"Remove the 1 from in front of the toll-free number," my client said.

I asked why.

"It's policy."

The RESPONSE Agency was creating a direct mail package for a worldwide financial institution to send to 300,000 clients. The objective was to increase signature-based debit card transactions.

You might think that it's silly to obsess over whether or not to place a 1 in front of a toll-free number. Actually, it's only silly to obsess over things if they don't matter — and sometimes seeming minutia make a difference. In fact, a 1 in front of a toll-free number will ever-so-slightly increase the number of calls you receive.

But in this case, it wasn't worth arguing. For one thing, we'd have lost the argument. Policy, you know. For another, the desired action wasn't phone calls; it was behavior change, from PIN-based to signature-based transactions. Even without the 1, response was over 25%.

 Steve Cuno

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Amelia and 'friends'
I just found a great example of powerful direct response copywriting. It was a scrap of paper taped to my doorknob. I assume the writer is seven or eight years old, since she identifies herself as a Girl Scout Brownie. Here is the text in its entirety:

Hi! My name is Amelia, and I'm a Brownie selling Girl Scout cookies. I was wondering if you would like some cookies. Do you think you would? The money I get I will use for Girl Scout camp and other fun activities. If you would like some, I'd appreciate it. And if you don't want to eat G.S. cookies, you can buy them, then our troop will give them to a family homeless shelter. Each box costs $3.50. Please call me if you would like to buy some. The cookies should be delivered in early March. Thanks! [Hand-signed:] Amelia

Great copywriting. Its strongest attributes are its clarity; its outright, soul-baring honesty; and its strong, easy-to-follow call to action. Sure, these should be basics. But sometimes we so-called professionals get so caught up with being clever that we overlook them.

How could I resist? I sent Amelia a check with a request that my cookies go to the homeless. I urge you to contribute as well. Contact Amelia by clicking here now: zaui@yahoo.com. Amelia can deliver cookies in Utah's Sandy-Draper area only, but if you want to donate your cookies to the homeless, you can contribute no matter where you live. PLEASE RESPOND NO LATER THAN JANUARY 29.

Who knows… not too many years hence, Amelia might be making a living as a copywriter.

Steve Cuno
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