Direct response copywriting email

Ivan Levison —
Direct Mail, E-mail and Advertising Copywriting

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THE LEVISON LETTER
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Action Ideas For Better Direct Mail,
E-mail, Web Sites & Advertising

Published by
Ivan Levison, Direct Response Copywriting

July, 2008
Volume: 23 Number: 7

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What’s working in email?
Turn to research for the answer
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“Blink: The Power of Thinking Without Thinking,” by Malcolm Gladwell, is a
business best-seller that makes interesting reading.

The author argues that, when it comes to forming judgments about things, one’s
very first reactions often prove correct. Gladwell urges us to honor our intuition and
instinct; to draw upon and trust that pre-rational intelligence that we all possess.

“Blink” makes excellent points, but I sure wouldn’t trust intuition over hard data when
it comes to direct response copywriting.

Over a thirty-year career I’ve learned that, though my guesses about what’s going
to work for my clients are often correct, it’s much better to rely on facts and solid research.

This is particularly true when it comes to email copywriting. You see, technology
allows emailers to get instant feedback on results, and in incredible detail.

This means that unless your email copywriter has made a consistent commitment to
reviewing the research literature on an ongoing basis, she or he is flying blind.

Let me give you an example of just one fact that THIS copywriter recently learned
that will, of course, be put to work for my clients.

I recently reviewed an excellent research study conducted by Silverpop, a respected
Atlanta-based email marketing services firm. The study was titled, “Email Creative
That Works - An Evaluation Of Opens And Click Rates Associated With Various
Creative Elements.”

One of the variables the research addressed was the use of links. Data were provided on
the optimal number of links that should be included in both B2B and B2C emails. The
study concludes:

“While it might sound logical that the more links you stuff into your email messages,
the higher your click rate will be, there does appear to be a limit after which click rates
drop off. While most emailers included from one to three links in messages, some eager
marketers crammed more than 10 into their promotional emails. B2B marketers tended
to include a few more links (averaging 2.5 links per email) than did postcard-loving B2C
marketers (average 2 links). When it comes to links, the magic number for high click rate
s appears to be between 6 and 10.”

Since the emails that I write tend to be on the short side (for reasons I won’t go into now),
six to ten links would be too many for most of my clients’ emails. However, this
information is of real interest to me and will go into my personal “Research Findings” database.

The real point is, make sure YOUR direct response copywriter stays up to date on
the latest research and uses it boost your response rates. AT THE LEAST he or she should
be familiar with:

+ “Email Creative That Works - An Evaluation Of Opens And Click Rates Associated
With Various Creative Elements.” Silverpop

+ “Email Marketing Benchmark Guide 2006” MarketingSherpa

+ “Email Marketing Content Best Practices” Jupiter Research, 2005

+ “Take the Pain out of Preview Panes” Lena Waters, iMedia Connection

+ “Email Newsletter Usability Executive Summary” Nielsen Norman Group Report

+ “The Email Research Center” Exact Target

The next time YOU need an email written, give me a call and let me put the latest
email response research to work for YOU.

What kind of results can you expect when I am your copywriter?

Check this out right now:

http://www.levison.com/testimonials.html

More next month

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How To Get In Touch
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Ivan Levison
Direct Response Copywriting
14 Los Cerros Drive
Greenbrae, CA 94904

Phone: (415) 461-0672
Fax: (415) 461-7738
E-mail: ivan@levison.com
Web Site: http://www.levison.com

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