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Five Sheets or Three ?

by Dan Williams
4 replies
Direct mail 5 page sales letter...printed on one side(5 pages) only versus first two pages printed front and back and last page front side(3 pages)
Any predicted difference in response?

What about a teaser ? here's the letter...would an envelope teaser be a response booster?
#sheets
  • Profile picture of the author Loren Woirhaye
    "expert" predictions in something like this is about as accurate
    as having Paul the octopus choose the winner.

    You have to mail and measure. Second-guessing yourself
    out of split-testing by asking for opinions won't help you get
    the best response. Only testing these formats will.

    Dennison Hatch's "Million Dollar Mailings" doesn't go so far
    as to try to make rules about formats, but it does offer
    a lot of examples of formats that mailed in great numbers
    with great success.

    Most serious direct response mass mailings I've received
    lately have been printed on two sides. It does reduce costs
    by a few cents per piece.
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    • Profile picture of the author Drez
      The answer is that you'd have to test to know for sure.

      But, it almost sounds like the question of: "Which works better short copy or long copy?

      I don't think it makes a difference printing on both sides of the page.

      In fact MOST of the piece in my swipe file are printed 2-sided (from HUGE mailers that likely test a lot)
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      Mark "Drez" Dresner
      Swipe My Massive Copywriting Swipe Files Collection for FREE
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      • Profile picture of the author RickDuris
        Hi Dan,

        When doing multi-page letters, there are a few of under-the-radar tactics you can use.

        The hardest part is, once you have them opening the carrier, and reading the first page, is the task of making them turn to the second page and so on.

        Here's how:

        1. At the end of the last sentence on the first page put an ellipsis. I never care what the last sentence is. But adding an ellipsis at the end makes the copy read as a bit of a cliffhanger. Like "What's he gonna says next?"

        Now, may the copywriting gods strike me dead, but I never use a real ellipsis. I use three slightly oversized periods. Just to be sure it's seen.

        2. So let's say you opt for printing on both sides of a page.

        On the cover page, in the footer on the right side, you put "(Over, please)".

        And the back of the cover page, you put in the footer "(Next page, please)".

        And so forth... You alternate between the two footers.

        3. The last thing (and it may seem insignificant) is do not insert the page numbers. When they see "Page 5" they'll be thinking that's a really long letter. (No need to remind them. )

        It doesn't seem like much. But there have been tests done that say these tactics increase the chances your entire piece will be read.

        - Rick Duris
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