Your Site is all Direct Marketing
This may not be a popular view, but I think writing a web site is very similar to writing a piece of direct mail. I'm not talking about smash-and-grab fliers. I'm talking about those large mailings with brochures, a four or eight-page letter and a reply card.
And no, I'm not saying that the experience or the approach is identical. There are numerous differences too. But the similarities are significant, and can guide us in how we write for the web.
Here are some similarities:
1. We can guess that our conversion rate will be pretty low. In the area of one to two percent. More, if we do a good job.
2. We have very little control over the sequence in which people will read the information we provide.
With a direct mail piece, people might start with the letter, or the brochure. And who knows where their attention will settle first within either one. You never really know which part of a direct mail brochure people will read first. And the same goes for a web site. (If you have ever sat in on a web site usability test, you know what I mean. Sometimes it's hard to figure out why people choose particular links or pathways through a site.)
3. We know we are losing readers at every stage of the process and have to write in a way that is clear, engaging and compelling.
This is very true for both direct mail and web sites. Of the hundred people who start reading, we will lose the interest and attention of almost all of them before the 'task' is completed.
4. We can identify significant 'danger points' when it comes to losing a reader.
In a direct mail piece we know we lose readers at the end of pages...at the end of page one of a four-page letter for instance. Or after someone has completed reading a page in a brochure.
Online, we know we are losing readers when they read or skim a page and don't click forward one step closer to completing a task.
5. We know that we lose a significant number of people at the point of completing an application or purchase. They get that far and then back away at the last moment. This is very true for both direct mail and the web.
Now for one very significant difference between direct mail writers and web writers.
Direst mail copywriters KNOW all this and write accordingly.
- A direct marketing copywriter pays very close attention to the end of each page in a letter, writing in a way to pull people forward to the next page.
- A direct marketing copywriter looks through years of test results to write an application or purchase form that will yield the best results. (As does the DM designer.)
- A direct marketing copywriter writes in a way that is deliberately and carefully both compelling and informative.
A complex product takes several pages to sell. Knowing that, a copywriter needs to cover a lot of information for readers with a very fragile level of attention. The writer has to write in a way that is fluid, engaging, informative and persuasive.
- A direct marketing copywriter knows that key benefits and offers need to be repeated throughout the package. When you know that most readers don't read every word, you need to repeat key messages so that everyone gets to read them more than once.
What's my point?
I have two points to make.
First, there is a degree of sophistication in writing good direct mail that is rarely evident online yet. DM writers understand the nature of their medium and their readers in minute detail. At least, the good ones do.
However, online, while the quality of writers may be good, the sophistication with which they apply their craft just can't compete right now.
For instance, it's very rare to find a web page where you can see how carefully the writer and designer have worked together to maximize the number of people who click forward to another page.
In time, all this will change. It's just a factor of the relative immaturity of the online medium.
My second point is that DM copywriters live or die by results. Every single day. And to give themselves the best chance of success, they study the successful work of others, and they obsess over test results. DM marketers test everything and are always learning.
This is the second element that hasn't got up to speed online. It's so easy to test everything and anything online. We should be doing more of that and adding to our knowledge of what works best in given situations.
By way of wrapping this up, online writers can learn a great deal from DM writers. (The same is true for online designers, who can learn a lot from DM designers.)
Both media depend on action, repeated actions ? whether it is paper pages being turned or links being clicked.
Good DM writers are masters at driving action. We should learn more from them.
Nick Usborne is a copywriter, author, speaker and advocat of good writing. You can access all his archived newsletter articles on copywriting and writing for the web at his Excess Voice site. You'll find more articles and resources on how to make money as a freelance writer at his Freelance Writing Success site.
