Increase your direct mail response rates with freebies.

Written by Alan Sharpe


Continued from page 1

So you see that, by offering a freebie that costs you $1 extra for each lead you generate, you almost cut your cost per lead in half, even though your total costs increase. That’s because your $1 freebie tripled your response rate, from 1% to 3% (entirely possible).

Byrepparttar way, if you want to reducerepparttar 105191 number of “freebie collectors” that you attract, link your freebie with what you are selling (a free lawn analysis, for example) rather than offering something that just about everyone would want for free (an AM/FM radio, for example).



Alan Sharpe is a business-to-business direct mail copywriter and lead generation consultant who helps high-tech firms attract new clients using creative, cost-effective direct mail. Subscribe to "Sharpe & Direct," his weekly newsletter, at www.sharpecopy.com


Which of the four B2B offers is right for you?

Written by Alan Sharpe


Continued from page 1

Deferred Offer The deferred offer asks prospects to let you know when you should contact them again. The wording of such an offer on a reply card might sound like this: “Not interested right now, but get back to me on [date]: ___________________.” The prospect fills inrepparttar date. The deferred offer isn’t really an offer, of course, since you are not offering anything. It’s more of a call to action. Use a deferred offer when you want to identify prospects who are neither able nor willing to buy right now, but might be inrepparttar 105189 future.

Negative Offer The negative offer asks your readers to tell you that they are not interested in what you are selling. The wording of such an offer on a reply card might sound like this: “Not interested [please give reason]: ________________.” The reader givesrepparttar 105190 reason. The negative offer is likerepparttar 105191 deferred offer in that it’s not an offer as much as a call to action (you are not offering anything). Use a deferred offer when you want to clean your mailing list, removing business names who are not prospects and never will be. Also use a negative offer to learn why people won’t buy from you. Their answers are informative (even surprising!).

I recommend that your direct mail piece include either a hard offer or a soft offer. You want to generate either a sale (hard offer) or a sales lead (soft offer). Putrepparttar 105192 other offers onrepparttar 105193 reply device only. You don’t want multiple offers in your letter.



Alan Sharpe is a business-to-business direct mail copywriter and lead generation consultant who helps high-tech firms attract new clients using creative, cost-effective direct mail. Subscribe to "Sharpe & Direct," his weekly newsletter, at www.sharpecopy.com


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