USE "DIFFERENT GUIDELINES" FOR INSERT COPY
By Robert W. Bly
Here's why: When we say "catalog," most of us think of the kind youdistribute or mail to customers and prospects. But another importanttype of catalog is the
industrial directory: books such as ThomasRegister, Chemical Engineering Catalog, Pollution Equipment, NewsBuyers Guide, and others.Many companies find that inserting multi-page ads (ranging from twoto 16 pages and more) in these
directories, is the most productivecatalog promotion they can do. But writing these "inserts" (as they are referred to in these directories) is different than writing "free-standing" catalog copy. These tips
will help you produce effective inserts. 1. Space is at a premium. You pay for your insert as you would for space advertising: each additional page increases the cost ofthe space by the directory's page rate. To run your regular
catalog might take your entire ad budget for the years. So you've got to condense your catalog to an affordable number of pages.Rarely is there space to solicit direct orders by mail. Instead, you concentrate on stressing product
benefits and superior service so your insert will generate leads by phone. Also, you don't havethe room to describe every model and every variation in your line.Instead, you highlight your best products in abbreviated fashion. 2.
Generate leads. This type of "insert," like a yellow-pages ad, is primarily designed to get the prospect to respond with a phone call and say, "This looks like it might meet my needs. Tell me more."Make it easy
for the prospect to respond. Highlight your toll-freenumber throughout the copy, at least once on every page. List reg-ional offices and sales reps and their phone numbers (many peopleprefer to call locally). Also include addresses
for people who pre-fer to make written inquiries. Give more than one phone extension so the reader won't get a busy signal. Label products clearly so thereader knows what to ask for. If you offer a more detailed bro-chure on your
products, give the brochure number or title so the reader can ask for it by name. 3. Skip the "Cover." Though brochures and other kinds of inserts use the front cover as a graphic and image building device (and
sometimes leave the back cover bare except for a logo), such a de-sign tactic is a waste of money in a bound-in directory insert. You pay for each page, so run product descriptions an ALL pages, including the front and back
"covers." Don't waste a single inch of costly space. You'll have plenty of competition in these direct-ories. You have to play by different rules when you run an "insert" in industrial directories. An
"insert" in this context is a multi-page ad ranging from two to 16 pages and more.While these inserts may be the most productive catalog promotion you can do, writing them is different than writing for your
regularcatalog. 4. Consider the competition. Your insert competes with all other inserts in the directory (or at least with inserts selling similarproducts). So it pays to make yours stand out.The best way to do this is with
headlines and subheads that speakdirectly of the benefits of the products, what those products can do for the reader. Most directory inserts are poorly written: they consist of dry recitations of technical specifications and grainy
black-and-white photos of the products against drop-cloth back-grounds. Make yours exciting. Show how the reader will come out ahead by doing business with you. Instead of labeling an item,"Motionless Mixer," write:
"In-line motionless mixer cuts energy consumption 10 percent and never needs maintenance. 5. Grab their eyes. The layout should be simple but also bold, crisp, and attractive. Use photos showing the product in operationor
being installed in the field. Big headlines and subheads helptell the story and move the reader's eye along the page. Short paragraphs and a clean typeface make the copy more readable. Makeyour page a pleasure to look at and to
read. 6. Write in "directory" style. A "Yellow-page" or other directory ad is different than a magazine ad. The magazine ad must rely ona clever headline and visual to stop a reader who may not be think-ing of
the product. In a directory, the reader is actively lookingfor what your ad is selling. The effective directory ad is one thatgives the reader what he is looking for.So it is with the insert. When the reader picks up the
industrialdirectory, he has a specific need in mind. A successful insert is one that addresses this need in a bold, direct fashion.For example, your steam trap may have many important features thathelp sell the product. But
experience has taught you that someoneis ready to buy, their main concern is fast delivery. Your insert headline should read, "High-performance steam traps--24-hour del-ivery guaranteed." 7. Focus on product features,
not catalog utility. Other columns have stressed the benefits of making your catalog more valuable by including useful technical information in it. This turns your cat-alog into a technical reference work that the reader is
inclined to keep around. But this doesn't apply to the directory insert. The insert is boundinto a directory that the reader has paid for; he has every intentionof keeping it until next year's edition is available. So
includinggeneral advice and information is a waste of space. Instead, concen-trate on describing and selling your products. 8. The insert on its own. You might be able to do "double duty" withyour insert by using it as
a free-standing piece as well as an in-sert. If you plan on doing this, think about how this affects designand copy. Can the insert stand on its own as is? Will you need to add a cover, additional copy or an order form? How
expensive will these changes be? Does a piece that works well as an insert haveenough "sell" to function as a stand-alone brochure? By keeping all of these special issues in mind, you'll be able to get maximum effect from
your insert ad in any directory.
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