 Google News Updated : Fri, 05 Sep 2008 14:05:39 GMT In Long-Awaited Maps of Cancer, The Breakthrough Is the Problem - Wall Street Journal Wall Street Journal - By GAUTAM NAIK After struggling for years to improve the treatment of cancer, scientists now hope to fight the disease with the help of the same techniques that deciphered the human genome eight years ago: mapping it. What You Need to Know About Mapping the Cancer Genome Data on defective genes make tailored remedies possible Publ.Date : Fri, 05 Sep 2008 04:01:28 GMT PIECING TOGETHER A PLEA How the deal got done - Detroit Free Press
Detroit Free Press - BY JOE SWICKARD • FREE PRESS STAFF WRITER • September 5, 2008 Prosecutors rolled Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick's plea deal into court Thursday praying the wheels wouldn't fall off. Detroit Mayor Acknowledges 'Poor Judgment' Detroit mayor pleads guilty, to leave office Publ.Date : Fri, 05 Sep 2008 07:57:24 GMT Lavrov rejects Cheney's attack on Russia - CNN International
CNN International - By CNN's Matthew Chance MOSCOW, Russia (CNN) -- Russia on Friday rejected sharp criticism by US Vice President Dick Cheney that its intervention in Georgia raises doubts about Moscow's reliability as an international partner. Video: Cheney Slams Russia for War Against Georgia Russia says Cheney fanning Georgian aggression Publ.Date : Fri, 05 Sep 2008 12:45:40 GMT Nokia Forecasts Drop in Third-Quarter Market Share (Update1) - Bloomberg
Bloomberg - By Juho Erkheikki Sept. 5 (Bloomberg) -- Nokia Oyj, the world's biggest maker of mobile phones, forecast a drop in third-quarter market share after competitors slashed prices and a new handset was delayed. Nokia Sees Market Share Slipping in Third Quarter Nokia Lowers its Third Quarter 2008 Mobile Device Market Share Outlook Publ.Date : Fri, 05 Sep 2008 12:50:07 GMT Dell looks to sell factories worldwide - CNNMoney.com
CNNMoney.com - By Scott Moritz Dell (DELL) is getting more serious about trimming costs and is exploring plans to sell its PC manufacturing plants, according to a news report Friday. Dell said to consider sale of factories Ahead of the Bell: Dell may sell plants, WSJ says Publ.Date : Fri, 05 Sep 2008 13:15:09 GMT Lebanese ruling majority accuses Syria of interfering in Lebanon - Xinhua
Xinhua - BEIRUT, Sept.5 (Xinhua) -- Lebanese ruling majority accused Syrian President Bashar Assad of interfering in Lebanese internal affairs and not recognizing Lebanon's sovereignty, local press Naharnet reported Friday. Video: Sarkozy in Syria : the press is divided Editor's Notes: A losing battle, so far Publ.Date : Fri, 05 Sep 2008 11:59:29 GMT Reviews of McCain's speech - MSNBC
MSNBC - The AP’s Ron Fournier says McCain “preached bipartisanship and unity from a stage retooled to carry him out to the Republican faithful. McCain: I work for you ‘Change is coming,’ McCain tells GOP in speech Publ.Date : Fri, 05 Sep 2008 13:35:16 GMT Increase Search Engine Traffic |
PARLOT::Ebooks, Scripts,
Websites, and more... What a loaded question! Let's narrow that down a bit... Read More The principle of "permanent establishment" is very important for avoidance... Read More 1. Balance - You want to find a directory rich... Read More If you're thinking of jumping on the bandwagon and going... Read More I recently published a short e-book called 'One Thing I... Read More When your eCommerce business grows to the point where you... Read More Anyone using a slow, or an awkward payment processor had... Read More Understanding business and product sales can sometimes put me in... Read More Knowledge Management for beginnersKnowledge Management (KM) can be defined simply... Read More Maria's new lifestyle: Short story about the benefits shopping on... Read More There are many ways to make money online and the... Read More It was reported in 'Marketing' magazine this month, that Britain... Read More One bright spot on the economic horizons around the world... Read More PayPal is secure in its domination over the electronic payment... Read More The Internet is the fastest growing source of mail order... Read More Do you have any product that has not been moving... Read More Too often we charge ahead and treat the web as... Read More I have written at length about the need to anticipate... Read More Far too many people get ripped off when setting up... Read More Let's face it, there's just way too much information out... Read More Because of this encouraging surge in activity, many individuals are... Read More What is a Stakeholder?Try "define: Stakeholder" in Google and you... Read More BENEFITS OF A DATABASEBy maintaining your list as a database,... Read More Yes, it's true, coupons are not just for newspapers anymore.... Read More According to Internet.com, by the year 2008 nearly 30% of... Read More
Adsense
websites
What Does It Take to Make Money Online?
