When you're creating your marketing messages - especially when it comes to direct mail sales lead campaigns - there's a little secret you might want to remember as you put together your advertising copy.
For some reason, even numbers are not as effective as odd numbers in sales letters and advertisements.
Example: "The 6 Energy Stocks You Must Own Now" is somehow less appealing 
than "The 5 Energy Stocks You Must Own Now" - even though it promises an extra stock recommendation.
And you almost never see a book titled "100 Ways to do X." It's always "101 Ways."
Copywriter Gymi Slezinger has a theory about this...
"Even numbers have balance and closure," says Gymi. "They don't need you. Odd numbers have something hanging. There is urgency in them."
Exception: 10 works well in sales copy (e.g., "10 Tips for Better Technical Writing") because, according to Gymi, it is authoritative.
Remember that little marketing fact as you put together your next sales lead campaign!
Talking of numbers, always list everything you have. Let's say you are selling a compliation CD make sure you list each and every track. You can bet that any collector will be looking for a track they can't find anywhere else. For the sake of missing off one listing you could lose the sale.
Posted by: Richard Michie | August 20, 2007 10:00 AM | Permalink to Comment