by Larry Brophy
Title: Powerful Direct Marketing Numbers Direct Marketing works! Why? It works because it's personal. It carries a It works because, no matter what you have heard, read or So, if Direct Response Marketing is so powerful, how can As with most disciplines, these powerful 'Direct Marketing 60 - 30 - 10 An offer will be 30% of your Direct Marketing success. What's an offer? It is a reason for your prospect to do The 10% remaining is creative. Not unimportant ... certainly Now, once you've clearly identified your marketplace and A few more 'Powerful Numbers'... Lucky 13 Television news, the morning newspaper and by far the Exceptions? Sure. The Wall Street Journal is written at a 11 Yes, I did say paragraph! Why? Because, by opening quickly you slip your reader into 14 The best way to write short: use a period. Yes, every so 1, 2, 3, 4 & 5 Why? Because they are easy to read - easy to understand. The 500 most common words in English have 13,000 meanings. 7 Again, why? Because a large block of copy looks tough, 1 5 This 'Number' is really physiology - not marketing. Our On the other side of the paragraph - the right side - use 1/2 Begin it at the bottom of the first page...end it at the The same tactic works in anything printed with columns.
Copyright 2004 by Larry Brophy
http://FindMoreBuyers.com
message, answers questions and gets orders. Direct Response
Marketing works because it is 'conversation in writing'.
believe ... most people look forward to personal
communication. They like being treated as a person - as an
individual.
we as marketers use it effectively? To keep the business we
have ... to find new business?
Numbers' are common sense. Here's a list of a few 'Numbers'
to make your Direct Response Marketing work for you:
A full 60% of your Direct Marketing success is making
certain your message gets to the person who can buy what
you have to sell. It's very easy for the wrong person to
say 'no'.
business with you. It's the urge to action. It's an
incentive to get your audience to raise their hand. To
indicate a willingness to talk with you. It's a reason to
respond.
less important. And although it is the fun part of
marketing - without a clearly identified audience and a
sound offer - your creative has little chance of giving you
a winner.
put together an offer of interest - how DO you get your
Direct Marketing message read, heard, seen, understood and
acted upon?
Write your message for a 13 year old reading level.
majority of our conversation is at a 13 year old reading
level.
17 year reading level.
Keep your opening paragraph to 11 words or less.
your full message. Make your letter, your brochure, the
print advertisement - everything you write - easy to read.
A quick beginning helps.
All your sentences should average 14 words or less.
often insert the 'dot'. It works. And it will help you get
read.
Use words of 5 letters or less. About 70% of all your
words should be 5 letter words, or less.
Your message will be quickly absorbed.
No wonder we have trouble with basic communication. One
answer is to go short. It pays with results.
Keep ALL paragraphs to a maximum of 7 lines. Never more
than 7...and sometimes just 1 or 2. i.e., short paragraphs.
even if it is not. The tactic of short makes your message
look more inviting.
A postscript (P.S.) is mandatory in every direct mail
letter. Because 4 of 5 of your readers will read the P.S.
first...before they read anything else in your letter.
Indent every paragraph 5 spaces.
eyes pull us 'in' when we see indents. They pull us to a
point - and while we're there, we read. It works. Indent
all paragraphs.
the ragged right design. Do not justify margins! Do not
proportionally space your sentences. Ragged right increases
readership.
Whenever you go to a second page in a letter - split the
last sentence in half.
top of the next page. Why? To pull-l-l-l the reader with
you. 'Make' them turn the page. Keep them reading.
Such as brochures, reply forms, print ads...anything. Split
the last sentence...the last paragraph in two. And move the
reader to the next column.
481 Odd numbers get more attention than even. Use 3 - 5 - 7 - One more thing on numbers; use the number - not the word. 30 Good for only 30 days...or better yet, 'This offer good There are many more 'Powerful Numbers' in Direct About the Author
Larry Brophy has helped thousands of businesses find more Read additional marketing articles by Larry Brophy at
Be specific. The number 481 is much more specific - and
much more believable! - than saying 'almost 500'.
9 and you are more likely to be noticed. A list of 11 is
better than a list of 10. 99 or 101 ideas is better than an
even 100.
As I have done in this article. The number 3 or 7 is easier
to see, read and understand than the word three or seven.
Offers with a date work to get more action - more
response. Try a Limited Time Offer.
only until August 31' gets action. Test making your offer a
Limited Time Offer. It can increase your response.
Marketing. This list will get you going to make your mail,
your print, your collateral materials - all your written
communication - just that much better. Good writing!
buyers for their products and services the past 20+ years.
He's the resident webmaster at: http://findmorebuyers.com,
your TOP source of targeted sales leads.
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