Electronic Commerce Tax Jurisdiction and Principles of Permanent Establishment
Eleven Things You Must Know About A Drop Shipping Directory And Its Company
Creating The Perfect Ecommerce Website
Say Something Worth Talking About
Outsourcing Your Ecommerce Order Fulfillment
Keep Your Customers Happy by Organizing Your Payment Options
The Census and the E-Commerce Wave
Intranet Portals ? Search and Taxonomies
Short Story: The Benefits of Shopping Online
5 Powerful Ways to Make Money Online with a Website
The Internet and Customer Care: Aid or Anarchy?
Developing a Winning e-Commerce Strategy
Google to Compete with PayPal?
Prompt Delivery Rules ? Internet Product Sales
Website Marketing: 10 Resourceful Things You Can Do With A Product That Doesnt Sell
Your Readers are Publishers Too
Set Yourself Apart From The Ordinary
Dont Get Ripped Off Getting A Merchant Account
How To Stay Cutting Edge In Online Business
Increasing E-Commerce Website Sales: A Guide for the Online Newbie
Stakeholder Analysis and Stakeholder Management
Database: The Secret of Success
Coupons & Rebates
Bringing the World to Your Door
Affordable and Reliable Web Hosting Starting at $4.49/Month
The Ecommerce Business Plan
Simply put, business plans can make or break your business.... Read More
Intranet Project ? RAD or Waterfall?
Building BridgesI have often used the analogy of building a... Read More
Selling Online for Newbies
If you are interested in selling online, it is quite... Read More
Maximize Your Froogling for Increased Website Profits
Are you familiar with Froogle? If you are an online... Read More
How to Gain Your Visitors Trust
If you are serious about selling on the world wide... Read More
Doing Business Online ? Private B2B Exchanges
Business processes are the building blocks of an enterprise. If... Read More
Your Affiliate Web Site Is Built ? Now What?
When I first got my web site built, I thought... Read More
Outsourcing Your Ecommerce Order Fulfillment
When your eCommerce business grows to the point where you... Read More
The Plain Man?s Guide to Making Money Online
I'm a plain man who uses plain thinking in devising... Read More
Online Consumers ? What Are They Complaining About?
For many businesses, e-commerce represents a tremendous method for generating... Read More
Selecting The Right Shopping Cart For Your Website
Shopping Cart Installation And SetupShopping cart technology has evolved to... Read More
When Do You Ask For A Refund?
Have you ever asked to have your money refunded after... Read More
Products for a Successful Web Business
There are F words in business. We have seen many... Read More
Why Arent People Buying From Your Ecommerce Website?
Your stock is tempting, your prices right - your ecommerce... Read More
Turn Your Rusty Junk Into eBay Gold
Often times people to stop to realize the income potential... Read More
Make That 3 Billion
My previous article I wrote called "One Point Two Billion"... Read More
10 Second Internet Person, sound familiar?
Some people do not understand the Internet idea of online... Read More
Ecommerce - Boost Your Business ROI
Did you know that over 90% of all online orders... Read More
The Secret Science Of Online Shopping
In theory you could create a retail web site with... Read More
Intranet Portals ? Collaboration through Team Rooms
Knowledge Management for beginnersKnowledge Management (KM) can be defined simply... Read More
Projecting Your Image
Whether you sell a product or merely sell time to... Read More
Prompt Delivery Rules ? Internet Product Sales
The Internet is the fastest growing source of mail order... Read More
Ten Reasons Why Online Surveys Are The Future of Marketing
Customers are tough cookies. They're extremely media aware and increasingly... Read More
Intranet Project Names - Some Ideas
"What's in a name? That which we call a rose... Read More
Bringing the World to Your Door
According to Internet.com, by the year 2008 nearly 30% of... Read More
E-commerce |