TRANSCRIPT:

This is Stuart Webb. Breakthrough Growth Expert, author, founder and CEO of The Complete Approach with another of my one take vlogs, all the mistakes stay in.

You’ll notice as the months progress, that I am an advocate of using direct mail to grow any business. Of course, it’s important you use online tactics and strategies too, but NOT at the expense of ditching direct mail. And, in my experience, there’s never been a better time to use direct mail to reach your potential clients, customers or patients or existing ones. Fewer people are using direct mail in favour of online tactics and strategies and therefore the competition for getting your mail opened is virtually zero. 

Compare that with the average person receiving 152 emails per day (DM News). Therefore, in this blog, I want to touch on a ‘secret’ strategy which works irrespective of the product or service you sell. I’ll show you how you too can apply this easy-to-use tactic and help you increase the response to ANY mailing campaign. 

So what exactly is it?

This amazing tactic is known as a ‘Lift Letter’. Aptly named, as it almost always increases response, the Lift Letter is a short letter written by a third party (customer, usually) which reinforces the reason why the recipient should respond or buy.

Typically, it is inserted into another envelope with the words ‘Only Open This If You Have Decided NOT To Respond (or Buy)’. And as long as it is created correctly (and I’ll show you how in this blog) you can expect to lift the response of any campaign by 25% or more.

However, your original mailing must be generating some kind of response for the Lift Letter to work. It cannot save a mailing that currently generates zero results. But as long as your mailing is already working (no matter how well) – the Lift Letter has the ability to raise your response — and that’s the icing on the cake for you! 

Let’s take a look at what you need to include in your Lift Letter…

1. Insert Into Another Envelope

I mentioned above it is best to insert the letter into another envelope within your mailing campaign. You should use a different stock for the envelope (from the outer envelope you use for your whole mailing) and on the front you should print the following words…

“Only Open If You Have Decided NOT To Reply/Respond/Buy”

…most people will open the envelope (even if they have decided to respond or buy).

Whilst the letter should reinforce the benefits of responding or buying, it must be expressed differently to those listed in the main letter.

2. It Should Be From A Third Party

Ideally, the letter should be signed by a third party (i.e. NOT YOURSELF).

The best third party to use is an existing client, customer or patient. You would simply draft the letter and agree its content with the customer.

3. Reinforce The Benefits Of Responding/Buying

What’s important is the content of the Lift Letter is clearly seen to be written by a third party in their own style—so it creates an impartial feel to it.

4. Use A Different Font

Don’t use the same font for the Lift Letter as you have for the main letter. It’s something I’ll cover in a later issue but, interestingly, tests have proven that the best font to use for your main letter is Courier (followed by any other serif-type font —Times New Roman, Bookman Old Style, etc.). So if your main letter is in Courier, your Lift Letter should be in another serif font such as Times New Roman.

5. Include The Following Core Elements (go back to my blog post on the formula for details)

1. Irresistible Offer

2. Differentiator

3. Features & Benefits

4. Guarantee

5. Call To Action

As long as your letter reinforces the above elements (remember, they will all be in the main letter as well), it will perform at a very high level.

6. Use The Third-Party Signature

It is important that you use the actual signature of the third party and include their full name, company name (if relevant) and location (at the very least).

7. Don’t Use Any Formatting Techniques 

This is the one occasion when I recommend you don’t use formatting techniques such as bold, underline, italics, etc. You want it to be clear that the letter comes from a third party and, since your main letter will be using these formatting techniques, it again positions your Lift Letter very differently to it.

8. Focus On Your Desired Result

The Lift Letter (like your main letter — and any other marketing piece you create) must be focused on achieving the main objective. For example, if your mailing is written to generate a no-obligation meeting, then your Lift Letter must be written to echo this objective. Nothing else is important.

9. Don’t Introduce Anything New Into The Letter

Although your Lift Letter should express the main elements differently to the main letter, you shouldn’t include anything new in it. For example, don’t add any extra bonuses — otherwise you’ll destroy the effect you’re trying to create (that the Lift Letter is written by the customer — or whoever you choose).

As long as you apply these 9 steps, your Lift Letter will have a significant effect on your results!

Do you need help with this? Ask for a Scientific Marketing Makeover with the link below