OSM Direct Marketing Tips Blog

Direct Marketing Tips for Writing Sensational Copy

When it comes to direct marketing tips, writing plays a big part. In virtually any direct marketing materials, the written copy is the base upon which everything else rests. While it’s nice to have eye-catching graphics, charts, and photographs, the copy is what’s going to sell your product/service and truly determine whether your marketing materials are effective. 

So today, let’s get back to the basics: How to write effective marketing materials. Some of this may sound too basic, but remember that many decades-old copywriting techniques are still relevant today.  

Direct Marketing Tips: Four Ways To Create Great Copy Every Time 

 1. Write for your specificaudience. 

It’s no secret that different groups of people speak or write in different ways, and those differences have only widened in recent decades. Buyers (especially home consumers) are more influenced by materials that have direct relevance to their lifestyle, interests, hobbies, etc. Use this tool to design your buyer persona. This will help you narrow down the people you’re trying to reach and then work through the language that will connect best with that audience.  

These days, most consumers can quickly spot generic marketing materials that didn’t utilize proven direct marketing tips and were written for the widest possible audience. Narrow targeting and a deliberate attempt to engage specific groups on a personal level will work better because it avoids the trap of seeming generic. 

 2. Have a problem, a solution, and a reason. 

direct marketing tips woman opening letterThis is Marketing 101 stuff, but it bears repeating: Virtually all successful marketing is based on presenting a problem and demonstrating how your product is a solution to it. This means you need to do your research! The best marketing copy comes straight from your audience’s mouth. This is the copy that keeps people reading, nodding along, and hopefully converting.  

  • Capture your audience’s attention 
  • Illustrate a pain point 
  • Present a valuable, solution-driven call to action. 

Backing up your solution with solid evidence has become even more important in our digital era of online reviews and comparisons. 95% of shoppers read reviews before making a purchase. 98% of consumers use reviews to search for local services.Make sure your marketing writing matches up with the data and validates what your audience is already thinking.  

3. Make a connection.

Purchases aren’t necessarily driven by logic. They hinge on emotion, whether it’s good or bad. Well-written copy won’t work if it doesn’t push readers to action. Describe the benefits of your product or service in a way that gets people excited! What stories can you tell about your product? What challenges did you have to overcome? And how can it benefit your intended user?  

This blog post has eight psychological hooks you can use in your writing to invoke positive emotions in people. These are all great direct marketing tips to think about, even if you’re not writing an entire campaign or website.  

Focus your copy on the reader. Use the word you more often than your brand and product names. When speaking directly to the reader, active and energetic verbs are more likely to lead to connection. Words and phrases like Imagine, Improve, Discover, Explore, Take Hold, Protect, Compete, Dominate are among the most compelling words you can put in your copy. 

4. Have a killer headline. 

Direct Marketing Tips osm bookletsA viewer won’t read your copy if you haven’t grabbed their attention, and that’s exactly what the headline is for.  A well-written headline creates the interest needed to get them excited for the rest of the copy. As a few basic guidelines: 

  • Keep it short and to the point, preferably less than 70 characters. 
  • Make it directly relevant to the materials – no bait and switch. 
  • Include “loaded” emotional words that suggest a mindset to the reader. 
  • Be a little controversial, when appropriate. 
  • Use a subheading if your headline feels too long.  It keeps the eyes moving downward. 

Sell It! 

Every word in every piece of direct marketing you produce should be written with the intent to sell. The more attention you pay to your copy, the more likely it is to pay off!  

Not sure how to find your target audience? We can offer mailing list services to get your campaign out to the right people. 

Learn more by calling (602) 223-3003 or  send a request for more information. We’re on-call for any of your marketing needs!  

 

Updated 10.12.2021

 

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