Is There Really an Ad Technique That Will Pull a High Response Consistently? Yes, There is--And Now Marianne Hunter Shows You How to Use it.
By Marianne Hunter
It's true--I have no bombs. There is a technique that always gets responses. On the rare occasion that an ad didn't do well, I know that it was either sent to the wrong people, or it didn't get the circulation promised. I'm going to show you exactly what to do and how you can do it with ANY of your own offers.
The "technique" is really no big secret. It's just a combination of ingredients that, when mixed together, produce terrific results. So here it is:
1. Quality--Never publish a sloppy-looking ad. Your ad must show quality at first sight, even before a prospect has a chance to read it. You must catch their eye in the first place. In mail order, your printed materials are all that anyone can judge your credibility by. You're not going to look very prosperous with a badly designed, over-copied ad. The couple of dollars you saved by not having your ad professionally created, could end up making the investment you've already made in your offer, a total waste of money.2. Offer--The biggest tip to getting great responses to ANY offer is to give them something FREE. It doesn't matter what your offer is, you can get creative and figure out some way of giving them something that is related to your offer, won't cost you much, and at the same time, drastically increases the amount of responses you receive.
3. Value--When prospects respond, be sure that the "freebie" you're giving away is as you advertised it to be. If the customer feels that it has no value, this of course will reduce the number of sales in the end. If they like what you've sent them, you've earned their trust, and they'll be much more inclined to trust you with their money.
4. Prospects--"Super Qualify" your prospect by giving enough information in your one-inch ad so that only people who are truly interested in your offer will respond to it. You'll make more sales with less work that way.
So there you have it--a simple, yet powerful recipe. Next, let's look at a few actual sample ads and why they work. As you read, think about how you can adapt the information to your own offers.
SAMPLE #1--FREE! OVER 100 CLIP ART SAMPLES! Created exclusively for mail order dealers. Excellent quality and a super value. Shipped flat. Part of a new collection. Send 3 stamps for P&H and they're yours!
Do you see how the prospects are narrowed down and their concerns are eliminated? We've told them first of all what we're offering, which is Clip Art. Next, we've assured them that these are clean, crisp copies (shipped flat), so they know they won't be ordering junk. They've also been informed that these are new creations, so they won't be getting the same old stuff that's been kicking around for 20 years, and also, that they're part of a larger collection and that they've been designed exclusively for mail order dealers.
The bottom line? If they're not in mail order, and not interested in clip art, they won't respond, and I'll not have wasted my time on people who have no need or clue what they're sending for. The people who respond to this ad have been highly qualified--and all in just a one-inch space. They're in mail order, want clip art, and know that they'll receive top quality clips that I value enough to mail flat and not folded in a little envelope. They won't be annoyed when they see that I want them to buy my whole collection, because after seeing the samples, I'm hoping that they WILL want more.
Now when they receive their package from me, they receive a thank you note for making the effort to order the samples, two pages of (as promised) clean, quality copies of usable graphics, a copy of the "Colossal Clip Art Collection," a Dealership flyer, and a return envelope so it's easy for them to order.
SAMPLE #2--FREE MAIL ORDER FORMS! Part of the new "Never-Ending Note Kit 2001." 25 notes & forms in all! Top quality and hot designs. You won't find a kit like this anywhere! Free dealership, too. Send two stamps for 6 free C/R samples and details today!
Again, they've been told exactly what they can expect: new mail order forms that they can't get anywhere else, top quality, and information on the complete collection & dealership opportunity. Responders are interested in mail order forms, and a new dealership to make money with. When they order their forms, I send them a thank you note and cover letter, describing the rest of the collection, 6 clean, camera ready forms with instructions and ideas as to what they can use them for, and the "Never-Ending Note Kit 2001" circular with dealership information.
SAMPLE #3--FREE REPORT! This One's a "MUST HAVE." Brand New--Three Info-Packed Pages! "Things You Must Know Before Joining ANY Money-Making Program." Get your copy today! Send this ad and 2 stamps to.....
Here's an example of a different twist on recruiting members into your MLM or mail order program. Actually, I'm trying to get them to join a program, but through the back door instead of blatantly telling them about the benefits of the program like everyone else is. But--they still won't feel like they've been conned or manipulated when they receive their free report, because it really is three info-packed pages of information valuable to anyone who is trying to make a decision. It covers all the types of opportunities available, what's involved, which ones are illegal or scams, and much more. Only when they get to the end are they asked to consider joining with us in ours. Again, even though that is my real intent, I have made sure that my prospect gets a quality freebie, loaded with the information they were looking for when they responded to my ad. At the end of the report, they will be much more informed whether they decide to join our program or not.
Whether you sell mail lists, advertising, reports, opportunities, ad design, or anything else offered in mail order, there is always a way for you to figure out how to give them something free. You will increase your responses, and in turn your bottom line. Remember, there are thousands of dealers out there--many of them are selling the same things that you are--so get creative and think of as many ways as you can to STAND OUT!
Marianne Hunter specializes in ad design, printing and marketing ideas. She is also the prime source for several kits and dealerships designed for the mail order community. If you would like to receive any of the free offers in this article, send your request and applicable stamps to:
- Muchmore Marketing
- P.O. Box 50027
- Reno, NV 89513
Tell Marianne you read this article, and she'll throw in yet ANOTHER freebie for you! You may also fax any questions to Marianne at: (775) 351-1033.
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