2. Direct mail is one of the world's venerable advertising
systems, a spin-off from the text-heavy ads that used to
appear in magazines. Reduced to almost a pure science
through obsessive list management and refined
copywriting techniques, it remains an amazingly
effective means of branding, acquisition and retention.
(Look no further than Citibank, who distributes tens of
billions of acquisition pieces every year.)
3. Advertising agencies know what works and what
doesn't. Those who deal in producing direct mail often
specialize in direct mail, and they have teams of writers,
creative directors and designers working in tandem to
produce exhaustive campaigns.
5. For the lonely freelancer who may not have agency
experience, there are some guides to get your design off
the ground and help your client see strong results.
7. A consumer opening an envelope to find a sheet of
white paper with blocks of small black text is an
invitation to the circular file. Consider using colored type
in the headlines. Try borders, gradients, even pictures if
the design is full-color. It will make the piece look
decidedly more "direct mail," but 99.99% of the time,
the consumer knew that opening the letter anyway.
9. To make the piece a bit more interesting, and if you can
squeeze a few more dollars out of the budget, try going
beyond 8.5"x11". Maybe smaller is better -- 7"x10"? Or
push larger -- go legal size and spread things out a bit
more.
11. This point is really split. First, make headline copy
interesting and second, make the body copy ultra-readable.
Readability is absolutely imperative -- people
need to pick up the paper and quickly understand the
material just by scanning. Making the reader squint,
turn the paper sideways, or generally forcing them to
think about the words will put them off quickly. Serif
fonts are best for readability in the body. Keep the point
size decent, around 11 or 12, with generous leading to
help scanning without interference.
12. 4. Bullet the Points. Break up paragraphs with short,
bulleted points highlighting the features and benefits.
Readers will absorb this material better than
paragraphs.
13. 5. Break It. If the document goes front and back, break
the copy in the middle of a sentence. This helps iterate
that there's more to read, and makes them more
inclined to keep reading.
14. 6. Vary the text. Use italics and bolds to highlight key
terms. Don't go too crazy with this one -- maybe three or
four bolds at most.
15. 7. Make the ending PostScript copy large and readable.
17. 8. Lose the Clipart. Unless a picture directly reinforces a
major point in the copy, avoid it. Don't use random
shinies or tacky clipart. It detracts from what matters
(the copy) and can confuse the masses. Save the stock
photography for your next PowerPoint presentation.
18. 9. Be careful in the placement of logos. If it works with
the headline, or if it is for a household company
(Microsoft, Johnson & Johnson), it may be appropriate
on the front. However, the logo or letterhead cannot
compete with the headline, since the headline -- and not
the logo -- will lead the reader into the body copy.
20. For projects like this, content is king. This is important to
understand. Even the best design can't save bad copy,
and the best copy can't save a bad headline.
21. There are also many, many important points about
copywriting for direct mail letters that designers should
be aware of. Short sentences, short words, crisp and
clear language, a clear call to action (very important)
and copy that shows the benefits to the consumer, not
tells them about the company, are all very important. If
you're freelancing, you may often find yourself asked to
proofread or edit copy, and raising concerns to the client
before the piece is launched will benefit them far more
than having the project fail in the real world.
22. As a designer, your job is not copywriting. But remaining
aware of what constitutes successful sales copy will only
enhance your delivered product.
28. Crafting effective letters needs something I like to call
"ninja design." The design should enhance the writing
but submit to clarity; the design should make the reader
notice the content, not the avant-garde color palette
and complicated headline font. It should be invisible
when present but conspicuously absent when removed.
It should be used to sell, but not glorify.
