In Business-to-Business Direct Mail Sales Letters, Make It Easy To Respond

Info Pages on DIRECT MAIL from Andy Gow

Homepage | Add to Favorites

Related Links

Visit our other Information site at
Find It All Here

Or, have a look at
PIXEL ADs of the WORLD

Informative Articles

B2B Direct Mail Lists: Ask These Questions Before Renting.
If the most important part of any business-to-business direct mail package is the list, how can you be sure that you have a good list before you drop your money (and your reputation) in the mailbox? Answer: Ask the right questions before you...

Direct Mail Formats: How to Choose the Right One
Which pulls the best response, a postcard, a self-mailer or a letter? The answer, you’ll be irritated to know, is clear. It depends. The success of your mailing depends on who you mail to (your list), what you promise (your offer), when you mail...

Eleven Ideas to Generate More Direct Mail Responses
Eleven Ideas to Generate More Direct Mail Responses 1. When writing copy for your direct mail marketing pieces, make sure to indent the first line of each paragraph. It, literally, pulls your potential customers into the copy you've written. 2....

Quick, Helpful Tips for Direct Mail
Make Your Offer Irresistible - All good copywriters will tell you, the secret to great copy is to make it impossible to say "No"! Find the Good in Everything - Rather than try to hide negative sides to your product, try making them known with a...

Reach Wealthy Prospects With Direct Mail Marketing And A Good List.
Do you need to reach wealthy prospects using direct mail? Then work on your list. Who you mail to (your list) is the single most important thing that determines your success. There are two main ways to target affluent buyers: where...

In Business-to-Business Direct Mail Sales Letters, Make It Easy To Respond

I have a client who wanted to drive prospective customers to his online store using a business-to-business postcard. Great idea, I thought, and cost effective.

He had a terrific product, a compelling offer, and a sound business model. He had just one problem. He wanted to make all website visitors register before they could browse his product catalog. Big mistake.

So I, along with his business partner, managed to talk him out of the idea. And he will be glad that we did.

That's because one of the fundamental requirements of business-to-business direct mail is that you make it easy for your prospects and customers to respond. The word to remember is "convenience." You must make responding as convenient as possible. Here are some ways to do that.

BUSINESS REPLY CARD
* Pre-print your prospect's name and address on it.
* If prospects must complete the card, give enough space for company, job title, address and city.
* Pay for postage so prospects don't have to hunt for a stamp.
* If you need to qualify prospects, ask as few questions as possible.

COUPONS
Place coupons at the outside corners (not in the gutter or the middle of the page), where they are easy to tear out.

CALCULATIONS
Make the math as easy as possible so that customers can quickly and accurately add shipping, handling and sales tax to their order.

PAYMENT
* Offer as many payment options as possible

Watch the latest videos on YouTube.com

without paralyzing your reader. One of the most attractive payment plans (and one likely to boost response, if you can afford it) is the "send me an invoice" plan.
* Accept all the major credit cards.
* Accept orders by telephone (toll-free, of course).
*Accept orders on your website.

LEAD GENERATION
If you are after a lead and not a sale, make the next step in the sales process as convenient and as painless as possible for your prospect to initiate. Some prospects are reluctant to respond by phone because they fear they will hear a sales pitch. Others dread responding by email because then you will know their email address. Through testing, discover which response methods work best for your target audience.

One of the beautiful things about shopping by mail is the convenience. You don't have to battle traffic, hunt for a parking spot or wait in line. But that is only true if the direct mail ordering experience is also convenient. Use some of these methods to improve your convenience quotient and your customers will thank you for it--with their orders.

© 2005 Sharpe Copy Inc. You may reprint this article online and in print provided the links remain live and the content remains unaltered (including the "About the author" message).
About the Author

Alan Sharpe is a business-to-business direct mail copywriter. Sign up for free weekly tips like this at www.sharpecopy.com.