I’ve just bought a new coat (yes – this is still a direct marketing blog!) The thing is: I don’t need it. Not that this has ever stopped me before. Only this time, I didn’t even go looking for it. I didn’t even place myself in temptations way and yet, somehow, this coat found its own way to me. It literally turned up right there in my inbox. And, let’s be honest, after all the effort it’d made to get to me, it would have been rude to turn it away. So now I have a new coat and a severely dented bank balance. I also have a new found respect for the company who managed to sell it to me. It’s a prime example of how lucrative email marketing can be when it’s used to its full potential. Let’s start at the beginning…

A couple of months ago I subscribed to the e-newsletter of said clothing company (which I shall now refer to as company A). I provided them with my email address on the premise that they would inform me about all the latest news and offers. As promised, I have since received on average one email from them a week, sometimes two. Uncharacteristically, I have opened them all (this from a person who can barely muster up the energy to open emails from friends.) Even more out of character, I intend to keep on opening them – I look forward to it. So, what is it that company A is doing so right?

There’s a fine line between making your customers feel valued and pestering them. Most people’s inboxes are already overflowing and so it’s crucial that you make sure that the content of the email is of sufficient interest to the recipient that there is justification in sending it. Too much, or too little, contact can have a damaging effect on relationships.

Company A has found this line. They contact me on a fairly regular basis, but always about new stock or offers that are of interest to me. I am not contacted about developments with the men’s range. This may mean they lose out on a small proportion of people looking to buy for the man in their life, but it will ensure they don’t annoy, and ultimately lose, valuable customers who don’t want to be bombarded with emails that aren’t targeted to them.

I am kept up to date on all important events and offers at the shop, and am made to feel that my custom is valued. I have subscribed to other companies before and barely heard a peep out of them. Finding out about special offers or developments second hand makes your customers feel undervalued. Not the best way to build loyalty.

There is another benefit of company A too – their website. The email links directly to the page on the product / event that they are writing to tell me about (no time wasted manoeuvring through their home page to find the right section). The site is easy to navigate with lots of information and it’s quick to load – making buying fast and simple.

The combined effort of Company A led to a successful sale. They didn’t bombard me with emails which may have led me to unsubscribe. They kept in contact with me enough, and about things of interest, so that I wanted to always open their emails. The usability of their site made it a pleasant experience to buy, and so ultimately I did. They took away all the obstacles between me and my purchase and it worked. It’s simple when you look at it, but so many companies get this kind of marketing wrong.

For many companies, the problem lies in that they are too preoccupied with the ‘hunt’ – drawing in new subscribers. There’s something compelling about rejection, or even, indifference. It must be the child in us that has the urge to wave our hands about and scream ‘Hey, Look at me! I’m right here!’ We crave attention and we do what we have to in order to get it. We offer free prize draws and promise exciting new offers to anyone that signs up to our newsletter or follows our blog. It’s almost becomes an obsession. Unfortunately, many companies are so caught up with the initial ‘catch’, they fail to deliver the goods to those who do subscribe.

Reaching new parts of your market is important, but so is looking after those you’ve got. After all, you’ve already done half of the work with them. Spend time developing your relationship with those who have already shown interest in your company. Reward their loyalty. Offer them exclusive offers, or give them first refusal on events, anything that shows them that they’re valued. Business might be said to be about the head over the heart, but I don’t know many customers (particularly consumers) who would buy from a company that didn’t make them feel worthwhile.

Everyone has an opinion about something: “The copy is too long… The yellow text is too bright…” But in truth, what do opinions really prove?

Whilst they can offer some insight, ultimately opinions say more about the individual than about the subject matter itself. It doesn’t matter what has happened in others past experiences, you should only be concerned with the present: this material, this campaign and this success.

Direct Marketing
There is no quick and easy way to identify a winning formula. The proof, as is so often said, is in the pudding. This means, the only way to discover what marketing medium/copy/material really works, is by testing it.

Direct marketing, unlike most other forms of marketing, can be subjected to accurate testing. Whether you’re sending email shots, posting out brochures or phoning your prospects, the results of your campaign can easily be recorded and analysed.

If a Job’s Worth Doing…
Naturally, there is the temptation to run a few half-hearted tests and then act on the results. Be aware, it’s a false economy. Insubstantial tests will provide insubstantial results. Truthful results are entirely dependent upon accurate and sustained testing.

