Garret

Buy a filing cabinet. A big one. That's my advice for aspiring direct mail copywriters, creative directors at direct mail agencies, and marketing managers who want to improve their direct mail results as quickly as possible.

The quickest way to master the craft of direct mail copywriting and design is to learn from others. So you'll need a cabinet with two drawers, minimum.

Across the label on the top drawer, write: SAMPLES.
Across the label on the bottom drawer, write: RESEARCH.

Now you're set.

From this day forward, keep every piece of direct mail you receive that's relevant to what you sell, how you sell or to whom you sell. Keep postcards, self-mailers, letters, entire packages, dimensional mailers. Keep them all.

Now create some hanging files in the top drawer, and file the direct mail you receive, using a system that makes sense to you. You could file by type of mailer (see above). You could file by industry (financial services, insurance, telecommunications). You could file by component (envelopes, letters, reply devices, coupons, vouchers, premiums).

Now, whenever you're hunting for a creative way to tweak your envelope teaser, craft a compelling offer or get the most out of the limited real estate on a self-mailer, turn to your sample drawer and look for ideas.

Now boot up your web browser and visit the websites of all the trade publications that deal with direct marketing, direct mail and your industry or niche. Subscribe to their print trade publications and their email newsletters. You'll find a list of these trade publications listed at www.sharpecopy.com/links.html

Now create some hanging files in your bottom drawer and label them using a system that makes sense to you. Into these files place every article that deals with direct mail marketing, so use a system that's logical and easy to remember. Save time by creating a new folder only when you have an article to put in it. My drawer looks like this:

Branding
Buckslips
Catalogs
Databases
Design
Dimensional mailers
Email marketing
Envelopes
Freemiums
Guarantees
Headlines
Insert media
Involvement devices
Lead generation
Lists
Mathematics of direct mail
Newsletters
Offers
Personalization
Postage
Postcards
Premiums
Printing
Privacy
Response devices
Results
Self-mailers
Strategy and planning
Testimonials
Testing
Variable data imaging
Vendors
Vouchers
Websites and landing pages
White papers

Buying a filing cabinet did more for my direct mail copywriting business than anything else. Those two drawers forced me to think critically about every direct mail piece that landed through my mailbox and every article I read on the topic. That filing cabinet changed the way I look at direct mail, changed the way I read trade publications.

That filing cabinet also helped me retain what I learned about direct mail, literally. And if you're 47 years old and losing your hair, and if you spend your evenings running after a three-year-old and a five-year-old, and if you're the breadwinner in the home, and if your day planner is full, then you appreciate any tool that helps you remember what you learn (so you can use that knowledge to boost your direct mail results).

----
About the author
Alan Sharpe is a direct mail copywriter who helps business owners and marketing managers generate leads, close sales and retain customers using direct mail and email marketing. Learn more about his creative direct mail writing services and sign up for free weekly tips like this at www.sharpecopy.com.

2007 Sharpe Copy Inc. You may reprint this article online and in print provided the links remain live and the content remains unaltered (including the "About the author" message).