FOUR BASIC DIRECT-MARKETING SKILLS

According to Jay Conrad Levinson, the guru of guerrilla marketing, there are four basic direct-marketing skills that all marketers must know.

1.     “The skill to write captivating opening lines. Recognize the crucial importance of the first line of copy, indeed, the whole first paragraph. If they don’t invite your readers to read on, you’ve probably lost the sale. A prospect might read at least a single paragraph. After that, you’re on your own. It’s all up to the offer and ideas expressed in paragraph one.

 2.     The skill to harness the power of a potent Post Script. Remember that it is almost as widely read as the opening line. Make your PS a restatement of your offer, your prime benefit, your main idea, a request to order right now, or even something esoteric that requires reading the rest of the letter for details. But whatever you do, don’t leave out a PS for any reason.

 3.     The skill to state your thought with brevity. That doesn’t mean a brief letter, but brief elements within it.

 4.     The skill to be different and better, not just different. Although guerrillas might test postcards, new media, unique packages and other direct-marketing innovations, they love the economy and track record of the classic package. “

 As ADR providers, one of our most powerful direct marketing pieces is the personal letter. In an age of texts, emails, and tweets, it's more important than ever to take the time to hand write your thank you notes, hand address your correspondence and make the mailing piece as personal as possible. We’re dealing with people and their personal problems, conflicts, and worries. A personally addressed piece of mail relays to the recipient that you think about each client individually and go the extra mile to achieve high quality communication.