Seven Ways to Boost Direct Mail Response

Folio: The Magazine for Magazine Management, May, 2001 by Gene Sittenfeld

Proven techniques-from testing order-form details to selectively using lists-can revive direct mail performance.

Circulation headaches- waning agent orders, dismal single-copy sales and out-of-control direct mail costs-have been pounding the publishing industry with full-force intensity lately. And while some relief may be waiting in the wings-in the form of continuous service, partnership marketing and Internet sales-publishers are still struggling to keep circulation numbers afloat in the short term. That means squeezing every last subscription out of existing and proven sources. So until the next breakthrough comes along, this collection of ideas should help enliven direct mail response.

1 Stress subscriber benefits. It doesn't matter how many awards your title has on its trophy shelf, and few people really care how many years you've been publishing. So resist the temptation to spotlight that information. What matters is how your prospects will benefit from reading your title. Will it help them save money, save time, find a better job, or play better golf? How your magazine will improve the potential reader's life is a message that you must hammer home in your direct mail pitch.

2 Test order-form details. There are several techniques to think about testing here: "Please respond by" are three words that can deliver a dramatic lift in response by making the offer more urgent for the prospect. This technique also works with invoices and renewals.

The phrase "send no money" will affect both gross and net response-you'll get more orders using this phrase, but lower payup. Just be sure not to confuse "send no money" with "bill me later." With "bill me later," the readers are making a commitment of payment and thinking of the value as they order, while "send no money" influences people to order the subscription and then consider the value at the time they receive the invoice.

Speaking of winning tests, are you testing legal wording for the day when "free issue" offers go the way of the sweeps? In 1998, a lawsuit against Time Inc., which claimed that use of the word "free" in "free trial offer" was misleading, was thrown out in California Superior Court. But you still need to be careful. (By offering a free issue and sending only 11 more if they subscribe, the free issue isn't really free at all-it's free only to the people who cancel.) Circulators are testing phrases such as "send me your next issue," "send me your next issue and enter my subscription for..." and "send me a sample issue," but the search is still on for the next big phrase.

3 Choose list segments carefully. Unique segment choices have multiplied in the past five years. So carefully consider all your options and use slice-and-dice list rental tactics to your advantage. For example, think about omitting students if your title is priced on the high side. City and regional books can rent change-of-address names from other magazines, and business magazines can rent four-line addresses. You can also rent doctor's office lists, and you can select male or female lists. If you're using a soft offer, consider looking for readers who paid their credit orders from other publications.

4 Try different mailing techniques. Alternative mailings worth considering include "second-wave" mailings, such as a reminder postcard two weeks after mailings for expires and multibuyers, and "welcome back" mailings for expires, which can outpull the original mailer to which the subscriber responded. A second-wave mailing can pull about 50 percent of the original. A welcome back package or postcard can also work as a very late renewal effort, and will cost less than any new direct mail package.

5 Stress added value. If you publish "best of or directory issues, be sure you hype this added value. Weeklies or publications with numerous special issues stand the most from stressing the perissue price rather than the total cost of the subscription. Any time you can compare a low sub price to a high single-copy price, you will increase response.

6 Work harder to close the deal. We know that prospective subscribers spend about 20 seconds considering the original solicitation; is it any wonder that payup is suffering in our business? Consider these three simple techniques to maximize your payup: a quick first issue, an invoice right after that and, most important, an accurate description of your product in the direct mail piece.

Finally, test hotline mailings every 90 days for the latest names on file. You may pay more for a lower mail quantity, but if you mail more often, you will suffer less if there is a poor mailing result.

A full direct mail test can be very costly. But in circulation, everyone knows you have to spend money to make money, so fight to get the testing dollars you'll need. Testing can cut costs overall, which can be can be just as profitable as receiving more income.

Gene Sittenfeld is the president of Rockville, Maryland-based Gene Sittenfeld Director Marketing.