Ten Easy Ways to Improve Your Business Reply Card (BRC)

Including a business reply card in your mailing is a good way to encourage response.  Sometimes people won’t respond to a direct mail piece because it’s too much work for them either to call you on the phone or stuff something into an envelope, address and mail it.  It’s easy if all they have to do to respond is check off a box on your reply card and stick it in the mail.  Be careful though, because if you make it too easy, you may get a lot of people responding who are not very serious about buying your product.  You’ll have to spend a lot of time weeding them out as you follow up on your mailing.  If you want to set up a business reply account, call your local post office.

Ø      State the offer Clearly

Once people are ready to order, they want you to cut to the chase.  Don’t disappoint them.  Let them know what’s for sale by getting to the point.

Ø      Avoid Writing Like a Lawyer

A lot of BRC card copy often sounds stilted and legalistic.  Try to make your copy sound like it was written by an accessible human being.

Ø      Write with Energy and Personality

When you are writing selling copy, keep the benefits in the reader’s face.

Ø      Stress that the Offer Is Risk-Free

Restate your guarantee on the BRC.

Ø      Include Checkboxes

If there are ordering options, checkboxes are a must.  If there are no options, put a pre-checked box in front of the “YES.”

Ø      Remember to Punch Up the 800 number.

You hope that readers will call rather than send a coupon (you shorten the sales cycle and strike while the iron is hot).  That’s why you must say, “To order now, call 800-123-1234” right on the coupon.

Ø      Don’t Put Important Information on the Reverse Side

The back of your BRC can have a supportive message, but don’t put the key elements of the offer there.  Make certain that everything important goes on the front.

Ø      Use Visuals to Spur Action and Guide the Reader

A well-placed red arrow can point to key copy (and higher return rates).

Ø      Attach a Stub

BRCs often get better results when there’s a stub perfed along the edge of the card.  What should go back there?  How about a copy of the money-back guarantee that the buyer can retain for her records?

Ø      Give Your Business Reply Card an Appropriate Title

Instead of calling your BRC an “order form” or “order card,” try “action card,” or “preferred customer upgrade card.”

Seth Godin