Page 98 - 100 Great Copywriting Ideas: From Leading Companies Around the World (100 Great Ideas)

on each brochure, hitherto a simple, uncluttered affair “YES! Please
send me The Office Furniture Report 2003 @ £595” sprouted an
additional, fatal tick box:

∏ Please contact me to discuss a bespoke research project.

What do you think happened to their response rate (that’s orders)?
If you said, “crashed and burned” you’re right. The number of
companies ordering the reports fell. (Because they were pondering
whether tailored research would be better and deferred the decision
to order.) And worse, the expected consultancy leads failed to
materialize. Because, I suppose, people who actually wanted
tailored research wouldn’t read all the way through a mailshot for a
published report to get to the order form.

In practice

• In copy terms, be ruthless in reading your copy as if you were the

prospect. Ask yourself, “Will they understand me?”

• In commercial terms, don’t complicate your order forms. One

option of what to buy is best (obviously, this doesn’t apply
to catalogs). One option for payment is also best (though few
do it).

100 GREAT COPYWRITING IDEAS • 89