The Direct Mail Revolution

Robert W. Bly

Description

BOOST YOUR BUSINESS WITH DIRECT MAIL

Think direct-mail marketing is a thing of the past? Think again. In our digital world, it’s easy to overlook the power of a snail mail marketing piece. You can in fact create a direct-mail marketing campaign that could earn you an ROI as high as 1,300 percent.

In The Direct Mail Revolution, legendary copywriting pioneer and marketing expert Robert W. Bly shares direct mail strategies that will transform your business, win you more customers, and earn more profits. Whether you’re new to direct mail or need to revamp a local or hyperlocal marketing strategy, this book is your clear, comprehensive blueprint to winning new and ongoing sales with direct mail.

Learn how to:

• Keep your marketing pieces out of the trash with perfectly crafted letters, brochures, postcards, and more
• Increase response rates with the six characteristics of irresistible offers
• Track and test the key ingredients of your direct-mail campaign
• Seamlessly integrate your print and digital marketing efforts for a multidimensional sales funnel
• Gain leads and sales with the “magic words” of direct-response copy
• Avoid the most common “snail mail” mistakes that will get your marketing ignored

Plus, receive Bly’s very own templates, samples, and checklists that have stood the test of time to ensure your direct-mail strategy earns you the success you’ve been hoping for.

Sujets

• Entrepreneuriat
• Emprendedor
• Entrepreneur
• Marketing de contenu
• Business Writing
• Employabilité, métiers et formations
• Economics
• Business
• Marketing stratégique
• Communication persuasive

Informations

• Publié par: Entrepreneur Press
• Date de parution: 19 mars 2019
• Nombre de lectures: 1
• EAN13: 9781613083895
• Langue: English

Extrait

Reports of the death of direct mail have been greatly exaggerated, and Bob Bly proves it in this powerful new book, The Direct Mail Revolution . With email response rates dropping like rocks, postal mail is poised for a major comeback. Bly s book-which could be called Direct Mail 2.0 -serves as both a superb primer for those who ve never managed a direct-mail campaign before and an excellent refresher for those who have.
-R ICHARD A RMSTRONG, DIRECT-MAIL COPYWRITER
Marketers are starting to realize that digital marketing is not the end-all solution for direct marketing. Bob s new book arrives just in time. It s a vital resource that helps organizations improve their ROI when implementing direct-mail promotions to clients and prospects.
-M ICHAEL B ORKAN , CEO OF T ALON M AILING AND M ARKETING
The Direct Mail Revolution is a treasure trove of easy-to-follow how-to advice on direct mail and digital marketing tricks of the trade. Both novices and professionals alike can boost their income from the proven direct-mail campaigns, valuable checklists, and sales funnels alone. Must read!
-A NDREW S. L INICK , P H .D., T HE M ARKETING C OPYOLOGIST AND FOUNDER OF THE C OPYWRITER S C OUNCIL OF A MERICA
Of all the books I ve read in 50 years of being in the mail order business, Bob s new book is one of the best I ve ever read!
-G EOFFREY F ELDMAN , MDG M ARKETING S ERVICES , LLC
Bob is a first-rate copywriter and direct marketing strategist. I would recommend this book to anyone who either wants to brush up on their direct-mail marketing or get involved in this proven marketing channel to grow their business.
-B RUCE B ROWNING , P RESIDENT OF O LLEY M AY M EDIA
THE DIRECT MAIL
REVOLUTION

