How long have you been sending out the same marketing collateral and direct marketing letters? Are response rates starting to dip? Maybe it’s time to mix things up. Here are five ideas to jump-start your marketing campaigns and get people moving on your offers again.

1. Change Up Your Envelope

Use the same envelope every time and it will start losing its effectiveness. Change sizes. Change the color. Add a personalized message (“Special Offer Just for Bob Jones!”) on the outside of the envelope, or test a handwriting font. Using faux Express Mail designs can be effective too.

2. Add A Reply Form

Reply forms tend to be the most common way for people to respond to offers. If you aren’t using a reply form, consider adding one. If you are using reply forms, try prefilling them with your customer’s contact information. The fewer steps people must take to respond, the more likely they are to do it.

3. Freshen Up Your Marketing Letter

Still using last year’s wording in your marketing letters? Write a new letter. Or just try a new opening paragraph. Change the level of detail. If your letter is short, try adding more detail to grab attention. If your letter is highly detailed, try shortening it up to highlight only specific points.

4. Change Your Offer

If you want more responses, try changing or strengthening your offer. All things being equal, marketing experts say that the best offer you can make is a free trial. The second best is a money-back guarantee. If your current offer is working but you just want to freshen it up a little, try turning a yes/no offer into a “yes/maybe” offer. Make “yes” a purchase and “maybe” a request for more information.

5. Add A Time Limit

Time limits are powerful motivators. Use a personalized message on the outside of the envelope (“Charley, offer expires in 10 days!”) or create a piece of art that looks like you’ve rubber-stamped the time limit across the top of the letter. Time limits also give you an excuse to send a follow-up. “Joan, your offer is set to expire. Respond now!”

If you are going to make changes, be sure to test them to see which ones are most effective. Create control groups to compare current designs or offers with the previous ones. By testing design, content, and offer changes, you begin learning what really motivates your audience. Then roll those things back into your next campaign and watch your results soar! Need ideas? Contact us.