I know I like to back up my online campaigns with small but focused direct mailings - so here are a few pointers that may help your overall marketing as well as the online side.

Here are some small, yet powerful, copywriting secrets suggested by direct response consultant Al Lautenslager.

• Put a picture of a telephone next to your phone number. It encourages readers to reach for a phone.
• Put a headline on your outer envelope.
• Put captions under all photos. They draw people in.
• Include a P.S. at the end of the letter. It's often the first part of a letter that recipients read.
• Use colored paper to create more visual impact at minimal printing cost.
• Use a perforated coupon. People like to tear them out.
• Include your business card in your mailing.

And use these tactics to mine more value from your mailings:

• Send your direct mail to reporters because it can generate PR.
• Include educational institutions on your mailing list.
• If one person can't use your offer, he or she may hand it to someone else.
• Put yourself on all your mailing lists so you will know whether your packages arrive to everyone else on the list.