A recipe for success includes:

Rolling out on-target communications in a logical process. Boil it down to the basics of why people respond and make your messages sizzle.

Here are some reminders of the factors to elicit response.

1. Choose your feedback recipe from advertising response cards, to direct mailers, email and more.
2. Develop a qualified list and send to people who care about your message.
3. Pre-test the communication with a small slice of your audience.
4. Use strategic content, whether it be an idea, a sample, an offer.

Maybe your message or product is high-tech, or sophisticated. But your audience wants to check out a sample before seeing the whole story. Don't overlook readers' basic appetite to be accepted, have new experiences, discover new possibilities and maintain relationships. Many motivations are also of the more practical nature, including wanting to keep informed, making choices and being responsible.

Motivating people to respond also includes elements that express energy and make it easy to respond. Having an appealing message or offer and getting readers involved are ways to reach for response. This happens with inviting visuals that draw in readers; having an approachable tone; repeating a clear message in interesting ways; and being complete, but brief.

Whether looking for response during trade show month, your busy season or rollout of new product, a strategy should drive timing.

If response is a promotional goal, be ready to do clean up duty! A surprising number of companies are not. Instead of planning the next round of communications, they jeopardize their reputation by not acting on feedback. For complete communications, complete the cycle, from planning to follow up.

Travel beyond the usual avenues for promotions seeking response. Some of the following communications can be explored for feedback in new, surprising ways. You are doing these communications anyway; go for response!

• Speeches and presentations occur frequently. Build in requests for response within the presentation, or the handout and associated materials. Here is where in-person appeal takes center stage.
• Co-promotions with other organizations allow you to reach other audiences.
• Distributor or linked partners can help you reach beyond your immediate customer.
• CD promotions are natural vehicles to link users to web sites and feedback. You can add audio appeal to words and graphics.
• Table tents, posters and similar unique printed pieces can carry requests for response.
• On-the-product appeals-for-feedback assure your request will be seen.
• Catalogs can carry other calls for response than simple order placement.
• Invoice inserts are excellent, courageous spots to ask about your service and value.
• Trackable coupons are popular with retailers.
• Signs and billboards with web addresses allow businesses to attract new audiences.
• Newspaper & other inserts often reinforce promotions in other media.

Striking a balance between going where "no man has gone before" and using "same old" promotions will improve your VIZZ on response!

(Susan Stansbury, Arketype Inc © March 2004)