A selection of newsletter marketing "evergreens" for the new year.

Here, for your New Year's reading pleasure, is a holiday stocking full of good newsletter ideas I've gained over 35 years in the business. (The names in parentheses are the people I associate with each idea, allowing that in some cases it may not been original with them.)

* Blow up your order form. Make it large enough to include copy about the premiums, a guarantee certificate, maybe photos. At 8.5 x 11, it is also fax friendly. (Craig Huey)

* Use teaser copy most of the time. Don't think a plain envelope will "deceive" anyone, because any competent secretary will recognize ad mail. And don't change packages "too soon." Publishers tire of packages long before prospects do. (Bill Jayme)

* Don't assume a plain vanilla envelope will have more pull. Most junk mail comes in this form. Prospects know this. (John Klingel)

* Reader benefits, benefits, benefits. Tell the prospect about his lawn, not your grass seed. (George Duncan)

* Have an 800 number on all your marketing pieces. Don't assume your prospects are business people who can afford to call on their own dime. Besides, incoming calls are a wonderful opportunity for upsells. (Bob Spidell)

* Don't let editors write (or edit) marketing copy. Editors are trained to nuance and qualifications. They aren't good at marketing copy.

* Avoid humor in selling copy. Nothing in life is more serious than separating a prospect from his or her money. Put on your figurative suit and tie when writing selling copy. (Milt Pierce)

Also, humor is "me-oriented" copy (see how clever I am), and selling copy should be all about the prospect. (Rene Gnam)

* Discounts are more powerful incentives for new orders than extra issues. Extra issues are more of what prospects aren't yet absolutely sure they want. You do know, though, that they want more of their money remaining in their wallets. (Donn Smith)

* Always tell the prospect what he or she wants to hear, not what you know (or think) he or she needs to know. "If I'm hungry for a thick, gooey chocolate brownie, don't give me tofu." (Steve Sahlein)

* Avoid the word "information." No one in today's society needs more "information." Everybody's up to their elbows in information. No one comes home from a long day at the office and tells the significant other, "I had a terrible day at the office. I just couldn't get enough information." (Jim Sinkinson)

* Always offer the guarantee of 100 percent of your money back at any time. (Frank Joseph) Attempts to further sex-up the guarantee--such as "Plus $25 for your time and trouble" or "Returned by FedEx"--do not appear to add any further impact.

* Don't write marketing copy in the future tense. "You get" and "You receive" rather than "When you subscribe" or "You will receive." (Ed Peskowitz) And never use the word "if."

* Always have a P.S. It's the second most read part of the sales letter. (Rene Gnam)

* Put a hole in your envelope. Create the question in the prospect's mind, "What is in there with my name on it?" (Also Rene)

* Now. Now. Do It Now. Don't wait to get one more list or decide the next issue would make a better sample. Orders you don't get today are gone forever. They aren't "replaced" by orders you get later. (Ken Callaway)

* Tell the prospect exactly what to do. Complete the order form, mail today in the postage paid envelope enclosed. Never assume that the prospect will infer anything or do anything which is not directly stated. (Jim Marsh)

* Include a publisher's (lift) letter. "They almost always work. I don't really know why." (Hank Burnett) But that's why they call them lift letters--they lift response.

* Next to December 26, Labor Day is thought to be the best day of the year to drop newsletter marketing campaigns. Not any more. When does school begin in your area? Many places it's mid-August or earlier. Kids are back in school, people are back at their desks at work. Mail earlier and get a two-week jump on competitors. (Fred Goss, although I'm sure I'm not the first one to note this.)