
Again, put yourself in your audience’s shoes when you’re writing, and remember that they want to know what’s in it for them. This text should be concise, yet long enough to make a convincing case for why prospects need your product or service. While most direct mail pieces won’t require lots of paragraph copy, some (like sales letters or large brochures) do.

If you’re writing to a more informed audience, though, you can get more technical with your language. Avoid using confusing terms that only industry experts would understand so you don’t alienate prospects. Explain your benefits in language that speaks to your readers’ feelings and how your product or service will make their lives better.ĭon’t use industry lingo or jargon. Purchases are usually emotional decisions rather than logical ones. For example, say “Save valuable time with our all-in-one vacuum cleaner,” instead of “This all-in-one vacuum cleaner saves you valuable time.” Place the benefit at the start of the sentence. Tips for Explaining the Benefits of Your Product or Service On the other hand, your subheads can be a bit longer than your headlines. The maximum length most readers can comprehend at a glance is 8 words, so that’s a good rule of thumb to follow, regardless of format. If you want your audience to make it through your piece, keep headlines and subheads as short as possible. Tips for Creating Direct Mail Headlines & Subheadsīe concise. Your audience should be able to read your headline and subheads and walk away with an understanding of what your piece is about without reading anything else. Your goal should always be to tell a story with your headings, since they’re the best way to pull prospects through your piece. In fact, marketing pioneer David Ogilvy’s 1963 claim that 5 times as many people read headlines as they do body copy still rings true today. The first must-have copy elements of any direct mail piece are headlines and subheads. Now that you’ve done your homework, you’re ready to jump into actually writing your pieces. The format you choose dictates the amount of copy you can fit on the piece and the copy elements you’ll include.įor more information on direct mail formats and when to use them, check out our article, What Is Direct Mail Marketing?. Types of direct mail formats include postcards, envelope mailers, brochures, catalogs, circulars, etc. Consider Your Direct Mail Formatīefore you dive into the writing, the next step is to figure out which direct mail format you’re going to use. Once you know what audiences are looking for, you can emphasize those aspects of your product or service in your ad copy.

You can also speak directly with prospects when they visit your location. Mail, email, or call current customers for feedback on whether you’re meeting their needs and expectations.


This knowledge helps you tailor your marketing message to address those pain points directly.Ĭonduct surveys. Staff members who deal directly with customers and leads should be able to provide insight into their most common needs and complaints. Do a large cluster of them live in a certain area? Are there recurring trends in their buying behaviors?Ĭonsult with your frontline employees. Look for common traits and patterns among existing customers.
#Direct mail examples how to
Here are a few tips on how to do your own research.Īnalyze your in-house customer list. One of the best ways to learn about your audience is through market research, which is the process of gathering data on consumer preferences. Knowing your audience’s wants and needs helps you create compelling copy that inspires them to act. This guide will cover the main copy elements you’ll find on most mail pieces and provides helpful tips to write direct mail ad copy that sells. Whether you’re looking to improve your existing direct mail copy or just venturing into copywriting for the first time, we’re here to help. Even when paired with eye-catching images and beautiful fonts, mediocre writing can’t beat skillfully written copy. Well-written copy engages readers and tells them what they need to know about your product or service. One of the most important aspects of any direct mail piece is the copy, or the words on your advertisement.
