For direct mail in a downturn, a lift letter may make the difference

Traditionally, most direct mail packages included a lift letter. Lift letters became common because they worked, and direct marketers proved repeatedly that they worked.

But over the years, most people doing direct mail in Australia have dropped the lift letter.

My feeling is that we should be testing lift letters again, because there is nothing to say they won’t work today.

First used in the publishing world, the "publisher's note" or "publisher's letter" as it was called, was added to a direct mail package that already included a sales letter. Usually on the small side, both in length and paper size, and signed by the publisher, it came to be known as the "lift letter" because it lifted or increased response.Look at these strong arguments for testing a lift letter.

1. The right prospects do read. Despite what some experts might tell you, consumers do read, if they are interested in buying. Think of yourself as a consumer. If you are really interested in buying something, you are happy to read about it.

2. The lift letter has to be different. The lift letter is an opportunity to approach the prospect from a different angle. To change voice. To shift perspective. To be most effective, the lift letter must be different from the rest of the package. It should come from a different person, perhaps someone outside the organisation.

3. The lift letter doesn't need to be a "letter." The lift letter can take different forms and operate on a different level from the mailer. For example, it can be used as a testimonial. It can address buying objections. Or it can feature relevant facts and figures.

4. Include it for impact. Lift letters are usually smaller — bite-size — in the amount of copy they provide. And frequently, they focus on one major reason (offer-driven) about why you should respond. They are easy to read in less than a minute. And they normally stand out, because they are printed on paper that is a different colour from the rest of the pack.

5. Make it strong, then test it. If you're going to test a lift letter, it should not be an afterthought. It should be a strategic test that is briefed in properly, with the copywriter giving it all the attention it needs as a critical element of the sales effort.