Would a Direct Response Marketing Campaign Work for Your Business? Part 1

Direct response marketing done right can be hugely effective. What I have seen is that a small business will give it a try without a good plan, or they run a poorly executed campaign.  Then they conclude it doesn’t work.

I’m here to shed some light on this. What does it take to create a direct response marketing campaign that delivers results? Here’s what you need to know.

What is Direct Response Marketing?

Let’s start with the basics and explain what direct response marketing is. Direct response marketing is a lead generation or marketing approach designed to provoke an immediate response. You’ve probably seen a sales page for a product. The page typically includes benefits of the product, customer testimonials, and a personal story that’s very engaging.

The writer of the copy on the sales page makes multiple attempts to get the person being targeted to take the desired action. The action might be to by a product, subscribe to a service, or sign up via a web form. When done right, direct response marketing generates leads and sales at a higher rate than other types of marketing.

What Are the Elements of an Effective Direct Response Marketing Campaign?

There are four main elements that an effective direct response marketing campaign must have. They are.

1. A personalized message for a targeted audience. A big part of direct response marketing is that it targets a carefully chosen audience. The content then gets personalized to address the needs and pain points of that audience.
2. Content that is clear and compelling. Direct response copy must be super clear. You have to avoid jargon or confusing language. You have to get right to the point. At the same time, it should offer a compelling argument to take the desired action. The argument might include a personal story and research to support the argument. It often uses psychological triggers to compel the people who see it to act.
3. A sense of urgency. Because direct response marketing is designed to get an immediate response, building a sense of urgency is a must. There are multiple ways to do it. Tactics you may have seen is putting a countdown on the page or including a deadline after which the detail will no longer be available.
4. An irresistible call to action (CTA). CTAs are used everywhere in marketing, but some are more compelling than others. With direct response marketing, you need a CTA that is clear, direct, personalized, and easily accessible. It should focus on a single action (and not several of them) that readers can take immediately.

If your direct response marketing campaign has these four things, the chances are good that it will elicit the response you want and generate leads or sales at a high rate.

In part 2 of this article, I’m going to cover some ideas to consider for your direct response campaign.