What is your formula for writing effective advertising messages? If you’re like most people, you’ll say, “AIDA,” an acronym for Attention, Interest, Desire, Action. It’s a classic, perhaps the most quoted formula in advertising and marketing.

However, just as a skilled craftsman expands his or her creative abilities by collecting and mastering a variety of tools, a savvy marketer can expand his or her creative abilities by collecting and mastering a variety of formulas. Here are some less famous but highly inspirational formulas to add to your collection:

• ACCA. Awareness, Comprehension, Conviction, Action. This is similar to AIDA, but “Comprehension” stresses the importance of clarity, which is vital for any persuasive message. And “Conviction” is much stronger than “Desire.” It suggests certainty.

• Attention-Interest-Description-Persuasion-Proof-Close. This is another AIDA variation by Robert Collier. Intended for sales letters, it outlines what he thought was the correct sales sequence.

• AAPPA. The eminent Victor O. Schwab suggested this commonsense, clear formula. Get Attention. Show people an Advantage. Prove it. Persuade people to grasp this advantage. Ask for action.

• AIU. This is my own formula for envelopes. It stands for Attention, Interest, Urgency. Something about an envelope must get your attention, whether it’s teaser copy, graphics, or just blank paper. This should lead to an interest in the contents and an urgency to open the envelope immediately.

• PPPP. This is a formula by Henry Hoke, Sr. It stands for Picture, Promise, Prove, Push. In many ways, it’s easier to implement than AIDA because it shows you four basic tasks you must perform to make a sale. Picture: Get attention early and create a desire. Promise: Make a meaningful promise and describe what the item will do. Prove: Demonstrate the value and support your promise with testimonials. Push: Ask for the order.

• Star-Chain-Hook. This is Frank Dignan’s charming and surprisingly fresh way to approach an advertising message. Hitch your wagon to a Star with an attention-getting opening that is positive and upbeat. Create a Chain of convincing facts, benefits, and reasons to transform attention into interest and interest into desire. Then, Hook them with a powerful call to action, making it easy to respond.

• ABC Checklist. William Steinhardt’s formula is more detailed than most and very practical: Attain attention, Bang out benefits, Create verbal pictures, Describe success incidents, Endorse with testimonials, Feature special details, Gild with values, Honor claims with guarantees, Inject action in reader, Jell with postscript.

• The String of Pearls. This is a particular method of writing copy. The idea is that you assemble details and string them together in a long line, one after another. Each “pearl” is complete in some way, but when you string all the pearls together, their persuasive power becomes overwhelming.

• The Cluster of Diamonds. Similar to the String of Pearls, this formula suggests assembling a group of details under an umbrella concept. For example, an ad might have the headline “7 Reasons Why You’ll Save Money With XYZ.” The copy would then list these seven reasons. Each detail is a “diamond” in a particular setting.

• The Fan Dancer. The analogy here is perfect, though a bit racy. The idea is to tantalize with specific details that do not actually convey information. For example, let’s say you’re selling a book on reducing taxes. Part of your copy might read: “The one secret way to pay zero taxes and get away with it (page 32). How the IRS uses your mailing label against you (page 122). Three clever ways to turn a vacation into a business tax deduction even if you don’t own a business (page 158).” As with the forgotten art of fan dancing, you reveal little and leave your audience wanting more.

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About the author:

Dean Rieck is a direct mail copywriter, designer, and consultant who has helped over 200 leading direct marketing companies increase sales, generate leads, and raise funds with winning direct mail, ads, e-mail, sales letters, brochures, postcards, radio spots, and more. Learn more about Dean’s direct mail copywriting and design services and sign up for his free monthly newsletter at www.directcreative.com.

Copyright © Dean Rieck. You may reprint this article online provided that you keep the links live and keep all the content “as is,” including title, author byline, article text, and “about the author” information.

DRTV or direct response television advertising is a rough and tumble business. Few products have enough mass appeal to work. Conservative estimates reveal that only one in 20 products tested actually turns a profit. And those that are successful have their market share eroded almost immediately by knockoff artists.

