HOWTO PRESENT YOUR BEST FACE WHEN YOU SEND YOUR FIRST PIECE OF MAIL
HOWTO PRESENT YOUR BEST FACE WHEN YOU SEND YOUR FIRST PIECE OF MAIL
Well that applies to your first direct mail solicitation too.
I recently got one from a bank for a credit card. What annoyed me was not the interest rate they wanted to charge, but how badly it was designed. It seemed that the art director didn't have a clue as to how to make it legible, never mind trying to make it inviting.
He used a condensed sans serif and set the letter in solid blocks of type all clustered together.
Now we all know that the wrong fonts and typefaces can have a serious impact on readability, especially since it's been proven that most people only read half the material that attracts them. Also, if you are sending a letter, make it look like a letter and not like an ad or a poster.
There is enough research to show that the numbers of words in a sentence affect comprehension. For example:
1. Level Word Length
Very easy to read 8 words
Easy to read 11 words
Fairly easy 14 words
Standard 17 words
Fairly difficult 21 words
Difficult 25 words
Very difficult 29 words+
2. In many tests readers have reported that a serif body type is easier to read and comprehend than sans serif types.
3. Large blocks of copy are best digested in bite- sized portions. Long copy can be daunting to the reader.
Smaller blocks look like less work.
4. Sections that are varied to look visually different are easier to absorb. Having to plow through information that all looks the same can lead to boredom and a bored reader is a lost reader.
5. Neat, tidy, linear layouts tend to make the piece feel settled, while starbursts, callouts, tilted pictures or arrows make the piece active.
6. Finally, sentences should be short with only one idea to a sentence. Remember the KISS rule: Keep it Simple Stupid.
But how can you be sure you’re keeping your copy simple?
Simply go to: http://resources.aellalei.com/tools/writer/sample.php
You’ll be visiting the Obsidian Studios website, where you’ll find a great tool to evaluate your copy. You simply drop in any text, and the website analyzes it for readability.
It will tell you everything from the average amount of words per sentence, to the average number of syllables per word! And it will determine which grade level it is written for.
For example, if you use 20 words per sentence with 1.5 syllables per word, you’ll receive a Flesch Reading Ease Score of 60-70 – which corresponds to the 8th/9th grade English level.
This is probably where you want your copy to score.
It’s not that people can’t read at a higher level. It’s just that you want to make it as easy as possible for them.
Just for fun, I analyzed this article. It has 14 words per sentence, and it scored a 6.02, on the Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level, which means it’s at the optimal reading level.
HOWTO PRESENT YOUR BEST FACE WHEN YOU SEND YOUR FIRST PIECE OF MAIL - To learn more about this author, visit Billy Sharma's Website.
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Remember the old saying, "You only get one chance to make a first impression. "
Well that applies to your first direct mail solicitation too.
I recently got one from a bank for a credit card. What annoyed me was not the interest rate they wanted to charge, but how badly it was designed. It seemed that the art director didn't have a clue as to how to make it legible, never mind trying to make it inviting.
He used a condensed sans serif and set the letter in solid blocks of type all clustered together.
Now we all know that the wrong fonts and typefaces can have a serious impact on readability, especially since it's been proven that most people only read half the material that attracts them. Also, if you are sending a letter, make it look like a letter and not like an ad or a poster.
There is enough research to show that the numbers of words in a sentence affect comprehension. For example:
1. Level Word Length
Very easy to read 8 words
Easy to read 11 words
Fairly easy 14 words
Standard 17 words
Fairly difficult 21 words
Difficult 25 words
Very difficult 29 words+
2. In many tests readers have reported that a serif body type is easier to read and comprehend than sans serif types.
3. Large blocks of copy are best digested in bite- sized portions. Long copy can be daunting to the reader.
Smaller blocks look like less work.
4. Sections that are varied to look visually different are easier to absorb. Having to plow through information that all looks the same can lead to boredom and a bored reader is a lost reader.
5. Neat, tidy, linear layouts tend to make the piece feel settled, while starbursts, callouts, tilted pictures or arrows make the piece active.
6. Finally, sentences should be short with only one idea to a sentence. Remember the KISS rule: Keep it Simple Stupid.
But how can you be sure you’re keeping your copy simple?
Simply go to: http://resources.aellalei.com/tools/writer/sample.php
You’ll be visiting the Obsidian Studios website, where you’ll find a great tool to evaluate your copy. You simply drop in any text, and the website analyzes it for readability.
It will tell you everything from the average amount of words per sentence, to the average number of syllables per word! And it will determine which grade level it is written for.
For example, if you use 20 words per sentence with 1.5 syllables per word, you’ll receive a Flesch Reading Ease Score of 60-70 – which corresponds to the 8th/9th grade English level.
This is probably where you want your copy to score.
It’s not that people can’t read at a higher level. It’s just that you want to make it as easy as possible for them.
Just for fun, I analyzed this article. It has 14 words per sentence, and it scored a 6.02, on the Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level, which means it’s at the optimal reading level.
HOWTO PRESENT YOUR BEST FACE WHEN YOU SEND YOUR FIRST PIECE OF MAIL - To learn more about this author, visit Billy Sharma's Website.
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Stephanie RobeyStephanie Robey is President and CoFounder of Pivot Positive, LLC - an Internet marketing business focused on helping people start work at home ventures. Previously, she was employed at The Search Agency with over 20 years experience in graphic design and 10 years experience in online marketing. She was responsible for launching the Conversion Path Optimization (CPO) unit where she and her team have conducted hundreds of optimization tests for online companies across multiple verticals. She is a successful entrepreneur having started and sold 2 companies and remains on the board of directors of the third, PhotoSpin.com Stephanie began her career in the direct marketing realm creating and producing direct mail for many of the major cable television companies and directly attributes her understanding of Internet marketing to those early offline experiences. Stephanie is a graduate of San Diego State University with a BFA in Graphic Arts and also holds an Executive MBA from the Graziadio School of Business and Management at Pepperdine University. Read Steph's Blog Meet Steph and Dave Sign up for our Free 7-Day BootCamp: Self Employed & Rich - Visit Stephanie Robey's Website |
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