: : : : : kiss your way to success : : : : : : : : : : . .

K.I.S.S. stands for-that's right-"Keep it simple, stupid." It's the unofficial motto of the direct response community. The first simplicity in print ads is size. Testing proves that small ads sometimes produce better-qualified leads than large ads, especially if you run them more frequently.

: : : : : take free advice now! : : : : : : : : : : . .

Strongest word in direct marketing: FREE! Art directors may cringe, but ads that look like they're designed for clipping get clipped more often than those that don't. TV ads that use free, even if it's only a toll-free number, get better call volume. In fact, people who call a toll-free number are usually better prospects than people who mail things in. Offer something specific-a booklet with a descriptive title, a FREE demonstration video, or call for a FREE brochure! And remember to show it in the ad. It takes an offer, expressed in interactive terms that underscore benefits rather than features, and then qualifies the inquiry or asks for the order.

: : : : : give 'em the right hook : : : : : : : : : : . .

Since 80 to 90 percent of the success of any ad depends on its 5-to-10 word hook or headline, it's crucial to have one that works for you.

First, your headline should talk benefits, not features. Features are the sellers' lingo. Benefits are what buyers understand. Unique Selling Proposition-that element in the product that sets it apart from its competitors. Focus less on why you think the prospect should want your product, and more on what he really does want, and how your product can help.

Once you've established your benefit, present it in an interactive manner. "Learn, discover, use, try, examine," these are action words that reach out and invite the consumer to do something with your product or service. We don't create markets -- we find them. Then we find out what those people need most and place it in front of them with an offer to try, to test, to examine-free. We don't preach or boast. Nor do we badger or overpower. We sell the offer, not the product. We seek to create comfort and a sense of safety for the prospect. We provide proofs of our claims and we can be trusted.

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