It’s enough to turn your hair gray and make your teeth chatter. But even though no one has a sure-fire formula for success, there are tactics that insiders use to improve their odds for success. Here are a few of them:

• Offer a unique product. Retail is still king because it’s faster, easier, and cheaper for most people to buy at a local store. So if you want people to buy from you on TV, you must offer them something special. The Hairagami lets women fold their own hair into complex styles. The TapLight lets you instantly add a little light fixture anywhere. Louie The Loud Mouth Bass looks like a plaque but starts moving and singing when it senses you’re near. The more unique your product, the better. Just remember you need at least a four-to-one markup (preferably six-to-one) to make money because of the high cost of media.
• Make a direct pitch. Ron Popeil got his start selling food choppers, shoeshine spray, and plastic plant kits on the street, in stores, and on the fair circuit. He was a pitchman. And DRTV grew out of this direct selling approach. If there’s any real secret to success, this is it.
• Solve a problem. This is the classic DRTV formula. Can’t reach that bolt? The Squeeze Wrench promises to work in tight places where pliers, ratchets, and wrenches won’t fit. Not all TV products solve a problem per se but offer something unique for a better price, such as a USA Quarters Map for only five dollars as opposed to twenty dollars or more for others.
• Push your USP. Your unique selling proposition positions your product and sets it apart from all others. The IGIA Laser White is the “world’s first and only laser toothbrush.” Always show how your product is the best, the easiest, the most, the first, or the only.
• Dramatize benefits and results. The infomercial for the Ronco Showtime Rotisserie spends little time on the product itself, demonstrating instead all the mouth-watering food you can make. George Foreman doesn’t just tell you that his grill drains off fat; he cooks up some burgers and shows you the fat dripping into a dish. People believe what they see. So show what your product can do for them.
• Make a powerful promise. This should be your primary benefit or claim stated clearly and directly. The Steam Bullet promises to “clean and disinfect your entire home with just the power of steam.” Mega Lip promises to boost your own natural collagens and plump up your lips “within 29 days.” Just be careful about over promising. You don’t want to disappoint customers or invite complaints and lawsuits.
• Establish high perceived value. Your price should already be attractive. But you can make it even more so with a technique called “perceptual contrast.” A commercial for the Euro Sealer points out first that “an electric sealer costs over $200.” Then it offers you the Euro Sealer for just $19.95. Contrasting the higher price with the lower price makes the lower price seem more attractive.
• Add value with extras. The Popeil Pasta and Sausage Maker seems like a good deal at $99.95. But when you see that it comes with a recipe and instruction booklet, instructional video kit, 12 pasta shaping dies, pasta measuring cup, automatic pasta cutter, Italian sausage horn, 12 feet of Italian size casings, and Italian spice seasoning, the deal seems irresistible.
• Use real testimonials. You’ll be tempted to script them or hire actors. But you should resist this temptation. Real words from real people always look and sound more believable.
• Make a strong guarantee. A 30-day money back guarantee is standard, but don’t be afraid to strengthen it. One simple way to do this is to incorporate your promise. The Ab-Doer guarantees “you’ll lose at least two inches from your waist in just the first ten days or your money back.”
• Be realistic. Most DRTV programs have a life span of about eight months, so you have to plan for obsolescence. And don’t ignore retail, upsells, offer inserts, and back-end list exploitation. Money is green no matter what marketing channel you use.

About the author:

Dean Rieck is a direct mail copywriter, designer, and consultant who has helped over 200 leading direct marketing companies increase sales, generate leads, and raise funds with winning direct mail, ads, e-mail, sales letters, brochures, postcards, radio spots, and more. Learn more about Dean’s direct mail copywriting and design services and sign up for his free monthly newsletter at www.directcreative.com.

Copyright © Dean Rieck. You may reprint this article online provided that you keep the links live and keep all the content “as is,” including title, author byline, article text, and “about the author” information.

The envelope is the Rodney Dangerfield of direct mail. It just doesn’t get any respect.

After all, the purpose of a direct mail envelope is not to position your product. Its job is not to entertain or amuse. It’s not chatty like a letter or impressive like a brochure. Aside from holding together the contents until delivered, an envelope’s job is to get ripped open.

