We’ve talked about headlines, subheads and photo captions, the critical attention getting and interest building components of advertising supported by good, effective copy. The fourteen tips that go into writing effective copy.

Now let’s switch gears and talk about what I believe is the single most important device that gets your customers or prospects to buy… the call to action!

The call-to-action in the form of a response device. In person-to-person professional selling one of the most common failings in sales people is the fear of closing the sale. Or in other words, the reluctance to ask for the order.

Master sales trainer Ziglar says that asking for the order is what separates the poorly paid professional visitor from the kingly compensated professional sales person.

Just as closing the sale is a vital skill in face-to-face marketing asking for the desired action clearly is a vital skill in advertising. Incidentally experience in effectively closing sales in person is a valuable asset in creating effective advertising. The same techniques, words, phrases and ideas used in personal selling can be used in print selling.

A strong direct call-to-action in direct mail is vital. Tell the reader exactly what you want them to do, how to do it and when to do it. If response to your offer is any way complicated you may want to number the instructions, one, two, and three.

The call-to-action may appear in several places in the typical direct marketing package, such as the letter, the main brochure and most importantly in the response device. A response device is the coupon to be redeemed, the order form, or the reply card. Whatever your response device is it should restate the basic offer and bonus and present the call-to-action. You can learn to use these techniques to develop effective direct mail marketing materials for your businesses, products and services.

Now let’s move onto understanding the value of a customer and client relations that we’ll begin discuss in your next Success Marketing Strategy.

Incidentally, all this transfers to online marketing; to web sites and to e-mail.

Author Info:  Dan Kennedy is internationally recognized as the 'Millionaire Maker,' helping people in just about every category of business turn their ideas into fortunes. Dan's "No B.S." approach is refreshing amidst a world of small business marketing hype and enriches those who act on his advice.