How to Sprecld rhe News for More Scrles

(To help dealers do a better job zuith their direct mail program., Insulite recently prepared a series of attention-gettitr,g direct mail folders. Tkese are selxt out in a portfolio along wi'th some ideas on hozu a d,ealer can get .the most from his direct mail adaertising. The following article by G. F. (Gerry) Hoppe, Insulite Sales Promotion Manager, is a surnary of these id'eas.)

Want more business ? Then let lJncle Sam's postmen make sales calls for you !

Dealers who want to deliver sales messages to prospects effectively and at low cost are finding direct mail advertising made-to-order for them.

llere's what direct mail advertising can accomplish for the building materials dealer: x It can locate new prospects, cover a large area and rnake hundreds of times the number of calls a dealer or his salesmen can make personally. Response is, naturally, from people who are good prospects. x D'ealers can promote extra business during slack seasons with direct mail advertising. This is not only the time when they want and need additional business, but also when they can keep offrce help busy typing and sending out direct mail material.

* Direct mail can keep dealers in touch with old customerspeople who have bought from them before and are their best prospects. They can advise these people of new services, such as special offers, new products and announcements.

Is direct mail read-does it increase sales ? Here's what dealers who have put direct mail to work for them have to say about the plan offered by Insulite:

Fred L. Watkins, Jr., president of the F. L. Watkins Co., Seat Pleasant, Maryland, says: "Last fall, when business was not too good in our area, we sent out four Insuliie 'how-to-do-it' folders. We realized an 18 per cent increase in September business and a 31 per cent increase in October lusiness (both months compared to the preceding year)."

In Arlington, Virginia, William Ames, Jr., of Murphy & Ames, reported, "We received 850 inquires within eight days from the time we made our Insulite mailing. Had to order 200 more basement folders to meet the 'do-it-yourself' demand !"

Al Mansfield of Universal Supply Co., Santa Cruz, Cali' fornia, comments: "The Insulite direct mail plan doubled our fiber board sales in the last 12 months. 'Do-it-yourself' sales are especially profitable for us."

"Inquires from our Insulite direct mail program brought us $1,200 worth of extra sales," says Abner T. Mitchell of the J. E. Mitchell Co., Glenoiden, Pennsylvania, "and it cost about $25 to get this business."

Those are just a few of the many dealers from coast-tocoast who have added business with direct mail advertising.

Plan Your Obiectizte

As in any advertising program, a dealer must first determine what he wishes to do-in other words, plan his objective. 'fhe most obvious objective is more sales, but there are many other reasons for advertising.

A dealer may want to build good will with old customers, feel out a new territory, offer a new service. Does he want to get sales by mail, get additional store traffic, push a seasonal line of goods; whatever it is, he must be sure that he knows what he is trying to do.

In addition, the direct mail message must promise a benefit, showing the reader how he can do such things as save money, buy better, get greater comfort or protect his health and his family's. The message must appeal to the reader's personal interests-then tell him how the dealer can help him, and prove it. The primary purpose of a mailing is to get the prospect to do some specific thing-usually to send in a reply'card, to phone or to come in and see the dealer. The closing of the message should be specific and to the point. Ask the prospect to do something-and do it now !

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