Ironically, the lowly envelope is arguably the single most important part of any direct mail package because it absolutely must get opened. And opened right now! Otherwise, all the more respectable pieces inside are just so much wasted paper.

So here are a few ideas to get your envelopes ripped to shreds:

• Follow headline rules to write teaser copy. You can generate interest with a provocative statement, provoke curiosity with a question or incomplete sentence, or state a problem on the envelope and suggest that the solution is inside. Teaser copy acts like a headline to draw people in.
• Use teaser copy to select your audience. It should be clear at a glance that your message is addressed specifically to your reader. Use key words that relate to your ideal prospect’s interests or identity, such as “Exclusive offer for golfers inside” or “For Serious Investors Only.”
• Refer to the contents of the envelope. Tell your reader there’s something free, valuable, new, or exclusive inside. If you’ve actually enclosed something, such as a sample, booklet, checklist, discount coupon, how-to guide, or newsletter, say so.
• Use directive language. You can prompt your reader to open the envelope with simple copy such as “INSIDE,” “See inside,” or “Open immediately.” Combine this with a benefit to jumpstart your sales message. “FREE Recipes! Look inside …” or “How to pay $0 in taxes! See inside for details ….”
• Fully develop your envelope real estate. If you have a flashy, desirable product, you can crank up the excitement by using every square inch of your envelope, front and back. Show the product. Bullet point benefits. Starburst your special price. Hint at a special gift for immediate orders. This works best for consumer offers that are proven sellers needing little explanation, such as books, software upgrades, fact-packed newsletters, etc. But it can work with virtually anything.
• Use illustrations or photos. If you’re spilling your guts on the envelope, you might as well go all the way and show your product, premium, or gift. Simple pictures communicate instantly. A photo of a book with the word “FREE” next to it is better than lines and lines of clever copy.
• Consider involvement devices. Stickers, tokens, stamps, coins, scratch-offs, lift-up tabs, attached notes, seals, and other widgets can be used to good effect if you have the budget, if they can boost response enough to justify the added cost, and if they fit the feel of your message.
• Put your deadline on the outside. Inertia is your enemy. Action is your friend. Deadlines induce action. Therefore, if you’re sure about your mailing date, a deadline can prevent people from setting aside your envelope for later. If you’re using a window envelope and personalized letter, you can cut costs by printing the date on the letter so that it shows through the window.
• If you’re mailing to a business, try a low-key approach. Most business-to-business mail is intercepted by a secretary, assistant, or mailroom. If it looks too much like advertising, it may get trashed. So you often stand a better chance of reaching your prospect if your envelope looks personal, important, and businesslike. Less can also be more for offers that may meet some resistance at first glance and require more selling, which is best done in a letter.
• If you use a blank envelope, make it completely blank. Not a single word of teaser copy. No graphics. Perhaps not even your logo. Just a return address and your delivery address. You might include the letter signer’s name along with the return address, particularly if that person is well-known. This makes your envelope look personal and is almost certain to get opened.
• Be careful with official-looking envelopes. Faux express envelopes, government notices, invoices, and other formats can be used to great effect. However, be clear about your intentions. If it’s just part of the theme of your message, and people are clear about who you are and what you want, that’s fine. If you’re trying to trick people or pose as something you’re not, that’s unethical. If you have to deceive people to get response, there’s something wrong with your product or service.

About the author:

Dean Rieck is a direct mail copywriter, designer, and consultant who has helped over 200 leading direct marketing companies increase sales, generate leads, and raise funds with winning direct mail, ads, e-mail, sales letters, brochures, postcards, radio spots, and more. Learn more about Dean’s direct mail copywriting and design services and sign up for his free monthly newsletter at www.directcreative.com.

Copyright © Dean Rieck. You may reprint this article online provided that you keep the links live and keep all the content “as is,” including title, author byline, article text, and “about the author” information.

One of the central strengths of direct marketing is your ability to test, calculate the results, and make adjustments to boost profits and lower costs. And no matter how creative your company or ads might be, you must approach the testing process with logic and discipline.

