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Recently, direct marketer Alan Rosenspan presented “50 New Ways to Increase Response” at an Inside Direct Mail webinar [$79; http://www.targetmarketingmag.com/story/story.bsp?sid=94911&var=story ]. It was an update on his guide, “101 Ways to Increase Response,” which was published several years ago in Inside Direct Mail, has been requested by almost 15,000 direct marketing professionals and has been translated into at least five languages (still available for free at www.alanrosenspan.com).
Rosenspan and his teams have won more than 100 awards for creativity and results, including 20 DMA ECHO Awards. They have several controls currently circulating, including for Scotts LawnService, American Express and Kaiser Permanente.
In the webinar, Rosenspan discussed lessons learned lately about the crucial components of the mail piece, including the outer, letter, brochure and reply device. Here are three to whet your appetite.
1. The Outer Envelope
If it flops, so does everything else in the package. You must give recipients enough detail on the outer to get them interested, but not too much so they feel like they don’t need to open the package. And, of course, the outer must stand out from other mail.
2. The Letter
It’s, by far, the most important part of the package. According to research done by Ogilvy & Mather, it accounts for 65 percent to 75 percent of your response. Why? It’s the first thing that people actually read, so it must be used to connect with the reader, sometimes tell a story and definitely to persuade the reader to act.
3. The Reply Device
Rosenspan considers it the ultimate test of any package. It should stick out like a sore thumb and be the first thing a direct marketer personalizes. Don’t forget to include the main benefits of responding on the device.
Rosenspan and his teams have won more than 100 awards for creativity and results, including 20 DMA ECHO Awards. They have several controls currently circulating, including for Scotts LawnService, American Express and Kaiser Permanente.
In the webinar, Rosenspan discussed lessons learned lately about the crucial components of the mail piece, including the outer, letter, brochure and reply device. Here are three to whet your appetite.
1. The Outer Envelope
If it flops, so does everything else in the package. You must give recipients enough detail on the outer to get them interested, but not too much so they feel like they don’t need to open the package. And, of course, the outer must stand out from other mail.
2. The Letter
It’s, by far, the most important part of the package. According to research done by Ogilvy & Mather, it accounts for 65 percent to 75 percent of your response. Why? It’s the first thing that people actually read, so it must be used to connect with the reader, sometimes tell a story and definitely to persuade the reader to act.
3. The Reply Device
Rosenspan considers it the ultimate test of any package. It should stick out like a sore thumb and be the first thing a direct marketer personalizes. Don’t forget to include the main benefits of responding on the device.
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