Pick the Winner - August 06 - Less vs. More

The “Growing Up” direct mail package for the Institute of Children's Literature, a home-study school that teaches adults how to write for children, became the school's control in 1995. The three-step sale begins with the offer (a writing aptitude test, brochure and market directory) followed by the test with sales material and, if the prospect passes, an enrollment package.

“Growing Up,” which was mailed to writers' lists, beat the previous control in 1995 with 26% more inquiries, 25% more qualifying tests and 24% more enrollments. It's probably safe to say that the device of printing “by (addressee's name)” under the “Growing Up” title was largely responsible for the effort's success. It got the package opened and, in effect, conferred authorship of a children's book upon would-be writers.

But direct mail never gives a control a rest; there's always a stronger package around the corner. Subsequent tests of illustration, copy, inserts and format were made, including this #10 version. The process of taking costs out of an established control without losing sales is fundamental in direct marketing, and this downshift to a #10, if successful, would produce a substantial savings.

So, the questions at hand are: Which package delivered more sales? And which one produced the lower cost per sale?

Click here to see the winner.

---

MALCOLM DECKER (www.maldecker.com) is an award-winning copywriter and creative director based in Westport, CT.