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THE GREATEST DIRECT MAIL SALES LETTERS OF ALL TIME
When analyzing successful mailings of the past, try to get a feel for what works and what
doesn't. Be sure to pay special attention to mailings that didn't work. See if you can spot what's
really different between successful mailings and those that failed.
One of the problems with reusing old copy is having a boss who believes a copywriter is not earning
his or her keep if every word isn't new. But smarter bosses recognize one of the qualities of a
good copywriter is the willingness to utilize tried and proved copy regardless of who originally
put the words together. David Ogilvy once said, "One of the greatest wastes in advertising is to
do away with copy which is still working." And it's important to remember the often repeated
truism that when you start getting bored with an advertising message, that's about when the
audience starts to notice it.
GATHER THE FACTS
By putting together all of the information you need before you begin writing, studying it thoroughly,
and fixing the key points in your mind, you can concentrate on the writing itself. Good
direct mail copy has a flow, and this can be broken if you have to stop to seek out the facts you
need. I've made it a regular practice to develop "copywriter's packets" that provide ready reference
on all the products and services I've dealt with. You'll find an outline of the ideal contents of
a copywriter's packet on pages 20-22.
KEY PARAGRAPHS
Once the copywriter is familiar with all the facts and has studied them thoroughly, it's best to
write a series of paragraphs — one about each of the things that must be included in the promotional
package. This should be done without any particular thought as to where the information
will appear. Next, the paragraphs should be arranged in a logical story-telling sequence. This will
quickly show what is missing, what is redundant, what needs special emphasis, and what must
be illustrated.
These assembled paragraphs don't represent finished copy — they are just a starting point. The
time spent writing them, however, is not wasted because this exercise helps the writer structure
words in ways that communicate best. This same sequence of words can be used in the actual
copywriting, giving the copywriter a chance to move ahead at a pace that maintains a good conversational
flow.
PLAIN PAPER DUMMY
Most experienced direct mail copywriters also prepare a folded paper rough sketch, or dummy,
of the format as they envision it. These dummies are not intended to be a professional design, only
as a "road map" for effective copywriting. If the copywriter can visualize where things will
appear, the end result will be better communication. Once the copy has been written, edited, and
approved, this folded paper dummy will help the designer understand how the copywriter
intended to have the copy used.
THE STARTING POINT
All this has been preliminary to actually writing the copy itself. But now it's time for action, and
that always starts in just one place. If there's one absolute rule for direct mail copywriting, it is:
always write the order form first! If the copywriter is not responsible for writing the order form,
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