3 ways to create a sense of urgency

When you encourage prospects to act now instead of later, response rate increases.

1. One way to do this is to put a deadline on your offer.

Since 3rd-class mail takes an average of 2½ weeks to be delivered nationwide, make the deadline at least 8 to 12 weeks from the mail drop date. Alternatively, for any mailing that goes out September or later, a good deadline date is December 21.

Copywriter David Yale recommends emphasizing that the deadline date is final by adding the phrase “it’s too late” as follows: “This offer expires December 21, 2010. After that, it’s too late.”

For e-mail marketing, you can say the offer is good only if the recipient replies “today” or “this week”.

2. If you are not comfortable putting a deadline date on your mail piece, specify a time frame within which the reader must reply, e.g., “reply within the next 10 days”.

3. Or at least make it clear that this is a time-limited offer. Copywriter Milt Pierce suggests this wording: “But I urge you to hurry. This offer is for a limited time only. And once it expires, it may never be repeated again.”

Nelson Tan

Nelson Tan and his website, Internet Mastery Center, has been providing Internet Marketing expertise since December 2003. Its mission is to ensure every aspiring marketer is well equipped with all the necessary Internet Marketing know-how and programs, including the best tips, techniques and resources in the areas of mindset, communication and business principles to help you excel in your Internet Marketing game, plus more relevant and useful downloads if that's what you are looking for.

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