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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
Volume: 14 Number: 2
February, 1999
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How to put your sales letter to the test
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Whether
you're using snail mail or e-mail to reach prospects or
your installed base, I sure hope you're doing some aggressive
testing.
You see,
if you don't have a testing program in place that's
dedicated to helping you beat your "control" mailing, you're
missing one of direct response's great benefits: the ability to
constantly and quickly get direct feedback from the marketplace.
Your testing program should be like a recursive algorithm that
constantly funnels vital data back to your marketing team.
What should
you be testing? Well, by now just about everyone
knows that, first, you've got to test lists and offers. But don't
forget
to test your letter. It's one of the keys to direct response success.
When a client gives me a letter that they want me to rewrite for
testing purposes, I review it using a proprietary check list that
I have
developed over many years. (It helps me make sure that I touch all
the bases and don't miss anything.)
Here are
just a few questions you should ask yourself as you prepare
your "control buster."
1. Is my
letter long enough? If you've been using a one- or two-page
sales letter, consider testing four pages. Typically, "the more
you
tell, the more you sell."
NOTE #1:
I'm talking about sales letters here. If you're writing
lead generation copy and making an irresistable free offer, you
can get by with less copy.
NOTE #2:
In e-mail, as I mentioned recently, test results seem
to indicate that length has less impact on response rates. (As I get
more data, I'll share it with you.)
2. Am I
starting out with a terrific headline? Makes sure your
letter gets off to a fast start by setting it up with a punchy headline
placed above the salutation. It doesn't have to be short. You can
easily fill up the first quarter of your cover page with your headline
introduction.
EXCEPTION:
If the letter is personalized or more formal, you don't
need a headline. Sometimes it doesn't make sense to blow all the
advantages of a "personal" relationship by using a headline
that's
shouting about your offer.
3. Does
my letter get off to a fast start? If you don't grab the reader's
attention right from the beginning, you'll never make the sale.
If you're beginning with a soporific like the following, you know
you're in trouble: "Allow me to introduce my company, DullsVille
Software. Our mission is provide a comprehensive suite of
solutions to businesses who need to solve a broad range of problems"
The reader's response? "Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz"
4. Am I
devoting an entire section to my guarantee? All too often
letters bury the guarantee in the body copy. Big mistake.
You should really highlight your guarantee and feature it as a
distinct graphic element, complete with a border (a 1-point rule will
do fine). The guarantee overcomes resistance and should really
pop out of your letter.
5. Am I
including a P.S? The humble postscript, sitting beneath
the signature, can have a tremendous effect on the power of your
letter. Copy research proves it. For example, René Gnam, a
fellow
direct mail specialist, reports the following results . . . He did
a split
run test where one letter contained a postscript. The other letter
was
identical except that the postscript copy was moved to the last
paragraph above the signature. That was the only variable.
The result?
The mailing with the P.S. outpulled the non-P.S.
letter by three to one! (You can find out more about
René Gnam at his
terrific Web site: http://www.ReneGnam.com)
David Ogilvy,
the founder of Ogilvy & Mather advertising, has
stated that postscripts can actually double response. My personal
experience confirms these observations.
More down
the road!
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About Ivan Levison
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I'm a freelance
direct response copywriter who works for high
technology companies like Adobe, Apple, Claris, Hewlett-Packard,
Intuit, Intel, Microsoft, Netscape, and many others. (Terrific small
companies too!) I write direct response sales letters, e-mail letters,
Web pages, and ads.
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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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Copyright 1999, by Ivan Levison, All Rights Reserved.
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