Estimates vary as to how long the average homeowner looks at the content of direct mail before deciding on its fate. The pessimists say about four seconds. If you believe the optimists, relax - you may have as much as eight whole seconds in which to grab their attention. Here are the GenEvange Top 10 Strategies for Direct Mail. Use them, and make every second count!

1/ the relevance to their life
2/ the benefits to themselves or their families
3/ what to do next.

Be realistic about what you are up against. The Direct Mail Information Service (DMIS) estimates that the average homeowner receives 14 items of direct mail weekly. You shouldn't assume that anything you send out will get results. The truth is, your direct mail has to be considerably better than average to even get noticed. So what tactics can we use to make our mailings stand out and bring reluctant readers to the three levels of understanding above?

1/ Open Strong
Is the primary visible message going to aid your cause? A teasing phrase can convince the recipient to at least read on. But beware - a poorly chosen message just screams out 'SALES LETTER!', and may have the opposite effect.

2/ Grab Their Attention Without Insult
Most direct mails use an attention grabbing statement as an opening. The safest option is the punchy summary of a key benefit. Provocative openings can be effective, ie challenges to the reader to take a certain course of action - but don't imply any criticism of their current lifestyle. Off the wall, zany statements can work - but make sure the link to the main text is not too contrived and the relevance to the reader is quickly established.

3/ Get To The Point!
After you've drawn the reader in, don't try to be too clever or subtle. 'Fifty years ago, Johnnie Brown was selling dope on the local street corner ...' may make the odd person misty eyed over their own sinful beginnings - for the rest, life is too short. Hit them with your best shot. What's in it for them? They might not be able to understand the intricacies of salvation (and you probably shouldn't hit them with that right off anyway), but they can certainly grasp the value of community.

4/ To Joke Or Not To Joke
It seems obvious that a humorous mailing stands a better chance of registering in the memory. But humor is extremely difficult to pull off. There is a reason professionals get paid large sums of money in advertising agencies. If you think you have an amusing line that doesn't mask the key benefits, run it past enough people to ensure it's not just your own warped sense of humor (pastors can be odd creatures sometimes). If you decide to play it straight, avoid stuffiness at all costs.

5/ Feed The Eyes
Whether you are using letters, cards, leaflets or a combination of these, make all the elements of your mailing visually appealing. It's amazing how many large companies send out glossy, well-designed leaflets accompanied by a plain, stodgily worded letter. Eye-catching images also aid telephone follow up, serving as a useful memory jogger to mail weary recipients. Whatever presentational methods you use, don't let them distract from the core aim of getting the reader to quickly understand the relevance and benefits of your church community.

6/ Play Your Cards Right
Follow up mailings increase response rates. Whenever strong brand recognition is the goal of a campaign, statistics show that a minimum of 6 hits is required before you can assume they know who you are. Stack your mailings in series. It's far better to mail 3 times in one month than 3 times over the course of a year.

7/ End With A Bang
If you are sending out letters, use a 'PS'. According to American direct mail guru Herschell Gordon Lewis, the 'PS' is the most read part of a letter after the overline. Use it to maximum effect. It should reinforce a key selling point, exhort readers to action, or introduce an extra benefit.

8/ Invite Action
Ensure you are making it as easy as possible to respond to your mailing. Offer more than one method to respond. For example, you may be inviting people to try out a Sunday service, but it is wise to have an additional access point. Some people are too unsettled to attend a church service. Do you have any other programs to offer? Is there anything through the week that they can attend? Is there a special event planned?

9/ Plan Your Budget
They say that a church budget is a good indication of the things held most dear to that congregation. Some might incur considerable expense gladly on furniture, worship banners, powerpoint projectors or the strawberry social, but if you leave nothing in the budget for outreach, you probably shouldn't expect church growth. Analyze your own church budget and if it's not a accurate reflection of what is truly important, perhaps you should suggest changing the focus a bit to make room for outreach.

10/ Targeting
We all know about the power of truly targeted marketing, but it's worth making the point that mailing to named decision makers in your target market is the second most important element for a successful campaign. The primary element is the ad itself. Does your ad speak to the people you want to reach? People inside the church may think your ad is great, the church secretary may kick off her heals with laughter, but you're not trying to reach the converted here, so you have to develop a healthy empathy for your target.