Copywriting for direct mail

Introduction

Fundraisers are copywriters. Direct Mail needs copywriting skills. The following is taken from Patrick Quinn's Copywriting Manual. You can purchase your own hard copy of the book described by Patrick as 'a workbook'. It lays out the nuts and bolts of copywriting, and then shows you how to assemble them via tried-and-tested methods.

If you wish to receive a copy (135 pages) please telephone UK on 01721 730 350 and his address is One-to-One, Cowieslinn, Eddleston, Peebleshire, EH45 8QZ. Cost is approximately £30 at the time of going to press. Please tell him that you got the address from Alba Fundraising Ltd.

Writing direct mail

You'll probably agree that much of the sales material, which decants through your letterbox, leaves you with the feeling that when you've seen one, you've seen them all.

A sales letter would not be a rambling, round-the-houses document spiced, here and there, with natty little phrases, which appeal mightily to the writer. Nor, indeed, that a letter should be of a strictly precise length, with deliberately included key words, and special phrases underlined.

The message cannot be transmitted unless you have a properly constituted marketing strategy. Who are you trying to sell to? Why are you trying to sell to him? Given their social status and economic background - what appeals to them?

The clearer the message, the greater will be the response. Not forgetting clarity combined with freshness and originality.

Tips for writing sales letters

1. In normal conversation, we all tend to intersperse our dialogue with words and phrases that serve no real purpose. Therefore whilst the best of copy should sound rather like one old crony talking to another old crony over a pint, the 'write the way you speak' school of copywriting should keep itself within reasonable limits.
2. Stay away from long obscure words.
3. Don't overwrite. A sales letter should be as long, or as short, as the message and commonness dictates. But that long and no longer.
4. Eye catchers. A mailer with a headline appended usually goes better than one without. Similarly, letters with indented paragraphs and important phrases picked out in bold type generally pull a larger response. Events so, bear in mind that when you emphasise everything, you emphasise nothing.
5. Write to one specific reader. Talk to him personally. Tell the reader what you expect of him. I have written hundreds, maybe thousands of sales letters; and in every case I've used the characteristics of a friend or an acquaintance, which most closely resembles the profile of the target market, as my mind-picture 'reader'.
6. Men and women, you may be surprised to learn, are different. Women have stronger likes and dislikes than men, much stronger. Men like to have proof of our claims, women far less so. Women also have far more feeling for their fellow beings - particularly children. Indeed, they actually like children, whereas most men can take them or leave them.
7. Envelopes - to print or not to print. These days, people are wary of envelopes that are overprinted with a message. Overprinting screams mail shot!

Notes

Writing a direct mail letter is no different from writing a press ad. Certainly, you have more room to manoeuvre with a letter.

Keep sentences short and to the point. And don't be sparing with the paragraphs.

Patrick Quinn runs a series of exercises each containing 3 projects for you to work on to firm up your skills. Our project is assessed in writing. One of the exercise topics is Direct Mail. Contact him on the address in the introduction if you are interested (Price £35 per exercise).