyone likes it, watch out! Nearly
every time I write a breakthrough ad or sales letter it pulls orders and also
bothers someone. Reason? Great copy gets attention by being provocative.
And interrupting usual thinking habits.


20. Never use sans-serif typeface on any body copy. All studies show it's more
difficult to read.


21. Forget rules of grammar when writing copy. As copywriter John Kennedy
in 1920 said, "Good copy is salesmanship in print." The prime goal in
copy is to sell. Sentence fragments are OK.

22. Use short words, short sentences and short paragraphs in writing copy.
Keep 75% of words 5 letters or less. Keep sentences to an average of 8 to
17 words. Paragraphs no more than 5 sentences. But vary the length.
Otherwise it will seem repetitive and boring.

23. Use quotation marks around headlines. Studies show 27% more people
will read the headline. It increases the feeling that something important is
being stated.

24. Use upper and lower case letters in a headline. Do not use all caps, a
frequent mistake by marketers and graphic designers in an attempt to
make headlines stand out. Upper and lower case is easier to read. That's
why any good newspaper or magazine sets their headlines this way.

25. Read copy out loud. The best test of copy tone, flow and persuasiveness is
to say it out loud. This is what your reader does in his/her head. You will
always be able to improve copy when you do this because the rough spots
stand out.


26. Handwriting great copy is best way to improve your copywriting skills.
When you come across someone else's effective copy, especially a control
piece that is working for a period of time, hand write it, word for word.
You will be exposed to the writer's thinking process. You'll also gain a
deeper sense of how ideas should flow to a logical conclusion.


27. Get into a peak emotional state before you write. You cannot write great
copy if you are exhausted, harassed or down mentally. Make sure to get a
good night's sleep. Exercise moderately before starting. Eat sparingly.
Take the time to count your blessings. Turn off the phone and make sure
you are not interrupted. For mega-success, also do the Ted Nicholas "Yes"
exercise (to be sent to any reader upon request).

28. When writing copy, imagine you are talking to a friend or loved one.
Credibility, tone, and warmth in copy comes from the feelings you
generate through the words you write. Be as honest and sincere as you
possibly can be. Maintain enthusiasm about the product's benefits as
though you are sharing with a friend.

29. Never put a period at the end of a headline. Do not punctuate at all except
when asking a question. A period causes a reader to pause and possibly
stop reading any further.

30. Break the last sentence on the page in a sales letter. Do not end the last
sentence on any page. Break the sentence. Below it add the words "Please
turn to page 2 (etc.)" to help keep the prospect reading.


31. Make sure your printer provides ink coverage that is as dark as possible on
all your printed materials. Your response can drop by as much as 10% if
the ink coverage in a letter has the all too common "gray" appearance.
This is tough to read. The easiest way I know to increase mail response is
by having the ink coverage made darker. I've seen response increase by
10% just by getting ink "blacker"!


32. Make the signature used in a sales letter clear and bold. Use a fine felt tip
pen for the original. Prospects look at the signature and respond less well
to a "wimpy" appearance, which suggests uncertainty or lack of
confidence.

33. Use hand written margin notes on a sales letter to draw attention to
important points.

34. Cross out and change prices and words in a sales letter to emphasize
points, such as a special price.

35. Underline words in a sales letter for emphasis. But don't overdo it. About
10 words a page is ideal.

36. Test a hand written P.S., which can often increase response.

37. Price your products using a 7 as the ending number, i.e. $49.97, $77.77,
$317, $597, $1,997, etc. My tests, as well as those of other marketers, find
7 attracts the most sales.



38. Write long copy. Don't limit what you write about the benefits of your
product. Copy can never be too long. Just too boring! So, present your
benefits with emotion combined with human interest and don't worry
about the length. Remember the old true saying, "The more you tell, the
more you sell."


39. Always include your name, address, telephone number and product price
on brochures or fliers contained within your mail package. If the brochure
is passed along or becomes separated from the sales letter the recipient can
still order.

 

Great post. Another incredible resource if you liked this is thegaryhalbertletter dot com and all that. Gary passed away recently but was the Godfathe of copywriting.

 

Thats a gooder mate gj.

 

Great list. Thanks for sharing.

 

thanks man, I think the "use 7 in prices" might help me the most and the "don't use I".

 

This is some really good information! I'll be taking this to heart.

 

hmmm....how many people actually send out sales letters? Actual printed letters, these days?

 

There's quite a few people i nthe UK sending them out still, although they do now seem to be moving towards a one page mailing directing people to a website which then has the sales letter.

Doing it this way must save a huge amount of cash on printing and postage costs!