Friday, June 22, 2007

Long or short copy?

It's a fact: your direct marketing communication has all of three to five seconds to make the prospect decide whether to read it...or not. And once that decision is made, your copy has just 20 seconds to convince your prospect that it's worth reading on.

Does that mean short copy is more effective? Not necessarily. Back in my ad agency days, the president of my agency -- Dave Hefter -- used to say, "The letter will always write itself." If your proposition is simple and compelling, there's no need to add a lot of fluff just to make it longer. Conversely, if you've got a product with lots of bells and whistles, why shortchange it by fitting it into a short format because "that's what people read"?

Remember: it takes just the right of sales psychology to convert a prospect into a loyal customer. Every direct marketing copywriter, at heart, MUST be a sales rep, a psychologist, and a darn good writer. If you can get someone who incorporates all three, there's a great chance your marketing communications will succeed.

Wednesday, June 20, 2007

Typical credit card rates and other intriguing facts

As a financial writer, I've worked for clients that range from Wells Fargo and National City to Discover Card and Citibank. When new financial prospects contact me, time and again, I'm asked: "what are typical response rates?"

Each American household receives around six promotions a month. Direct mailing acquisition costs approximatlely $80, according to the bank card advisory firm, R.K. Hammer. Typical rates range around one third of one percent -- .33% -- due to this saturation.

Can the response rate be increased? Absolutely! The list you choose is of ultimate importance and so is your offer. It is no surprise that clients look at rates and fees before anything else. Reward programs become important for households who earn in excess of $75,000 annually.

If your credit card is not competitive, format and design become essential. You want to "break out of the box" with personalization, size, creative design -- anything to differentiate your brand from the others. All this can cause rates to exceed the norm.

Friday, June 15, 2007

Super Stuff From My Clients

Every now and then, someone asks me, "So why did you decide to become a writer, anyway?" One answer: it's the ONE career that lets me try on different hats and become a continual student.

Just this week, I learned -- and wrote -- about the Brazilian acai berry, which could be nature's most perfect energy food. I discovered LOTS about homeowner landscaping (www.myvisionscape.com) and how it's being transformed. And I even delved into private investigation (PI) firms and how they're a boon to the legal community.

For a perpetual learner, there's nothing that beats writing. It never ceases to amaze me that my clients can come up with such superb "think out of the box" products and services. I'm thrilled to help them turn their thoughts into marketing communications brochures and websites.