One Step at a Time
The smallest alteration to your copy or pitch can produce significant changes in your response rate. The current phenomenon of ‘pay per click’ advertising has highlighted the importance of even the smallest details – a capital letter or full stop has been known to dramatically increase or decrease CTR (click through rates) instantaneously. Consequently, it’s essential that only one element is altered during each test (e.g. the wording of the headline, the background colour, the inclusion or exclusion of a covering letter, the timing of the phone call etc). This way you will always know exactly what is being tested. In addition, there must always be a controlled version of the test, which remains unchanged, running alongside and which will serve as a comparison.

Nothing’s Perfect
Every test is prone to errors and it is necessary for you to recognise this. Don’t accept the results of your test blindly, particularly if they fall far from your expectations. Even the most meticulously run tests are subject to seasonal variations, mistyped results or the varying abilities of those involved in the campaign. If you have any doubts about the reliability of your results, test again. After all, spending your entire marketing budget based upon the outcome of a flawed experiment isn’t going to do you any favours.

The Small Things Matter
As previously mentioned, it’s not just the larger elements of your campaign that can increase response rate. Even the smallest aspects – changing a word or a font size – can affect the success of a campaign. Make the most of your tests by experimenting with as many different variables as possible. What happens to the response rate when you overprint the envelope? Does a more personal introduction over the phone bring greater results?

And Finally…
Tests are the only way to gather concrete evidence about what works and what doesn’t. When conducted correctly they can provide crucial insight into your primary market. Don’t, however, underestimate the fickleness of the results. What is true for one campaign has no weight with another – something proven by many a peeved marketing manager. If your product or your target market changes, the tests need to start all over again. Sound like a lot of hard work? Perhaps, but it depends how far you’re willing to go for success.

We all know, it’s not only about what you say, it’s about how you say it.

Writing effective sales copy for your E-Marketing or Direct Marketing, requires much more than a few fancy words or evocative language. In fact, it has a lot less to do with impressive vocabulary and much more to do with clarity.

Accessible chunks of information will undoubtedly make a better sales pitch than complex jargon which alienates half of your readers. Don’t try and wow your prospects with your impressive writing skills, instead concentrate on selling the benefits of your product/service. Straightforward copy, that gets to the point quickly, is often the most effective.

The brain can only absorb so much information at a time. Before you look at the content of the copy, address how it looks on the page or screen. Are there large blocks of unbroken text? The way that you present your copy is crucial. With the constant stream of sales copy being churned out, most will only get a quick glance. It is essential that the layout tackles this by being easily digestible, and communicating the fundamental message promptly.

The Opening Paragraph
Your first paragraph should consist of only one line. Why? It will grab attention. Without being surrounded by other text, the line will immediately stand out, even at a glance. As many people only read the top and bottom lines of a letter before deciding if they are interested, make sure this is where you communicate your strongest selling point.

It’s All About Numbers
There’s no secret to finding the perfect layout for your sales copy – it’s just common sense. Producing successful marketing material is mostly about recognising the importance of accessibility. In fact, it can all be put down to numbers.

• Six To Seven Lines – Each paragraph, after the first, should consist of around six or seven lines. Any longer than this and it is likely that the text won’t be read. Short snippets of information look far less intimidating than long ones. The same is true for sentence length. Long, complex sentences that overload the reader with information are difficult to digest.
• Fourteen Words – Each sentence should aim to convey just one clear point. A sentence of around fourteen words is perfect for providing clear, easily absorbed pieces of information. It is a good way to prevent waffling, whilst adding emphasis to each point.
• Five Letters – The fundamental intention of your sales copy must always be to make a sale. Therefore, it is vital that it is accessible to as many people as possible. Some years ago, the reading level of many newspapers had crept higher – the result? The readership, decreased. People realised that by setting the reading level lower, more people would be encouraged to buy the publication.
  • Elitist sales copy doesn’t make good sales. Many publications nowadays write copy at the reading level of a thirteen year old. Whilst there are exceptions, this is a good benchmark to start from. With this in mind, ensure that the majority of your text consists of words no longer than five letters. Remember, you’re not trying to prove how clever you are, you’re trying to maximise your response rate.
• 2 Or More Pages – If your copy is spilling into a second page, your prospect will need to be encouraged to turn over. The end of a page, for most people, seems the perfect place to stop reading, as does the end of a sentence. A good tip is to break the last sentence of the first page, so that it finishes at the top of the second page. Most people won’t leave mid-sentence, and once they’ve turned over to finish the line, chances are they’ll carry on.