This document summarizes key points from a presentation on direct mail creative rules and testing formats. [1] It discusses how offers need to be compelling and tailored to the audience, and how benefits should be focused on what matters most to recipients. [2] Creating urgency, value, and targeting the right audience are also important drivers for direct mail success. [3] Different formats like boxes, self-mailers, postcards and letter packages are reviewed, highlighting when each works best and examples of effective creative executions.
Creative Rules That Work for Print Part 2 (Slides 62-123)
1. Welcome to the DMA’s
Creative Certification Course
Part Two
Creative Rules
that Work for Print
Slides 62-123
Thurs., Oct 18, 2012 ; 8:30am - 12:00pm
Presented by
Alan Rosenspan &
Carol Worthington-Levy
2. New control
by CWL TEAM
A DM package
We were not able to
talk them into an
offer
62
3. Next control
by CWL TEAM
A DM self-mailer
tested with and
without an offer.
But the offer sucked.
63
4. “Offers don’t work for us”
Correction: bad offers don’t work.
Or
Offers don’t work if the audience is wrong/
Mailing list is bad
Is a cheap electric BBQ fork that’s been out on the
market for a few years a good offer? Ecchh!
NEXT slide: the offer that won (Thanks to Alan!)
64
9. “The customer or prospect doesn’t
give a damn about you, your company
or your product.
“All that matters is ‘What’s in it for me?’”
— Bob Hacker
69
10. Determine your main benefit
• Definition of feature and benefit
• A feature is what your product is or does
• A benefit is what it does for the user
• Advertisers sell features; people buy benefits
• All benefits are not created equal
70
11. Why does anyone buy these products?
Product: Product:
Gasoline Washing Powder
Features: Features:
Poisonous, Powdery, granular,
smelly, comes in a
expensive. box, poisonous.
Benefit: Travel! Benefit: Clean clothing
(You’ll feel clean and fresh)
71
12.
13. You can turn almost
anything
into a benefit
(How about the high price of a Porsche?)
33. And in this uncertain economy…
People are deferring purchase decisions
Why do I need it has become:
Why do I need it now?
93
34. Create urgency now!
Tell people what will happen if they don’t respond
Give them a deadline…
Use urgent language
Consider a fast 50… but never honor it
94
45. Choosing the right format
• Choice of formats:
• Boxes
• Self-mailers
• Postcards
• Letter packages
• Testing is essential
• Change is good
105
46. Self mailers
Why do so many companies use them?
Easy to do, less work
More graphic, more fun
Usually cheaper
When to consider a self-mailer
A simple message or offer
As part of a continuity program
When you have no time
When you have many classes or seminars
When you expect a low response rate
unqualified list
If you do decide to use a self-mailer…
Be careful about the BRC
Test against it
106
47. Postcards can pull
They must be visually-oriented
They must be single-minded – almost like a tiny
billboards
Use them strategically
Use unusual size or shape postcards
www.shipshapes.net
107
53. Carol’s favorite postcard:
the ‘don’t let this happen to you’ approach!
• For a
proofreading
service
113
54. You can Bet on a Box
• It has a 100% opening rate
• It gets a lot of attention - almost like a gift
• It forces you to be creative
• It will be the most memorable mailing the person
receives that day
• It doesn’t matter what you put in the box…
114
55. …if you do use a box
Your company name must be prominent
Nothing perishable or fragile – unless that’s
the point
Don’t just do half the job – include a letter, a
reply device, a strong offer….
115
59. A slight diversion by Carol…about
dimensional packages
• “They” say that boxes ONLY work for B2B –
that it’s too expensive for consumer mailing…
• Here is an exception to that rule
• It also brings up the old adage,
if you don’t ask, you won’t get…
119
60. Finding our way to the big idea…
• Isuzu was introducing a line of vehicles
under the title, ‘Ironman’
• These were a few different models, so
we couldn’t concentrate on one
specific market
• Brainstormed around “Ironman” and
then someone said,…
“I wish we could send them a
running shoe in the mail to
highlight the Ironman competition!” …
120
61. Isuzu Ironman dimensional package
• Highly cost
effective
• Beat a flat direct
mail package in a
head to head test
• Incredible ROI
• It led to new
profitable
relationship with
Reebok
• Winner National
Postal Forum
award
Elements: outer box, letter, brochure, reply form, offer
121
62. One more: an
amazing idea
for a box pkg.
A collapsible box
that slips under
the door…
“Breaking into your
apartment may be
easier than you think!”
122
63. Back to Alan:
The Letter Package
• Elements include:
• Outer envelope or OE
• Letter - usually personalized
• Brochure
• Reply device
• Extra enclosures
• Usually outpulls other formats (except boxes)
• Always outpulls self-mailers
• Still allows for creativity and flexibility
123