Such a Tease

Here's an example of a teaser I wrote for a lead generatingdirect mail package targeted at pilots who are in the marketto buy an airplane. The product in this case is a one fifthshare in a light aircraft, an aircraft that normally sellsfor over a quarter million dollars.

"Attention Pilots! Finally... the lowest cost, most hasslefree and safe form of aircraft ownership available anywhere.(It's brand new and radically less expensive than you think.Details inside...)"

I like this one because it arouses curiosity, it's truthful,and it suggests a number of important benefits. How wellwill it do? I'll let you know when it mails later this year,but I think it will accomplish its purpose. Someone havingeven a small interest in buying an airplane would probablywant to learn a "radically less expensive" way to do so. Theother benefits should prod them to rip open the envelopetoo.

Obviously using a teaser marks the envelope as containing acommercial solicitation. This will insure it gets tossedunopened by the 95% to 98% of recipients who have nointerest in buying an airplane. But that's OK, because mygoal isn't to convince the unconvinceable. I want to reachthe real prospects, the 2% to 5% who could be in the marketfor this kind of product.

There are plenty of times when using a teaser is notappropriate. If you aren't sure to use one or not, you canalways test. In that case, perform an A/B split test using asmall part of your mailing list. Then, whichever versiongives the better result is used when rolling out thecomplete mailing.

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