| The opening paragraph of your direct mail letter? | | | | place it in italics. Move the margins in, one inch on |
| Here’s the place to show your biggest benefit. | | | | BOTH sides, so the paragraph width is about 3 inches |
| Lead with your best stuff first - did you want to wait till | | | | at most. And reduce the font size by two points. |
| you lose readers? This should be your hottest copy | | | | This gives your letter copy some air - a little breathing |
| and your most exciting benefit. | | | | room - and makes it look easy to read, even if it |
| “Enjoy the biggest benefit of our new product - and | | | | isn’t. Tout the benefits and ask for the phone call |
| here’s our best offer!” - might sound like this: | | | | in this foreshortened paragraph. |
| “Enjoy the easy and extra-fast swing of our new | | | | Fifth paragraph. Here’s where you really sell the |
| ultra-lightweight tennis racquet - and try it FREE for 30 | | | | phone call. “Just pick up the phone and call us right |
| days!” | | | | now. Questions, comments - your call is always |
| Show benefits | | | | welcome — here’s our phone number: |
| In any direct mail marketing campaign you show the | | | | 800-987-6543.” |
| features in the brochure, and the benefits of those | | | | Don’t be afraid to ask people to call you several |
| features in the letter. The brochure tells, the letter | | | | times in any direct mail advertising, and the sales letter |
| sells… and asks for the call frequently. Direct mail | | | | is no exception. The fourth and fifth paragraph. This |
| marketing has it’s own set of rules. | | | | fifth paragraph is where you MUST sell the phone call |
| You remember the difference between features and | | | | hard. Remember, no phone calls - no orders = |
| benefits, don’t you? Products have features - a | | | | failure. |
| teacup has a handle, that’s a feature. The | | | | Also - show your actual phone number in the text of |
| benefits are what you derive from the features - | | | | the letter in this body copy of your direct mail letter. |
| when you hold the teacup with the handle you | | | | Yea yea, I know - it’s in the letterhead. Show it |
| don’t burn your hands. The benefits - what | | | | again here in the text. And again in the PS. It |
| people get from the features - go in the letter. | | | | encourages phone calls. Any arguements? |
| Second paragraph. This is a transitional paragraph of | | | | Signature. Sign legibly. Even if your real signature |
| your direct mail letter expanding on your biggest | | | | looks like the X made by Attila the Hun, sign so people |
| benefit. Keep all paragraphs flush left with a 4- or | | | | can read it. It’s a visual hook - keep it legible. |
| 5-character indent, rag right and under 7 lines. | | | | The PS in your direct mail letter is your last chance to |
| Third paragraph - a great place to show all your | | | | briefly restate your one or two biggest benefits, your |
| benefits. Best: place a bulleted list of benefits right in | | | | offer, and ask for the phone call. Last chance - |
| the center of your direct mail marketing letters. | | | | make a great, irresistible call to action. |
| Showing all benefits here sometimes become too | | | | White space. |
| fluffy, so including a few product features is OK in this | | | | Don’t forget the other half of your direct mail letter |
| list. | | | | - white space. Keep a lot of breathing room around |
| · Bulleted lists have high readership. | | | | your copy, let it air out. This may mean reducing your |
| · Show one benefit to a line. | | | | font size from my first preference of 12 points to a |
| · Everyone likes a bulleted list. | | | | slightly smaller 10 point size, but if it makes the letter |
| · Know who will read this paragraph? Everyone. | | | | look light, breezy and easy to read, it’s worth it. |
| · Even people who just skim your letter read this. | | | | BTW, I always prefer Courier typeface to make the |
| · Don’t forget to direct readers to call now & | | | | letter look like a traditional letter. While the letter may |
| order! | | | | be an ad, to make your direct mail letter the most |
| So you need better-than-average copy here, since it is | | | | effective it can possibly be, it’s got to look like a |
| the highest readership in the body of your letter. You | | | | letter. Remember, direct mail letters are secretly ads |
| need short and sweet killer copy. Each single line | | | | - not really letters. They have their own set of |
| drives the reader further into the rest of the letter, | | | | distinct rules. We’ll still call our ad a letter, though. |
| closer to buying your product and closer to the phone. | | | | OK? |
| Fourth paragraph. Want to make your direct mail | | | | In the next and final article in this series, you’ll learn |
| letter visually different? Indent this paragraph and | | | | 12 rules to increase letter readership and response. |