How you start a salutation can make or break your response rate.

Here are the 6 tactics to follow:

Your landing page, direct mail letter, or email needs one little-known copy secret that will increase your response.

It’s a strategic salutation.

Tactic # 1. Your first choice is to use the prospect’s or client’s real name. People focus on and love seeing their name, especially their first name. But often, that’s not possible. So…

Tactic # 2. An often-overused option among marketers is using “Dear Friend.”

It’s OK, but if you can target your opening, do so…

Tactic # 3. Instead, use a strategic salutation. For example, “Dear Software Engineer,” “Dear Art Collector,” “Dear Pickleball Nut,” “Dear Executive,” or “Dear World Traveler.”

This will help you zero in on your reader’s interests, flag it’s for them, and establish a better rapport. The result: higher response.

Tactic # 4. Target your audience and make it personal.

Use a more personal salutation such as “Dear Fellow Investor” or “Dear Fellow Taxpayer.”

Tactic # 5. And consider emotion.

Use something like: “Dear Abused Taxpayer,” “Dear Concerned Investor,” or “Dear Overworked Assistant.”

Your personal salutation helps your prospect relate to you and set up the case you are making in your copy.

Tactic # 6. For personalized letters, never, ever say: “Mr. John Jones.” It will hurt response. Use either the first or the last name—not both.

For more tips on writing copy that works, see chapter 19 of my book The New Multichannel, Integrated Marketing: 29 Trends for Creating a Multichannel, Integrated Campaign to Boost Your Profits Now. Click HERE to order on Amazon or get it on Kindle. Or order direct HERE.

Want help on great direct response copy to boost responses? We can take your marketing to the next level. Give Michael a call at 615-933-4647 or email him at [email protected].