A couple of weeks have passed since the last post in this series, but the key components used in direct mail are timeless! In our first post we looked at how proper use of headlines, Johnson boxes and CTAs are essential to successful direct mail campaigns. This time, we’ll investigate important strategic components that can be used to strengthen the content and context of your direct marketing.
The FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions)
First, a quick history lesson: The Q&A format of Matthew Hopkins’ 1647 The Discovery of Witches is an example of how FAQs are nothing new. More recent development began on NASA’s pre-Internet network, where new users kept posting the same questions on the system’s limited storage.
In direct mail: FAQs are brief answers to common questions, typically found on the backs of letters or on inserts. They’re where potential customers go to have their curiosities and concerns addressed immediately, without the need for a conversation with a representative. During a time when people crave the instant gratification of bite-sized information nuggets, FAQ pages are becoming increasingly more important.
However, despite this importance, there are several ways for FAQs to fall short, as you’ll note if you read through to the end of the link in our history lesson above. Seeing the Q&A section as “an opportunity to convince cautious buyers” can help you avoid FAQ pitfalls and in turn, increase responses. With FAQs rife with persuading power, it’s no wonder they’re so commonly used in mail packages. Check out how else you can make FAQs work in your favor.
The Testimonials
According to Kerry Segrave’s Endorsements in Advertising, in 1666, a doctor included in his book patients’ accounts of how their ailments were cured by just the stroke of the doctor’s healing hand. The doctor turned out to be a phony, but nevertheless, testimonials had been born!
In direct mail: Testimonials are used to help build a potential customer’s confidence in what’s being offered. Though they may have sprung from deceitful origins, testimonial advertising is meant to portray a real customer’s truthful endorsement of a product or service.
A form of “social proof”: Testimonials are a chance to give prospective customers a glimpse of how their lives could be better and are considered very strong marketing tools. In fact, studies have shown that the use of testimonials has an 89% effectiveness rating, the highest of any other content marketing tactic, beating out social media and mobile content. To maximize performance, it’s crucial that testimonials are done right, such as by tailoring the selections for your target audience and choosing ones that speak about benefits rather than features.
The P.S. Line
Short for post scriptum, which is Latin for “written after,” the P.S. line was first used during a time when letters were written by hand and afterthoughts could not easily be edited into the body of the piece.
In advertising mail, the P.S. line serves the important function of offering up a final thought before the consumer puts the letter down. It’s used to reiterate and highlight something already addressed in the body copy and should never introduce new information. This can be a reminder to the reader about the offer itself as well as an opportunity to mention the deadline again, i.e. “P.S. Don’t delay! Save $50 by signing up before May 31st.”
Described by author Shaun Usher as “the wink you give as you walk away,” the P.S. line has the power to be one of the most effective sections of your piece. And with research showing that 79% of people reading the letter actually look at the P.S. line first—making it the first and last impression—it’s important to get it right. Kathryn Aragon shows just how to craft the perfect P.S. line to engage the reader and drive response.
Stay Tuned for More!
While FAQs, testimonials and P.S. lines are proven to be effective tools, they may not fit into every mail package that you do and it’s important to assess whether your letters could benefit from them. For example, FAQs and testimonials are helpful for new prospects who may be unfamiliar with the product or service being offered, and a P.S. line may not fit well into a less promotional letter. But with these elements tucked into your DM tool box, you’re sure to be ready when they’re needed.
And if you think you’re done packing away all the components you need for your next direct mailpiece, we’re just getting started. Stay tuned for Part 3, where we’ll discuss how certain visual components of a letter package help organize content for maximum reader engagement.
