OK, so you’re stuck. You’re stuck more than a band-aid was ever stuck on your finger. You’ve been sending out emails, mailing postcards, and printing brochures, you’ve built it, but nobody’s coming and nobody’s responding. What do you do?

The three keys to an effective direct marketing campaign are: LIST, OFFER, and CREATIVE. It’s like a three-legged stool. They’re all necessary to hold it up; if one leg is broken, the entire stool collapses.

KEY NUMBER ONE: THE LIST

“I’ve Got a Little List”

The first leg of the stool is the list. This can be either an actual list of names (whether e-mail or postal addresses), or an online audience who look at a Web site or click on a link.

Develop a mental image of your ideal customer, and look for people (or businesses) that best fit that profile. If you sell dirt bikes, a list of AARP members is probably not a good choice!

Don’t judge a list by price. Cheaper is not necessarily better. Instead, read the data card (the list’s vital statistics/biography) and see how well the people on that list match your customers. Also check to see how recently the list has been updated. Fresher is better.

If you’re not sure about a particular list, set of adwords, or web site, test drive it. Try a small campaign and check results. If it works, you can expand the campaign; if not, you can test something else.

KEY NUMBER TWO: THE OFFER

“What’s In It For Me?”

A great salesman once told me that the world’s most popular radio station is WII-FM or “What’s in it for me?” To be effective, an offer (10 issues for $5; free trial) must be something that your audience perceives as useful and valuable. Will it make them look or feel good? Does it address their problems?

Be clear about the purpose of the campaign (before you start), and make certain that the call to action (call now, click here) is clear, easy-to-use, and prominently displayed in your e-mail or on your site.

Try a new offer and test it against the old one. Sometimes, even a small change, such as length of commitment, pricing structure, or a gift with purchase can make a significant difference in response.

KEY NUMBER THREE: THE CREATIVE

“I Feel Pretty”

Creative is the copywriting, the format, the design, the graphics, etc. Each of these can have a significant impact on response.

For instance, some companies block images, so if you’re deploying an e-mail campaign be sure to format it in both text and HTML and allow recipients to either choose the format they prefer or view the page on the Web.

Also consider the content of the campaign. If you’re selling software or technology, don’t focus on the specs. Instead, put them on a separate page or in a sidebar and concentrate on offering solutions to your customers’ problems.

Keep your paragraphs short, especially online. Use headlines and make sure they draw readers in, so they’ll want to read more.

Don’t be afraid to use color, but make sure your text and design are legible. If you’re using a photo, try to avoid stock images. People respond to “real” people; show them your actual staff or a photo of the product they’ll receive.

Lastly, speak to your readers directly. Use words such as “you” and “your”, rather than “we” and “our.”