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Writing direct mail copy for skimmers

Writing copy for direct mail can be tricky. Copy has to be written under the assumption that every word will be read; however, every marketer understands the reality that many consumers are prone to scan for important information. Still, there's a way to write copy that's readable for the scanner without sacrificing the comprehensive piece on the whole.

The eyes of the customer are trained to drift to certain areas of copy. Experience reading other printed materials has allowed consumers to learn that places like headlines and the beginnings and ends of paragraphs contain the most pertinent information.

It's then up to the copywriter to exploit that knowledge and pack high-visibility areas with active words that draw attention and spark action. Words like "urgent," "save" and "upgrade" are very effective when they are the first thing the customer sees.

But keep in mind the focus on writing shouldn't take away from the design, which is copy's best friend. Consult the designer and come up with ways to enhance the copy with creative elements like sidebars and graphics that can do extra work in drawing the customer's attention.

Once copywriting is taken care of, direct mailers can use web-to-print strategies to finish the rest of the creative process by streamlining the printing process and allowing for maximum creativity.