By Meryljr on 02/13/2013
Try testing a new call-to-action. According to Hubspot by changing the design of your call-to-action, you can improve your click-through rates by 1300% (or more!)
Four ideas to try are:
1. Use different copy. For example, instead of “Learn More” try “See How XX Works”:
2. Add a drop shadow:
3. Use a different color or texture:
4. Add an arrow and even change the shape:
**KEEP IN MIND ** When you are testing, a button needs to look like button.
Also do not create any long buttons along the bottom. People will think it’s a footer not a button.
Posted in Email Tip
By Meryljr on 01/23/2013
The artist and organizer in me is always looking for ways to make things attractive and neat. But if there is one thing that I learned over my years as a Creative Director specializing in direct mail, pretty and organized is not always what gets the highest response.
Years ago when I worked at Time‘s Consumer Marketing Department — when sweepstakes were a driving force in obtaining subscriptions — I was reviewing the control. It was the most disorganized mailing I’d ever seen! Place this sticker somewhere to get the extra 10,000 dollar bonus… place another sticker on some other form to get the free gift… here’s a list of your prizes, but if you want this specific prize then check a box, etc…. BUT IT WORKED! Why? Because the customer was thinking: “If I could figure this out, I really might be a winner.”
This disorganization was true for this particular sweepstakes package, but it’s not necessarily the true for the direct response pieces we mail today. Each kind of piece draws its own emotional response from the customer. To find out what elicits that response in your customer, you must follow the direct mail mantra: Test, test, test.
Posted in Direct Mail, Looking at Design
By Meryljr on 01/08/2013
Beginning this month there are new rules from the USPS for Folded Self-Mailers (FSMs), which mail without envelopes.
The changes are:
1. SIZE
Acceptable sizes for FSMs are 4-1/4” x 6” up to 6-1/8” x 10-1/2”.
Previously, the largest dimension was 11-1/2”.
2. SETUP
All FSMs must open at the top and fold at the bottom. No longer can they open either at the top or the bottom.
3. SEALS
FSMs must be sealed closed using glue spots or non-perforated wafer seals. Now we must use translucent paper seals.
Posted in Direct Mail
By Meryljr on 07/18/2011
Here’s a piece I designed for Newsweek. Very basic, but take note of the barcodes that I circled in red. They are an important design element of the piece. It makes the form worth something more. It’s saying this is a special access form, and your so lucky to have received it. BTW, the barcodes are just art that plays no role other than decoration.
Posted in Direct Mail, Direct Mail Tip, Order Form | Tagged barcodes, direct mail
By Meryljr on 04/28/2011
Designer: Meryl Randman; Writer: Patrick Donoghue
Here are two emails, both with the images off. If you were to click “images on” (show content), the email on the bottom is “prettier”. This fits perfectly into my argument that good design is not always the prettier designed. I would say that the one on top is the better design. The message is clear and direct from the moment the email is opened. No need to turn images on to get a quick positive response.
Posted in Email Tip | Tagged email creative, show content
By Meryljr on 03/27/2011
Coupons are effective.
Consider these points from http://smallbusinessbonfire.com/blog:
1. Coupons are time-based and encourage fast action.
2. Coupons offer an immediate benefit.
3. Coupons can push on-the-fence purchasers toward making a purchase.
4. Coupons can give previous purchasers a reason to purchase again.
5. The success of your coupons can be measured and tracked.
When considering creative there are certain design elements that scream out “This is a coupon”.
1. A dashed rectangular frame. Especially with the word save in it.
2. Small scissors touching the border
3. Layout placement—
• Traditional media such as ads and inserts in a corner of a page for easy cutting (or tearing).
• In direct mail I opt for a separate buckslip.
• For email, placement it’s best on the top portion so it is seen as soon as the email is opened.
4. A gift card look
Can you think of anything else?
Posted in Direct Mail, Looking at Design | Tagged Coupons, design elements, reasons to use coupons
By Meryljr on 02/10/2011
Are mailing oversize postcards worth the additional expense?
Oversize postcards stand out more in the mailbox. But are they really more effective than smaller postcards? Read more about this here.
Posted in Direct Mail, Postcards | Tagged direct mail, Oversized postcards
By Meryljr on 01/18/2011
Here is an easy trick to check U.S. letter mail aspect ratio. Just divide the width of your envelope or postcard by the height. If your results are great than 1.3 and less than 2.5 you are good.
Why is letter mail aspect ratio important? It’s the key to getting the lowest postage rate, by ensuring the package can run through the USPS automated mailing equipment. When considering the aspect ratio you must also follow the sizing guidelines from the USPS.
Please use this as a guide only. To make sure that your documents follow the proper sizing guidelines check with your local post office.
Posted in Direct Mail, Direct Mail Tip, Postcards | Tagged direct mail, letter aspect ratio, letter sizes, U.S. Mail
By Meryljr on 01/11/2011
From time to time clients tell me they would like to send out an email to get new customers. I ask them about their email list and they tell me they are going to purchase one or they have been compiling a list of names. Of course you can send out an email from a purchased list or a compiled one, but will it work? Probably not as well as one will have hoped for. Why? Because you are not familiar to them. A key component to making your email list effective is having a relationship with the people on your list. An excellent way to do this is with a newsletter. Martina Iring wrote a excellent post on this, titled “The Greedy Email Collector” on the blog Martina’s Marketing Musings. On this post she writes:
“Many small businesses make the mistake of putting up the email sign-up form solely for their own purpose. They rub their hands together in anticipation for the new product launch they will have down the road and how they will be able to promote the hell out of it with their email list. Until then, well… nothing. Nada. No informative emails. No interesting articles.
What’s wrong with the above? Well, when your peeps finally do get an email from you, and it’s all about promotion (or whatever it is that you want them to do for your gain, whether it’s fill out a survey, or donate, whatever), they’re not going to be nearly as receptive as if you had warmed them up and made them love you with great content and useful sh**. They might even feel used. The result? Your promotion won’t get the impact you would have hoped for. Or you’ll get unsubscribers. Or, people won’t even remember who the hell you are cause they signed up so long ago, and you’ll be marked as spam (and this is really bad).”
Therefore consider creating a newsletter to develop a relationship with your email subscribers. It can help maximize your email marketing campaigns.
Posted in Direct Mail | Tagged communication skills, consumer relations, email marketing, email newsletters
By Meryljr on 01/06/2011
I recently received this envelope, which looks like a package due to the label and kraft color, from a credit card company in the mail. Upon touching it I felt some padding inside. It certainly piqued my curiosity. Is there something special inside for me? I opened the envelope just to find a prominent credit card offer and some bubble wrap. The package look and bubble wrap was certainly a good idea to get someone to open the envelope. However, the question is was the offer strong enough to get people to act?
Posted in Direct Mail | Tagged envelopes
By Meryljr on 01/03/2011
Remember getting a letter in the mail with a coin in it? Here’s an article that supports doing that again.
http://goo.gl/rfMNY
Posted in Direct Mail | Tagged coin trick, direct mail
By Meryljr on 12/28/2010
Campaign monitor has a blog posting titled 3 Simple Ways to Optimize Your Email Campaign Results. I encourage you to read it. Here is the link http://goo.gl/1dPDT.
The author of the post talks about and shows examples of
1. A/B splits (If you don’t know what this is click here)
2. Subject lines
3. Using simple animation in emails, as oppose to just one static image
Posted in Direct Mail | Tagged A/B Splits, animated images, subject line