Here are a few tips for getting the full value out of your tests in any medium, including direct mail, print, and broadcast:

• Make knowledge your #1 goal. Yes, you want to boost response and increase net income now. However, building a body of knowledge about what people want and what they respond to is ultimately more important. Testing is about gaining knowledge. Profits come from the application of that knowledge. But don’t just look for “what” works. Try to figure out “why” things work. This allows you to apply your knowledge intelligently.
• Don’t rely too heavily on what others are doing. You must always run your own tests because every company, market, product, and offer is in some way unique. Learn from others, but consider it a starting point, anecdotal information at best. Most people don’t test as carefully as they should, so just because you frequently see a particular direct mail piece, ad, or broadcast spot doesn’t mean you can count on it being a winner.
• Establish a solid control first. This allows you to confidently test lists, media, offers, prices, product configurations, and other big issues. Then you move on to control testing to boost results. Usually this means you should stick to the basics at first and try more creative ideas only after you have some solid response data and a record of success.
• Run statistically valid tests. A change in results and a statistically valid change in results are two different things. If you don’t know the mathematics of testing, hire someone who does. When you do get a statistically valid difference (positive or negative), retest to confirm your results.
• Have a goal for every test. What do you want to learn? Write down the questions you would like answered and run a test for each. Ideally, every test should answer one specific question.
• Test one element at a time. Testing more than one element will make it impossible for you to know what makes a difference in results. If you’re testing price, change only the price in your ad. Don’t change anything else. If you constantly test elements to refine a control, you are taking what I call the “Evolutionary Approach,” slowly and methodically growing a stronger and stronger control over time.
• Test an all-new approach. This is good if you don’t have the patience to test single elements or you want to try for a big boost in response all at once. The more different your approach, the better. Reworking the same approach may change results but won’t give you the breakthrough you’re looking for. This is what I call the “Revolutionary Approach,” going for the big win all at once.
• Track results meticulously. Keep detailed reports on the number of pieces mailed, number of responses you get, response source, conversion percentage, income those responses generate, average order, percentage response, income per thousand, cost per order or cost per response, net dollar return, returns, bad debt, and every other fact that you need to calculate specifically how your ad performs. Over time, this will be a gold mine of information.
• Use your tests to determine strategy. Mathematical results are the best way to end debates on issues such as creative approaches, formats, and offers. (If you’re afraid of results that don’t match your ideas, then you should look for another line of work.) Never assume. Always test. No one knows better what will work than your own prospects and customers.
• Keep using your control until you beat it. Never, ever shelve a control just because you’re tired of it. If it’s making money, keep using it. Your control isn’t there to entertain you or win you awards. It’s there to generate income. Until you have the figures in black and white that conclusively demonstrate you have a new control, keep that old one going.
• Keep testing. Testing is a long-term commitment. It’s not something you do once and forget. It’s not something you do only when you have a little extra in your budget. Testing should be part of your routine, everyday business. You want to follow what I call the Testing Loop: 1. Run a test. 2. Analyze the results. 3. Act based on the results. 4. Repeat.

About the author:

Dean Rieck is a direct mail copywriter, designer, and consultant who has helped over 200 leading direct marketing companies increase sales, generate leads, and raise funds with winning direct mail, ads, e-mail, sales letters, brochures, postcards, radio spots, and more. Learn more about Dean’s direct mail copywriting and design services and sign up for his free monthly newsletter at www.directcreative.com.

Copyright © Dean Rieck. You may reprint this article online provided that you keep the links live and keep all the content “as is,” including title, author byline, article text, and “about the author” information.

A direct mail brochure should not be an illustrated version of your letter. Your letter is a sales pitch, meant to be read in sequence from beginning to end. It should make a personal, emotional connection. And it should make a promise and ask for the order.

Your brochure, on the other hand, is factual support for the letter and meant to be scanned or read in any order. It is less personal. It should illustrate features, list benefits, provide proofs, make comparisons, and outline technical details that lend credibility to what your letter claims.

