PUBLICACIÓN DE TERCERA VEZ

Direct mail is one of the most effective methods of generating large quanti- ties of high-quality sales leads. Aside from public relations and postcard decks, few promotional methods can even come close to matching direct mail’s effectiveness for lead generation.

A good lead-generating direct-mail letter will generate response rates between 1 and 5 percent—and sometimes higher—when mailed cold to rented mailing lists or a directory of prospect names. This response rate produces quality leads with a genuine and serious interest in your product or service—or at least in the problem your product or service solves. It can be achieved using copy with a strong sales appeal and an attractive offer that is free and without obligation.

Can response rates be higher? Yes. Some lead-generating mailings have achieved response rates of 10 to 50 percent or more, although this is rare. Response rates are generally two to five times higher when mailing to exist- ing customers versus cold mailings to rented prospects lists.

Response rates can also increase when offering expensive free gifts or other ‘‘bribes’’ to prospects in return for their reply. The more costly and desirable the bribe, the more inquiries produced. But when prospects re- spond just for the bribe rather than a genuine interest in the product or service, conversion of leads to sales becomes poor. With lead generation, you must always balance quantity with quality of inquiries.

The most effective format for lead-generating direct mail seems to be a one- or two-page letter in an envelope with a business reply card and per- haps one insert, such as a brochure, flyer, or article reprint.

Self-mailers can also be effective. The most successful self-mailer format for lead generation is the tri-fold. This is made by taking a piece of paper

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EXHIBIT 1-1. SAMPLE SALES LETTER FOLLOWING THE AIDA FORMULA.

Dear Marketing Professional:

‘‘It’s hard to find a copywriter who can handle business-to-business, industrial, and high-tech accounts,’’ a prospect told me over the phone today, ‘‘especially for brochures, direct mail, Web sites, and other long-copy assignments.’’

Do you have that same problem?

If so, please complete and mail the enclosed reply card and I’ll send you a free information kit describing a service that can help.

As a freelance copywriter specializing in business-to-business marketing, I’ve written hundreds of successful ads, sales letters, direct mail packages, Web pages, e-mail marketing campaigns, brochures, data sheets, annual reports, feature articles, press releases, newsletters, and audiovisual scripts for clients all over the country.

But my information kit will give you the full story.

You’ll receive a comprehensive ‘‘WELCOME’’ letter that tells all about my

copywriting service—who I work for, what I can do for you, how we can work together. You’ll also get my client list (I’ve written copy for more than 100 corporations and agencies) . . . client testimonials . . . biographical background . . . samples of work I’ve done in your field . . . a fee schedule listing what I charge for ads, brochures, and other assignments . . . helpful article reprints on copywriting and marketing . . . even an order form you can use to put me to work for you.

Whether you have an immediate project, a future need, or are just curious, I urge you to send for this information kit. It’s free . . . there’s no obligation . . . and you’ll like having a proven copywriting resource on file—someone you can call on whenever you need him.

From experience, I’ve learned that the best time to evaluate a copywriter and take a look at his work is before you need him, not when a project deadline comes crashing around the corner. You want to feel comfortable about a writer and his capabilities in advance . . . so when a project does come up, you know who to call.

Why not mail back the reply card TODAY, while it is still handy? I’ll rush your free information kit as soon as I hear from you.

Regards,

Bob Bly

P.S. Need an immediate quote on a copywriting project? Call me at

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and folding it twice horizontally so you form three sections (the same way you fold a business letter for insertion into a No. 10 business envelope).

To write a persuasive sales letter, use the famous ‘‘AIDA’’ formula. AIDA stands for Attention, Interest, Desire, and Action—a sequence of psy- chological reactions that happen in the mind of the reader as he is sold on your idea. Briefly, here’s how it works. (See Exhibit 1-1.)

First, the letter gets the reader’s attention with a hard-hitting lead para- graph that goes straight to the point or offers an element of intrigue.

Then, the letter hooks the reader’s interest: The hook is often a clear statement of the reader’s problems, needs, or wants. For example, if you are writing to a customer who received damaged goods, acknowledge the prob- lem and then offer a solution.

Next, create desire. Your letter is an offer of something: a service, a product, goodwill, an agreement, a contract, a compromise, a consultation, a meeting, a demonstration, an assessment, an evaluation. Tell the reader how he or she will benefit from your offering. That creates a demand for your product.

Finally, call for action. Ask for the order, the signature, the appoint- ment, the donation, the assignment.

Of course, formulas have their limitations. And you can’t force fit every letter or memo into the AIDA framework. Short interoffice memos, for example, seldom require this degree of persuasiveness.

But when you’re faced with more sophisticated writing tasks—a memo to motivate the sales force, a mailer to bring in orders, a letter to collect bad debts—AIDA can help. Get attention. Hook the reader’s interest. Create a desire. Ask for action. And your letters will get better results.

Notes

1. Murray Raphel, Selling Rules (Atlantic City: Raphel Marketing, 2001), p. 5.

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