Three Tips for
Writing Effective
B2B Direct Mail Copy
 By Dianna Huff
Last month's article on direct mail generated a few interesting responses, one of which was a phone call from direct mail veteran Bob Bly, who stated I was asking the wrong question. "It doesn't matter what people think of direct mail," he said. "What matters is response."
After we talked for a few minutes, Bob did agree that writing copy for business-to-business (B2B) direct mail does have its challenges. Marketing communications managers are usually working with limited resources (e.g. no copywriter on staff or tight budgets), various agendas (e.g. getting copy approved by the corporate lawyer), and techie colleagues who aren't convinced that yes, "end users" really do want benefits, not product features. These challenges and others can make it difficult for in-house copywriters to produce direct mail that gets read and acted upon.
But, says Bly, B2B copywriters can do a few simple things to increase response rates that don't take much time or cost a lot of money.
Be relevant -- A copywriting tactic that generates response is "relevancy," that is, copy that addresses the recipient's day-to-day challenges or issues. You can learn more about your target audience and their industry by spending two or three hours conducting research online. Read white papers, articles, and surveys. Skim blogs and message boards to see if you can tie in your product or service with a hot-button issue or current event.
Add "beef" to product claims with believable numbers -- When I first started writing for B2B years ago, I resorted to hype and generalities because I didn't know to ask for quantifiable information. When writing direct mail copy, back up your claims with real numbers or, even better, a customer testimonial. Response to, "Cisco's Bob Newman saved $100K last year using ACME software" will be better than response to the bland and unsubstantiated, "ACME software will save you thousands of dollars."
Test your copy -- In my experience (and Bly backs this up), not many B2B companies test their direct mail campaigns. Most claim they can't afford it. This is a big mistake, because without testing, you can't improve the elements that are bringing down response -- including the copy. I once had my direct response copy tested against another writer's. Scary, yes, but a worthwhile exercise for the company and us writers.
If you have the budget, hire two copywriters and test each one's copy against the other's. Or test your own copy by mailing to a small, randomly picked sample of your list. (To learn more about testing, read W.A. Wilde's article "How Testing Can Turbo-Charge Your Direct Marketing Efforts.")
And finally, pay attention to the mail you receive at work. Instead of opening your mail over the wastebasket every day, analyze why you want to throw something away, which pieces make you pause and consider, and what makes you open some pieces immediately. You'll quickly see the difference between direct mail and "junk mail."
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