As the saying goes, “The letter sells. The brochure tells.” So here’s some advice on creating a brochure that tells all:

• Make a visual impact. If your letter has done its job, your prospect should be saying, “Sounds good. Show me.” Illustrate the use of your product, its benefits, and results. Show how your promise will be fulfilled. Use photos, illustrations, diagrams, charts, tables, and other visual aids.
• Make the brochure readable. Use design to draw the reader into the copy, not to call attention to itself. Use a readable typeface. Avoid large blocks of italic or reversed type. Divide your copy into short sections. Highlight important items with borders, boxes, and color. Use bullet lists for miscellaneous or technical information.
• Use headlines to tell a complete story. Avoid empty statements, such as “Why customers love Yahoo Widgets.” Use specific and complete sentences, such as “You’ll love Yahoo Widgets because they last longer and cost less.” Some people will only scan the headers, so make sure they get the gist of your message at a glance.
• Start strong on the cover. A brochure isn’t a stage show where you have to wait for the curtain to open before the drama begins. Right on the front cover, put a big benefit in your main headline. Use secondary headlines for secondary benefits. Then use copy and graphics to lead your reader through the rest of the brochure.
• Develop your big benefit immediately. Use your first few sentences to summarize what the rest of the brochure will detail. This will help careful readers understand what is to follow. And it will help scanners by putting most of the important ideas up front.
• Highlight the benefits and list the features. Benefits are what sell. And every important benefit should be highlighted, perhaps with subheads and detailed copy. But don’t forget the features. Some people make final decisions based on what features are or are not included, so don’t leave anything out.
• Restate the offer clearly. Have you presented a persuasive pitch for the offer in your letter? Good. But since the brochure’s purpose is to support the letter, you must restate the offer. Illustrate it. Detail it. Dramatize it. Include premiums, deadlines, a toll-free number, and ordering instructions.
• Feature a strong guarantee. A guarantee reduces the fear of getting stuck with a lemon and increases confidence in your company. It’s one of the few techniques that almost universally boosts response.
• Group your testimonials. Testimonials support your claims. But they also engage the “bandwagon” effect: lots of people use your product or service, so it must be desirable. Sprinkling testimonials throughout your brochure diminishes this effect.
• Use the most effective selling format. If you want to make a big impression, use a broadside. If you have a long story to tell, use a booklet. If your offer is simple, use a flier. Select the format based on what is needed for a particular promotion, not on arbitrary design specs.
• Include all vital data. In addition to benefits, features, the offer, and everything else already mentioned, don’t forget your company name, address, phone and fax numbers, e-mail and Web site addresses, contacts, location maps, etc.
• Test your package with no brochure. An envelope implicitly says, “There’s a letter inside.” So you must have a letter. However, you don’t necessarily need a brochure. In fact, some promotions often do just as well (or better) without one, including lead generation and simple offers for well-known brands or easy-to-understand items, such as newsletters, magazines, or informational products.

About the author:

Dean Rieck is a direct mail copywriter, designer, and consultant who has helped over 200 leading direct marketing companies increase sales, generate leads, and raise funds with winning direct mail, ads, e-mail, sales letters, brochures, postcards, radio spots, and more. Learn more about Dean’s direct mail copywriting and design services and sign up for his free monthly newsletter at www.directcreative.com.

Copyright © Dean Rieck. You may reprint this article online provided that you keep the links live and keep all the content “as is,” including title, author byline, article text, and “about the author” information.

The direct mail order form has often been called “the moment of truth.” That’s because no matter how persuasive you have been in your letter, brochure, lift note, and other pieces, it is your order form where your prospect actually says “yes” or “no” to your offer.

So if you have a couple minutes, here are some quick and easy ideas to make your order form work harder:

• Make sure it gets noticed. First, make it a separate piece whenever possible. Second, use visual cues that indicate it’s the order piece, such as a different color, eye-catching graphic, certificate border, or headline. You can coordinate your order form with other pieces, but if it looks too similar, it could get lost. Everything should lead the eye to the order form.

• Make it easy to fill out and mail. By the time your prospect gets to the order form, a decision has been made. And if the decision is “yes,” you don’t want any barriers preventing response. So keep your order form as simple as possible, one-sided, and with as few fill-ins as you can get away with while still being complete. A well-designed order form is visually intuitive, making it obvious at a glance how it should be filled out.

