How Appealing to Emotion Can Drive More Direct Mail Response

“Look, I’m a reasonable person …” How many times have you started off a sentence that way?

Reason – facts and figures – guides our decision-making when we put direct mail campaigns together, from choosing the address list to designing the format, coming up with an offer and creating the content that will persuade people to act on our messages.

But we humans don’t run on just facts and figures. Emotion – an instinctive or intuitive reaction or influence – triggers many of our actions and often triumphs over reason.

Do I really need new golf shoes? Or do I want them because the brand sent me a VIP-customer flyer with a sneak peek at its new line?

Because emotions can be unpredictable, many marketers overlook their influence when creating a strategy or campaign. But, factoring in human emotion when creating your direct mail campaigns can drive more responses than a simple appeal to reason.

To quote the late copywriter and filmmaker Herschell Gordon Lewis: “Emotion outsells intellect.”

You need both reason and emotion to build a persuasive direct mail campaign. The challenge is to get inside the skin (or heart, to be more precise) of your target audience of one, to understand their emotional pain (or pleasure) points, and then show them how you can satisfy that emotional desire.

The 7 Main Emotional Drivers

Whether you’re promoting a cause or selling a product or service, think about how to build your campaign around one or more of these seven powerful motivators:

1. Guilt

Remind a prospect of the consequences for taking an action … or failing to do so.  Examples: “War veterans are going hungry tonight in New York” and “Little Jimmy’s mom can’t afford the heart operation he needs.”

2. Fear

A perceived threat or danger can be overcome by a rational response, such as your product or service. Examples: “Is your home protected from flooding?” or “5 Common Ways Your Identity Can Be Stolen.”

3. Anger

Righteous or not, outrage can be redirected in more constructive directions. Examples: “These beautiful eagles were killed to build another highway” and “Will you let the governor steal our pension money?”

4. Salvation

Everyone has problems. So, promise your solutions. Examples: “Pay for home improvements with a low-interest home equity loan” and “Get the technical training you need to further your career.”

5. Exclusivity

Help your prospects feel as if they have an inside track to something special.Examples: “This invitation is confidential and is being mailed only to a select few” or “Your company is among the very first to qualify for this low-interest loan!”

6. Flattery

Make people feel good about themselves and their achievements. Examples: “You take great care of yourself, which is why we think you’ll appreciate the value of our new fitness club” and “You’ve earned this special offer thanks to your superior financial status.”

7. Greed

Less harshly, it’s also self-interest. This is probably the most frequently used emotion in marketing. Who doesn’t want more money? Examples: “Earn 50% More Rewards Points With Your New Bank Card” or “Save $200 on Your Car Insurance.”

Other emotional copy drivers also worth considering in your direct mail include patriotism, power, love, and self-improvement.

How to Maximize Your Emotional Drivers

After you’ve decided on an emotional touchpoint for your campaign, these are your next steps:

Align your copy with this strategy

The teaser or main headline is the best place to start. It gets noticed first and sets the tone for the rest of the mailing, such as the inside panels for a self-mailer or the letter and inserts in an envelope effort.

Share personal stories or testimonials about your product or service

These can help your prospects identify with the emotions your customers experience with your brand.

Add high-resolution images

High-quality and professionally-printed pictures enhance your message’s impact and help you tell your story.

Combine key emotional drivers

Choose ones that overlap, such as fear and anger, or flattery and exclusivity.

Leverage variable data

Create a personalized offer that increases the authenticity and power of an emotion-based appeal.

Provide logical support for emotional decisions

Charts, graphics, and statistics help you combine reason and emotion. This also helps to explain your decision-making to others.

Remember: no matter which drivers you use, they must support the other elements of the direct mail piece.

As Seattle ad agency guru Bob Hacker said, “If your letter isn’t dripping with one or more of these, tear it up and start over.”

Wrapping it up

For nearly 60 years, we’ve printed and mailed successful fundraising and commercial campaigns that have tapped emotions in direct mail.

Our experts help bring their visions to life, from planning, copy, design, and data management to printing and mailing. Reach out to our team to talk about how we can work together on your campaigns!