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).

By way, if you want to reduce 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).

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 in 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 in 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 gives reason. The negative offer is like 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). Put other offers on reply device only. You don’t want multiple offers in your letter.