If you find that the copy gets better as your work through the particular mail piece then go back to the start and begin again as people will not read through the crap to get to the good copy.

There are distinctly two things that will compel the reader to take action – firstly they buy wholeheartedly into the USP (Unique Selling Proposition) that your product / service or special report has to offer OR they feel the benefits you describe will be of great use to them!

Some rules I always adopt are:

• Write from the buyers / readers point of view – not yours!
• Write as if you are talking to a friend – make it conversational.
• Show real enthusiasm as you write as remember passion is one of the main keys to success.
• Just let the words flow – never edit as you write as the best way to spark creativity is to simply
• Start writing without worrying about what you’re putting down.
• Use short punchy sentences rather than long drawn out ones.
• Always ask for action at the end of your letter / email.

The key checklist I always use as part of my writing is as follows:

• Headline – is it compelling? Does it grab your attention? Is it about me as the reader?
• Sub-head or Opening paragraph – does the letter or email flow from the headline into a compelling question, statement or piece that really creates interest and gets the readers juices flowing?
• Body Copy
  • Is it punchy?
  • Are key points highlighted – either underlined, italicised, bolded, in a different colour, etc?
  • Is the copy spread out sufficiently with good use of bullet points to break it up?
  • Is it written in spoken language?
  • Does the copy keep my attention?
  • Does the copy build my desire to take further action?
  • Is there a compelling enough offer in the letter to grab my attention, hold it and drive me to action?
  • Is there some element of scarcity used – either in terms of a time sensitive offer / a limited number of copies / a price that is only available for a certain period of time?
  • Are there additional compelling bits of info, such as a special discount? A bundling option?
  • A Free Add-On?
• Call to Action – is this strong enough with sufficient options of how to take action? Again this needs to be driven by some form of scarcity to encourage the reader to take action NOW rather than putting it off.
• Who is the letter from – is it a real person? Does the title of the person ring true? Is the signature genuine?
• P.S. - Is there a PS that reinforces the offer?

This is a very quick summary of what to consider when writing direct mail, and by no means is this a definitive guide. The key is test, test, test, as without doing so you will never know what really works in your specific industry, for your business and with your clients.