Designing Direct Mail That Sells

by Sandra J. Blum

Book Overview

Blum shares 22 years worth of secrets for creating a winning direct mail package that gets recipients to tear open the envelope to understand the message inside, and respond right away. This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0891348271
• ISBN13: 9780891348276
• Release Date: January 1999
• Publisher: Northlight
• Length: 144 Pages
• Weight: 1.90 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.7" x 8.8" x 11.2"

Customer Reviews

If you are a copywriter or direct response marketer, get a copy of this book.

If you are like most people, you receive "Junk-mail" every day. Did you know there is an art and science behind it, and that it looks a certain way for a reason? Direct marketing communications are designed to get a response from the reader. It may be to call a number, visit a website, order a report, register for a seminar, etc. The key is to motivate the prospect to take an action, and then to be able to quantify the results. Most marketing communicators you come across will leave this crucial "call to action" out of their material, but not direct marketing communicators. Brand marketing may look nice, but you seldom get any true feel for the results and how many actions were taken. Blum takes you through all the elements of a direct mail package. 1) The Envelope 2) The Letter 3) The Response Device 4) Brochure 5) Lift letter, Buckslips and Premiums She also discusses self-mailers and 3D mailers. You won't win awards with this type of marketing, but you just may make a great deal of money. Cheers!

Read the Title

The two reviewers who say "not cutting edge", "filled with junk mail I get everyday", "no creative ideas" obviously miss the point. Designing Direct Mail that Sells is exactly about why the junk mail you get everyday brings in billions of dollars in sales every year and how to do that kind of direct mail. It is about the mail hundreds of companies and publishers do, test in the market, and pay designers quite handsomely for. It is not about "cutting edge" design that wins design awards or the newest trends. What it is about, very simply, is understanding how to create everyday direct mail that actually gets people to respond and buy something. You can stick up your nose at it, but you can't just dismiss it.

Designing Direct Mail That Sells - This Book Really Sells

I've been involved in Direct Response Mail for many years. Sure wish I had this when I started. Would have saved me headaches, frustration and money.Now that I've learned from hard knocks, I find this book just as useful, as a reminder, as a fine tuner and as a classic illustration of right and wrong, what to do and what to avoid.

Practical and Useful Information

"Designing Direct Mail That Sells" offers practical advice, tips for success, plenty of definitions, plus a great collection of samples and sources for inspiration. Written by a direct mail specialist with many years in the business, this book is for people actually working in the trenches.Blum explains the "whys" and "hows" behind bursts and stickers; how to test a direct mail piece; creating an effective package, envelope, response card and brochure; and designing self-mailers and 3-D or oversized pieces. She also defines such direct mail lingo as "lift letters," "freemiums," etc. Even more edifying are the book's sidebars, which provide advice from direct mail specialists, test and design tips, formatting advice and other valuable tricks.

The book direct mailers have been waiting for.

I've been a direct mail copywriter and seminar speaker for over 20 years and direct mail design is the one area I've never been able to find a book on. Well, it's finally here. At last someone has managed to put the design secrets of the direct mail masters together into one hugely informative and highly entertaining book. For anyone involved in any way with creating direct mail -- especially copywriters, designers and creative directors -- this is an absolute, 100% must-have resource. Whether you're a beginner or a pro with years of experience, you will love this book.