By Wesley Sparling

What makes good direct marketing? More importantly, how can you create a direct marketing piece that pulls in buckets of leads and fattens your wallet? Here are just a few of my own personal rules.

RULE 1: It's Not a Lab
Your marketing piece, no matter how brilliant it may be, is not presented in an ideal setting. Your powerful creative message becomes part of the media in which it is presented.

It is also subject to the circumstances your target audience may be experiencing as they view your message. This may dilute the effectiveness or responsiveness of your piece. Try to think about how they will interact with your ad or mailing package as you develop it.

Your ideal target may be making dinner, talking with his or her spouse, or cleaning the house as your ad airs. Your direct mail piece may be set aside and only passively viewed - something to consider as you develop your creative.

RULE 2: Once, Twice, Three Times a Customer!
Put this in your head - campaigns! No one-shots. Single one-off ads or one-time mailers will not aid most categories of business. There are, of course, exceptions to every rule. But for most businesses, campaigns are necessary for maximum returns.

Once you have a customer, keep selling him or her something! The best prospect is a satisfied customer.

RULE 3: Attention!
Headlines and repetition are important. You must get attention or the entire message will fail.

In the world of direct response, that usually requires a strong benefit statement, amazing claim or a compelling statement designed to tease the reader into the rest of the copy.

Don't be afraid to restate the big benefits more than once in your copy deck. Present them in different ways. Powerful claims and great offers expressed well and with repetition are critical to success.

RULE 4: Don't Sell Bras to Baboons
Even the most compelling creative piece will fail if the message is presented to the wrong audience, at the wrong time, or in the wrong media.

A great example of this is direct mail to corporate executives sent just following 9-11 during the "Anthrax scare." A lot of mail never made it to the recipient or was received much later than anticipated. Know to whom you are mailing. Do your list research and plan your media selection carefully.

RULE 5: Hit Them in the Gut, and Then Tell Them Why They Liked It!
Great response marketing, or great marketing for that matter, is visceral and then supported by facts.

It's more compelling to say, "Become as attractive as a supermodel" than to say, "Buy a new dress." Great direct marketers don't sell products, they sell the way they make the target customer feel, or how they improve their life.

RULE 6: A Star has at least Five Points. I Prefer 10.
Most direct-response copy decks use a basic five-point copy structure. I prefer to use 10. Don't worry; the five the other guys use are included. Here they are:

1. State the biggest benefit, display the result, or make a promise
2. Define the problem and show your solution or make your claim
3. Support the claim and make the offer
4. Monetize the benefits
5. Demonstrate the results
6. Provide or build credibility
7. Reverse or eliminate the risk
8. Create or build urgency to respond
9. Request immediate and decisive action
10. Repeat the offer or the biggest benefit (or both) and request action again

There you have it - Six of my 12 fundamental rules of direct marketing. To see the rest of the 12 rules of eye-stopping, power-packed direct marketing, visit www.AZDirectAgency.com.

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This article was featured in the March 2008 issue of Southwest Graphics magazine and is reprinted with permission

5/21/08