Tips For Writing Effective Direct Mail Copy

Direct mail has been around since the 1800s. Back then it was one of few ways to market products outside of stores. Today we have radio, television and the Internet, but direct mail is still around and still used frequently.

Many marketers see direct mail as a waste of time and money. Advertising on television, radio, or online can get a message out to more people at a lower cost per person. But there is still value in direct mail. It is more personal than other advertising mediums and can include coupons, product samples and other incentives that other methods cannot.

Writing for direct mail has evolved somewhat over the years. Sales letters that were once many pages long have been pared down to one to three pages in most cases. Today’s busy consumer doesn’t have the time or inclination to sit down and read very often so direct mail must be attention getting and somewhat concise. Here are some pointers for writing effective direct mail pieces.

Make the letter as personal as possible. Take the time to address the consumer by name if at all possible. This may cost you a little more but it pays off by giving the reader the impression that you are talking to him. Writing as though you were writing to a friend is also a good rule of thumb. It makes any offer more inviting.

Don’t get too fancy. A sales letter should look like an actual letter. Tons of pictures and graphics printed on it make it look less like a letter and more like an advertisement. In most cases that is what you are trying to avoid.

Call attention to key points. Underlining, highlighting, making bulleted or numbered lists can do this. The problems that your product can solve and its benefits to the customer are some things that need special attention.

Turn features into benefits. How a product can benefit the reader is more convincing than a list of features. Focusing on the consumer instead of yourself and your company gives the reader the impression that you are looking out for his needs. This establishes trust and makes the reader more receptive to your message.

Don’t forget the P.S. Studies have shown that most direct mail readers do read the P.S. In fact it is often one of the first things they read. Use it to your advantage. Reiterate your main point or add an additional benefit.

Direct mail campaigns can be extremely effective if they are well written. Highlighting key points for easy reference and adding a P.S. at the end are some techniques that have been proven to work. The most important thing to remember when writing for direct mail is to cater to your customer’s needs.