I have a stack of papers, bills, and files on my kitchen counter that I’m going to “get to later.” No, wait, make that two piles — one for the more urgent “later” stuff and one for the later “later” stuff.

At my office it’s much the same, except that the piles seem to multiply and spill onto the floor. I can’t throw it away — some of it I really have to address, and some of it is just good stuff I want to get to. I’ll bet you have piles like this as well.

As a marketer, I can’t help but look at my piles and think, “Someone went to a great deal of trouble to get that thing/offer/information to me, yet here I am, not acting on it.” Why not? Is it me, is it the thing/offer/information, or is it something else entirely, some missing element that would have gotten me to act sooner, perhaps as soon as I received it?

This very subject came up with a client project I’m working on now — how can we avoid having our own direct response materials end up in the “get to later” pile? And so I thought it might be helpful to address it here.

How to avoid the “later” pile
It would be wonderful if our clients and customers were so eager to hear from us that whenever we contacted them in any way, they immediately responded by purchasing our products and services or taking the action we’d like — but that isn’t likely to happen! There are ways, however, to increase response rates with various customer touch points. Let’s talk here about direct response marketing, such as traditional direct mail, online marketing, or any vehicle used to solicit an immediate, direct response from customers.

1. Target your audience
This should go without saying, but it we all need to be reminded. The most effective direct response programs are those that focus narrowly on a select audience most likely to want, need, or be interested in what you have to offer.

2. Make an irresistible offer
Maybe your product or service alone is irresistible. If it is, let the audience know with great copy and photos/illustrations that will draw them in and get them excited. If you’ve got the right product for the right audience, sometimes all you have to do make the match, point out how it will benefit them, and tell them what they need to do to get it — don’t leave that to their imagination. Make your offer clear, make it irresistible, and make sure they know what you want them to do.

Sometimes you’ll need to sweeten the pot. Especially if you’re asking your audience to act, give feedback, or respond, you’ll want to give them something for their effort. This can be in the form of prize drawings or a gift to every respondent, just make sure it’s interesting or unique enough to really catch their attention. Remember, “irresistible offer” doesn’t mean “key chain” anymore.

3. Give them an ironclad deadline for responding
This is the clincher, and where your program runs the risk of ending up in the “get to later” pile. It won’t, if you give respondents an ironclad deadline, a short ironclad deadline. Don’t give in to the temptation to give them more time, thinking you’ll get more responses — that’s exactly what makes people put things off. You want people to respond right now, and the best way of doing this is by telling them they’ve only got “until midnight tomorrow,” or they’ll lose out.

You’ve already got the right audience, and you’ve made them an irresistible offer. If they don’t respond now, chances are they aren’t going to respond at all, so you’re not losing anyone. Be brave, give them an ironclad deadline, and make it as short as you can. You’ll get more response this way, not less.

4. Let them know how and when they’ll receive the offer
Okay, now you’ve got them ready to act, but you’ll lose them if you don’t tell them, right now, how and when they’ll get the offer. They need to know if it’s going to take six weeks for delivery, and they’ll probably be okay with it now when they’re excited about it. And it’s a sure thing they’re more likely to be okay with it now than if they don’t find out about it until later, and start calling customer service demanding to know where it is.

If the offer is available immediately, punch it up! It’s a bonus to be able to deliver on your promise right away, and it should result in increased response.

If you’re sweetening the pot with prizes or gifts, get these out as soon as possible, and let your customers know how and when they can claim them. Gifts and prizes lose their allure when there’s too much of a wait involved.

5. Extra tips for snail mail direct response
Here’s a bonus section for direct mail programs using traditional snail mail:

• real postage stamps on envelopes outpull postage meters or bulk mail permits for open rates
• special or commemorative stamps outpull regular postage stamps for open rates
• stamps on an angle outpull stamps put on straight for open rates
• multiple stamps adding up to total postage outpull single stamps for open rates
• printing sales or “teaser” copy on one or both sides of a business envelope works well for mailings to existing customers
• no sales or “teaser” copy on business envelopes works well for mailings to new customers
• 3D mailings or “puffy” envelopes outpull regular flat mailings for open rates

[tags]direct response, direct mail, increase response, target audience, irresistible offer, open rates[/tags]

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This entry was posted on Saturday, December 29th, 2007 at 11:04 am and is filed under Capturing Attention, Direct Response. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.