Direct Response
Marketing
by: Robert
It isn’t uncommon for people to have heard the phrase ‘direct
response marketing’, but most people don’t know what that phrase
means. By definition, direct response marketing is when a
business practices promotions that allow or ask consumers to
immediately respond to an advertisement that has been sent by
mail, email, telephone, fax or other form of communication.
Everyone with a mailbox or email address has probably received
an advertisement that fits the definition of direct response
marketing but immediately identifies it as ‘junk’ and throws it
into the recycle box or clicks on the delete button. There are
very few direct response marketing efforts that actually produce
the desired results and set themselves apart from the mass of
discarded attempts. These efforts are the result of carefully
planned direct response marketing campaigns that most likely
followed a basic but important list of guidelines in order to be
successful.
Some research is essential before attempting any type of direct
marketing campaign. There are a number of ‘experts’ that can
guide a direct marketing campaign toward a target audience based
on the product that is being sold or the service that is being
offered. There is no point in launching a blind direct response
marketing campaign and reaching hundreds of uninterested
individuals.
No one spends much time glancing at what could eventually be
considered junk mail. A direct response marketing message should
be short and to the point within the first sentence of any
letter. If a letter attempting to evoke a response does not make
its point in the first sentence of a letter, it was not worth
sending out in the first place. If the letter has made its
point, it isn’t necessary to get long winded about the features
that come with or may come about as the result of a product or
service. People want to know how something will be of benefit to
them and nothing else. If a product saves a person time or
improves their quality of life in some way, that is the type of
thing that should be pointed out in a short and to the point
letter.
The more personal a direct response marketing campaign can be
the better. If a person feels like a letter is directed
specifically at them, they are more likely to take a look at the
correspondence than an obvious form letter that was most likely
sent out to thousands of other people. Keep in mind that a
direct response marketing effort is the first step toward
arousing interest in a person. The next step is for the
individual to make a phone call or return a response of some
kind. Sales are a completely different ball game.
Studies in direct response marketing have uncovered some
interesting tips that can improve the way a letter is written to
any target audience. People don’t like to be challenged when
reading complicated ideas and language in unsolicited
communication, so the wording in any letter should be simple and
easy to understand. Research has also shown that most people
scan a letter and read the postscript at the end before reading
the entire letter. This provides an excellent opportunity for
direct response marketing writers to reiterate their offer or
request and to rouse interest.
About The Author
Robert is the webmaster and owner of "
Best-Direct-Response-Marketing-Tips.com" and has been
researching and reporting on Direct Response Marketing for
years.
http://www.best-direct-response-marketing-tips.com/