• Include a statement of acceptance. You can just summarize the offer, but a complete statement of acceptance is better. It may include an affirmation, benefit statement, request for the item, summary of the offer, sweeteners, and guarantee. For example: “Yes! I want to cut my taxes in half. Please send my copy of How to Instantly Cut Your Income Tax for just $29.95. And if I respond by January 12, I’ll also get the TaxSlash computer program FREE (a $39.00 value). I understand that if I’m not completely satisfied, I can return the book for a full refund, but I’ll keep the computer program as my gift.”

• Highlight your toll-free number. That way, people who prefer calling can do so immediately. This may also increase your credit card orders. Include the hours during which you take calls and what time zone you’re referring to. If phone orders are faster (faster ordering or faster shipment), say so.

• Highlight your guarantee. Even if it’s already in your statement of acceptance, you want to put to rest any doubts. So feature it prominently. Use a seal or certificate border to make it stand out.

• Include complete information. In addition to the offer and toll-free number, give the company name and logo, mailing address, total price, applicable sales tax, shipping and handling charges, premiums, offer expiration date, minimum orders, delivery time, the payment methods you accept, Canadian and international extra charges, exactly how the order should be placed, etc. Your order form should be simple, but it must leave no detail to chance.

• Offer fax response for businesses. Make sure your order form gives your fax number, easily goes through a fax machine, and prints legibly on your end. Some statistics show that half or more of all business orders arrive via fax, so this could be a big response booster.

• Rename your order form. Sometimes “Order Form” is fine, but consider words that are significant to your prospect, add value to the offer, or reduce the feeling of commitment: Trial Subscription Certificate, Free Trial Copy, Savings Coupon, Sample Offer, Request for Free Information, Free Examination Offer, Enrollment Application, Order Coupons, Privilege Invitations, Bonus Vouchers, etc.

• Leave room to write. Those fill-in lines are where designers often look to steal a few extra points of real estate. However, if your prospect doesn’t have enough writing space, you get no order.

• Add the words “Please Print.” This helps you avoid scrambled addresses, misspelled names, and wrong orders. Place these words by the fill-in lines in plain view. Better still: “Please Print in Ink.”

• Make it look valuable. You can do this with certificate borders, gold seals, serial numbers, safety paper, special backgrounds or watermarks, rubber stamps, eagles, receipt stubs, etc. People don’t like to throw away valuable items. Caveat: Sometimes increasing perceived value also increases the feeling of commitment. To reduce this feeling, use a simpler look.

• Create a sense of urgency. Use directive language: “Call now,” “Order today,” or “Complete and mail this trial certificate today.” Remind your prospect of your deadline: use specifics such as “Offer ends March 15″ or generics such as “Offer good while supplies last” or “Hurry! This is a limited-time offer.”

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About the author:

Dean Rieck is a direct mail copywriter, designer, and consultant who has helped over 200 leading direct marketing companies increase sales, generate leads, and raise funds with winning direct mail, ads, e-mail, sales letters, brochures, postcards, radio spots, and more. Learn more about Dean’s direct mail copywriting and design services and sign up for his free monthly newsletter at www.directcreative.com.

Copyright © Dean Rieck. You may reprint this article online provided that you keep the links live and keep all the content “as is,” including title, author byline, article text, and “about the author” information.

Customer testimonials can give your direct mail and ads a lift in response. That’s because people expect you to say wonderful things about your own product, service, or cause. But when they hear other people saying wonderful things, they really start believing you.

Another benefit of testimonials is that they engage the “bandwagon” effect. All of us look to others to help us decide how to act, to guide our behavior, and to determine whether something is right or wrong. The more people doing it, the more correct it seems.

So here are some tips on getting the most from testimonials:

• Actively collect testimonials. Your business should have a file of testimonials and success stories ready to go for any promotion. Don’t wait till you need them. Create an ongoing system for collecting testimonials. And get written permission to use them forever without any limitations or conditions.

• Use testimonials from people similar and relevant to prospects. The people you quote in a given promotion should be as much like your ideal prospect as possible. This increases identification and the feeling of relevance. A teacher will believe other teachers. A business owner will believe other business owners. A senior will believe other seniors. Testimonials are also more effective when they are from experts, those with relevant experience, or people on the same level or in the same situation.

