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Put another way, a customer file is the main asset of any direct marketing business. It is imperative to treat customers with love and dead honesty.
John Walter’s Distress
Following the passing of John Walter, executive editor of The Atlanta-Journal Constitution and founding editor of USA Today, his widow came across an essay on his computer, which was printed in Poynter Online. According to the essay, Walter had canceled his subscription to the St. Petersburg (Fla.) Times, because:
I discovered that I foolishly had been paying full price for a home-delivered subscription and didn’t know that if you started a new subscription, you actually got 50 percent off for 12 weeks. So, we canceled our subscription and then started it up again, and had 12 good weeks at 50 percent off.
Then I called to cancel my subscription at the end of the 12 weeks, and they said they really didn’t want to lose me as a customer, so I could have another 12 weeks at 75 percent off, and I realized what a fool I had been to take the paper for 50 percent off.
I learned the craft of circulation copywriting under the mentorship of my client, consultant Paul Goldberg, whose credo was, “In a renewal series, always start with your very best offer.”
Goldberg’s reasoning: If the subscriber fails to renew with the first effort and receives a better offer on the second effort—say a fatter discount or a juicy premium—he’ll wait to see if an even better offer comes in the third, fourth, fifth and sixth efforts. Subscribers are not stupid; they remember these things.
One technique Goldberg likes is for the copywriter to say in the first renewal effort that this is the very best deal that will be offered. Renewals two through six may have different copy, but not a better offer. In his experience, wily subscribers save the first renewal effort and, once they see that future efforts are not as good, will dig out that first one and respond to it.
Dick Benson’s Secrets
One of the most revered circulation consultants in my time was the late Dick Benson, who had strong opinions about many things. “My views on renewal are mine alone,” Benson wrote. “I know of no one who agrees with them.” Benson:
- I don’t believe copy and format of renewal efforts have any effect, assuming that the renewal series is adequate to start.
- I believe the product or, if you will, the editor is responsible
for renewals. - I do believe timing counts.
- The number of efforts is important.
- Offers—i.e., premium and price—are important.
- If you can turn your subscription offer into a membership offer, you can bill for dues rather than ask for a renewal. In my experience membership renewal is regularly 10 points above subscription levels.
John Klingel’s Secret
Another great circulation consultant is John Klingel, whose guidance is invaluable:
The renewal effort must reflect how the person came in: a sweepstakes renewal to sweeps-sold subs; a premium offered to those who came in on a premium; a short-term renewal offer to short-term trial subscribers—and you can’t dramatically raise the price
on renewals.
Who Writes the Renewals?
I believe that the writer of the acquisition mailing should be hired to write all billing and renewal series as well as the holiday gift subscription efforts. The reason is this was the voice to which the subscribers responded in the first place and should be the voice of the publication to those subscribers.
“A basic tenet of selling,” wrote legendary copywriter Bill Jayme, “is that in the marketplace as in theater, there is indeed a factor at work called ‘the willing suspension of disbelief.’”
Denny Hatch is a freelance direct marketing consultant and copywriter, and author of the online newsletter and blog, Denny Hatch’s Business Common Sense. Visit him at www.businesscommonsense.com or www.dennyhatch.com, or contact him via e-mail at dennyhatch@yahoo.com.
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