Remember, there are only two ways to grow a business.

• Acquire new customers and help keep old ones

• Have customers make larger and/or more frequent purchases.  This will also lead to greater retention and lifetime value.

1. Offering a solution to the prospect's pains and problems is the surest way to generate response.  Direct response advertising, regardless of media, is solely focused on identifying prospects with problems.  Thus, to be successful, direct marketers must invest in comprehensive research to gain a deep and honest understanding of the wants, desires, pains, and frustration of their prospects and customers.

2. Understand the physics and psychology of human behavior is a prerequisite to being a successful direct marketer.  The physics is how to craft a message and an offer that generate movement in a body at rest.  Specifically, how do you motivate a body standing over the trash can to open your package, read it, and respond to it?  The psychological challenge is how to use your offer as a reward to stimulate human behavior.  For example, if you call me today, I'll send you a FREE guide which will help you tomorrow.

3. One of the most effective research tools: Pre-test headlines and offers with an email-based survey to customers and non customers using a cash incentive.   Response rates usually range from 15% to 40%.  A well constructed research instrument allows you to validate the problems your target market is facing, their interest level in your solution, and the ability to rank message importance as well as offer importance.