• Use real testimonials. Don’t try to rewrite or fabricate testimonials. No matter how poorly worded, the real words of real people are always more believable than anything a writer can come up with. Besides, making them up isn’t ethical. If you have trouble getting favorable quotes, there’s something wrong with what you’re selling.

• Edit testimonials carefully. If you must edit, do so carefully and honestly. Don’t change the meaning. Don’t enhance. Don’t present words and phrases out of context.

• Prefer many short quotes over a few long quotes. Lots of testimonials show that lots of people buy your product, use your service, or support your cause. The more people who praise you, the more credible you appear. However, don’t allow all your testimonials to degenerate into meaningless blurbs like those used to promote Hollywood movies: “Incredible,” “Amazing,” “Fantastic.”

• Don’t be afraid of long testimonials. Sometimes you get a gem that says it all. It may be a story, an emotional revelation, an authoritative remark from an expert, or just a simple comment that hits the nail on the head. Use it as is or turn it into a success story or case study.

• Group testimonials. When possible, print testimonials as a separate insert in a direct mail package. In a print ad or brochure, group testimonials. If you use a headline to introduce the testimonials, don’t use an empty statement, such as “What people are saying about XYZ Company.” State a benefit or say something meaningful, such as “Over 88,000 smart people like you trust XYZ for long-lasting thingamabobs.”

• Use full names, titles, locations, and photographs. Testimonials are a form of proof, so whenever you have a chance to increase the credibility of that proof, do it. Full names are more believable than initials. An appropriate title is an indication of a person’s experience or expertise. A city and state help prove the person is real, as does a photograph. A photo also helps people identify with the person quoted.

• Choose relevant and persuasive testimonials. Don’t use testimonials to entertain or fill space. Use them to help prove your promise and lead your prospect to a decision. They should convey enthusiasm and hit benefits and hot buttons.

• Turn a particularly good testimonial into a lift letter. It could be a letter written especially for your mailing or a reprint of an outstanding comment.

• Use a testimonial as a headline or benefit statement. Copy placed in quotes always increases readership and credibility. But when the copy is an actual testimonial, it’s doubly effective.

• Feature testimonials by converts. Comments from someone who has been converted from another product or service are always more believable and powerful than comments from customers who may not have shopped around.

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About the author:

Dean Rieck is a direct mail copywriter, designer, and consultant who has helped over 200 leading direct marketing companies increase sales, generate leads, and raise funds with winning direct mail, ads, e-mail, sales letters, brochures, postcards, radio spots, and more. Learn more about Dean’s direct mail copywriting and design services and sign up for his free monthly newsletter at www.directcreative.com.

Copyright © Dean Rieck. You may reprint this article online provided that you keep the links live and keep all the content “as is,” including title, author byline, article text, and “about the author” information.

Every sales letter needs a P.S. - don’t even think about completing your letter until you’ve
created one.

The P.S. can make or break your letter.

According to DM legend Ted Nicholas, the 7 most used P.S. types in successful sales letters
are those which:

1. Motivate the prospect to take action now

==> Ex. “P.S. We will not repeat this offer in 2004. please act now. This offer expires on
12/31/03.”

2. Reinforce the offer

==> Ex. “P.S. Apply today, and enjoy all the benefits of membership. Those listed here are just a
handful of what’s available…”

3. Emphasize or introduce a premium or bonus

==> Ex. “P.S. We’ve ordered enough FREE CREELS - we think - to meet the anticipated
response. But they are likely to go fast, so why risk waiting months while we re-order? Since your
creel will be shipped as soon as you pay for your subscription, why not get it immediately by
enclosing payment now?”

4. Introduce a surprise benefit

==> Ex. “P.S. Please note that your Gift Card has your name on it - and may not be used
by anyone else.”

5. Emphasize price or terms of your offer

==> Ex. “P.S. Put our statements to the proof by subscribing for the next 12 weeks for just $12.
This is the shortest subscription term we offer - and is a perfect way to get acquainted with
The Gazette.”