HOW TO CREATE PROFITABLE
DIRECT MAIL CAMPAIGNS
IN A DIGITAL WORLD
ROBERT W. BLY
Entrepreneur Press
Entrepreneur Press, Publisher
Cover Design: Andrew Welyczko
Production and Composition: Eliot House Productions
2019 by Entrepreneur Media, Inc.
All rights reserved.
Reproduction or translation of any part of this work beyond that permitted by Section 107 or 108 of the 1976 United States Copyright Act without permission of the copyright owner is unlawful. Requests for permission or further information should be addressed to Entrepreneur Media Inc. Attn: Legal Department, 18061 Fitch, Irvine, CA 92614.
This publication is designed to provide accurate and authoritative information in regard to the subject matter covered. It is sold with the understanding that the publisher is not engaged in rendering legal, accounting, or other professional services. If legal advice or other expert assistance is required, the services of a competent professional person should be sought.
Entrepreneur Press is a registered trademark of Entrepreneur Media, Inc.
ebook ISBN: 978-1-61308-389-5
This book is for Dr. Krishna Maruri
CONTENTS
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Introduction
THE NEW DIRECT-MAIL REVOLUTION
Powerful Evidence of Direct Mail s Comeback
Why I Wrote This Book
Who Should Read This Book
About the DM Samples in This Book
Print Is Far From Dead, Even Among Millennials
Why Our Brains Prefer Ink-on-Paper Marketing
Yes, You Can Do Direct Mail
PART I
DIRECT-MAIL PLANNING AND STRATEGY
Chapter 1
GETTING STARTED IN DIRECT MAIL
The Direct-Mail Renaissance
So What Exactly Is Direct Mail ?
Who Uses Direct-Mail Marketing?
Advantages of Direct Mail
Drawbacks of Direct-Mail Marketing
The Direct-Mail Mindset
60 Ways to Use Direct Mail
Chapter 2
PLANNING: THE PROFESSIONAL APPROACH
Step 1: Selecting the Medium
Step 2: Selecting the Product or Service to Promote
Step 3: Establishing Objectives
Step 4: Targeting the Right Market
Step 5: Finding Mailing Lists
Step 6: Choosing a Format, Tone, and Style
Step 7: Determining Your Unique Selling Proposition
Step 8: Identifying Supporting Features and Benefits
Step 9: Creating Your Offer
Step 10: Scheduling Your Mailing
PART II
CREATING AND PRODUCING DIRECT-MAIL CAMPAIGNS
Chapter 3
CREATING IRRESISTIBLE DIRECT-MAIL OFFERS
Three Offer Elements
Direct-Mail Success Depends on the Offer
The Six Characteristics of an Irresistible Offer
Offers for Lead-Generation Direct Mail
Using Multiple Offers in One Mailer
Offers for One-Step Direct Mail
Lead Magnets
Audio and Video Lead Magnets
Enhancing the Hard Offer in Lead Generation
Guarantees
Deadlines and Other Act-Now Incentives
Mail-Order Offers
Setting Your Goals
Chapter 4
MAILING LISTS
The Importance of the List
Identifying List Requirements
How Many Names on the List Should You Mail?
Minimum List Rental Requirements
Renting Mailing Lists
Recency, Frequency, Monetary (RFM)
Where to Rent Mailing Lists
16 Tips for Profitable List Selection and Usage
Chapter 5
WRITING DIRECT-MAIL COPY THAT SELLS
Copy Is King
Know Your Product
The 4S Formula for Clear Writing
The BDF Formula for Reaching Your Prospects on a Deeper Level
Ten Tips for Writing Winning, Persuasive Direct-Mail Copy
Six Common Copywriting Mistakes
The Motivating Sequence
Be Credible About What You Offer
The Nine Fundamentals of Persuasion in Print
Chapter 6
DIRECT-MAIL GRAPHIC DESIGN
Color in Direct-Mail Design
Designing the Sales Letter
The Outer Envelope
Reply Element
Brochure
Buck Slip
Lift Note
Chapter 7
DIRECT-MAIL PRODUCTION
Setting Your Production Schedule
Calculating Cost Per Thousand
Calculating Break-Even
Affixing Postage to the Mail Piece
Third-Class vs. First-Class Mail
Business Reply Mail
Printing and Letter Shop
Chapter 8
DIRECT-MAIL TESTING
A/B Split Tests
Number of DM Pieces Per Test Cell
Package and Element Testing
Tracking Responses
Rollout
The Three Most Important Factors to Test
Other Test Variables
Ten Rules for Direct-Mail Testing
PART III
DIRECT-MAIL COMPONENTS AND FORMATS
Chapter 9
SALES LETTERS
How to Write a Winning Sales Letter
A Checklist for Writing Sales Letters
Long Copy vs. Short Copy
Outer Envelope Teasers
Blind Envelopes
Using Sales Letters to Generate Leads
50 Points to Ponder When Creating a Lead-Generating DM Campaign
23 Tips for Writing Business-to-Business Sales Letters That Work
Direct Mail to Invite Prospects to Your Trade-Show Booth
Chapter 10
DIRECT-MAIL BROCHURES
What to Put Into Your Direct-Mail Brochure
Direct-Mail Brochure Design
Writing Direct-Mail Brochures
Chapter 11
REPLY ELEMENTS
Has the Web Made Reply Forms Obsolete?
QR Code
Chapter 12
SELF-MAILERS
Self-Mailer Formats
Eight Ways to Produce Self-Mailers That Sell
Chapter 13
POSTCARDS
Advantages of Postcards
Postcard Copy
Design
PART IV
INTEGRATING DIRECT MAIL AND DIGITAL MARKETING
Chapter 14
LANDING PAGES
How Landing Pages Work
The Principle of Copy Connectivity
Attribution
Lead Magnets
Downloads vs. Qualified Leads
Creating a Lead-Qualifying Landing Page
List-Building Squeeze Pages
Ten Tips for Writing High-Conversion Landing Pages
A Word on Copy Length
Chapter 15
CONTENT MARKETING
Why Content Marketing Works So Well
Create a Great Title for Your Lead Magnet
Creating Your Content Marketing Plan
Coping with Content Pollution
Chapter 16
EMAIL
Similarities and Differences of Postal Mail and Email
Creating an Integrated Campaign with Both Snail Mail and Email
26 Tips for Writing More Effective Emails
Hyperlinks in Your Emails
Chapter 17
INTEGRATED CAMPAIGNS AND SALES FUNNELS
The Top of the Funnel: Direct Mail
The Landing Page
Fulfillment: Deliver What You Promised
Autoresponder Email Follow-Up
Order Page
Shopping Cart
Selling Outside the Funnel
Final Thoughts
Appendix I
DIRECT-MAIL VENDORS
Appendix II
BIBLIOGRAPHY
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
INDEX
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
S ome sections of this book were published, in slightly different form, in several earlier and now out-of-print books of mine, Power-Packed Direct Mail, The Complete Idiot s Guide to Direct Marketing , and The White Paper Marketing Handbook . Others appeared, also in slightly different form, in direct-response industry trade publications including DM News, Business Marketing , and Target Marketing .
I would like to thank Bob Diforio, my agent, for finding a good home for this book at Entrepreneur Press. Thanks also to my editor, Jennifer Dorsey, for making the book much better than it was when the manuscript first crossed her desk. And to Vanessa Campos, thanks for bringing the book to the attention of businesspeople who can profit from it.
Lastly, I want to thank the many marketers who let me share their ideas, tactics, and samples of their work in this book. I can t name you all. But you know who you are, folks.
Introduction
THE NEW DIRECT-MAIL REVOLUTION

W hen email marketing began around 1978, email s low cost (essentially free), ease of sending (just click a button), speed of transmission (almost inst