6. Emphasize tax deductibility of purchase

==> Ex. “P.S. It’s important to note that The Gazette’s subscription price may be tax deductible.”

7. Emphasize guarantee

==> Ex. “P.S. Should The Gazette not measure up to your expectations, you may cancel this
trial arrangement at any point and receive a refund for the undelivered portion of your subscription.”

© 2004 By Craig Valine

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Craig Valine is a Marketing Performance Coach Who Helps Independent
Consultants, Coaches, and Service Professionals Get More Clients, Make More Money, and
Have More Fun In Their Business. To subscribe to his “Marketing YOUniquely” eNewsletter,
Go To http://www.craigvaline.com/subscribe.html

I used to publish a postcard newsletter called “Marketing Morsels: Direct Marketing Tidbits Full of
Wholesome Goodness.” It was a tiny tool I used to build and maintain relationships with my clients.

The other day, I was digging through my tons-o- marketing stuff and came across one of my
old tiny, but useful marketing tools. Here are some “Marketing Morsels” that I think will be useful
to you:

==> A loyal customer is nine times as profitable as a disloyal customer.

==> The best way to keep tabs on your competitors is to become their customer and see how
they treat you.

==> In direct response, the offer is everything. Craft an extremely potent offer before writing your
ad or sales letter. Make it an offer they can’t possibly refuse. Don’t complicate your offer; keep it
simple.

==> Mail your customers free “gift certificates” in the form of a postcard.

==> Remember, people do not buy your product or service; they buy the benefits of having
your product or service.

==> In direct marketing, there are two rules and two rules only; Rule #1: Test everything!
Rule #2: See Rule #1.

==> Call your clients and ask them why they do business with you. You’ll discover a few common
reasons. Use this information in your headlines and in all your advertising.

==> Repeat your offer and your guarantee on your order form.

==> Whenever possible, give your customers an additional unexpected bonus or gift as a token of
appreciation for their business.

==> There are only three ways to grow any business: (1) increase the number of clients you do
business with; (2) increase the average units per sale; and (3) increase the number of times you do
business with your customers.

==> Force yourself to operate under deadlines.

==> Testimonials add credibility. Use them as much as possible.

Source: Marketing Morsels, November 1999

© 2001-06 By Craig Valine

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Craig Valine is a Marketing Performance Coach Who Helps Independent
Consultants, Coaches, and Service Professionals Get More Clients, Make More Money, and
Have More Fun In Their Business. To subscribe to his “Marketing YOUniquely” eNewsletter,
Go To http://www.craigvaline.com/subscribe.html

It is entirely natural for people to discount the credibility and sincerity of an advertising message.

After all, copywriters are “professional enthusiasts”, aren’t we? We’re cheerleaders for our cause.
We have to believe in what we’re offering. But, unless we provide some credibility to our offer,
everyone loses.

Here, however, are a few ways to add credibility to your ads and sales letters:

Use statements that also “ring” true. Sometimes actual truth may be so startling, it may seem
unbelievable. It has been said that “We have faith in a promised benefit only as long as there is
nothing in our experience to dispute or contradict it.”

In a world where everyone says their product “is the best”, understatement can carry more
conviction than palpable overstatement. Credibility for all the claims made is increased when
relatively minor faults are admitted. Dan Kennedy calls this “Damaging Admission.” If you admit
your flaws, it makes you more human, thus credibility is established.

To make your facts more believable, make them specific. Example: “Ivory Soap is not 100% pure,
but 99 and 44/100 percent pure.” Understand?

To use actual photographs of someone using your product or service, rather than drawings,
increases credibility.

Explain the reasons why. The more you educate your prospects or customers on why the
promise can be performed, the more credibility you build. If you tell them “the reason we are
able to offer this product at such an incredibly low cost to you is because, quite frankly, we
need to clean out our inventory quickly and make room for next year’s new models.”

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Craig Valine is a Marketing Performance Coach Who Helps Independent
Consultants, Coaches, and Service Professionals Get More Clients, Make More Money, and
Have More Fun In Thier Business. To subscribe to his “Marketing YOUniquely” eNewsletter,
Go To http://www.craigvaline.com/subscribe.html