Tennis Clothing Source

Signature Tennis Racquet

what tennis racquet is right for me?

This year, i'm going to be a freshman in highschool. I decided that i will play tennis. I learned tennis two years ago, but i haven't played until this summer. I'm a fast learner, so I think i'm between 3.5 and 4.0 level player right now. I'm going to play tennis everyday until the school starts, so i think i'll improve. I have a lot of power when using my racquet that i use right now (wilson federer signature model(the blue one). Also, i need more control as in where to put the ball. I am an offensive player. I am pretty good at almost everything except serving, which i'm improving and volley. I also need a racquet that i could easily put spin into & i don't know what head size is right for me, but the one i use is 112 and i think it's too big. My budget is anywhere from $0 to $230. I'm leaning towards babolat, prince, wilson, or even adidas racquets. Also, can you suggest the right strings for me (if it comes unstrung)

I would suggest a tweener racquet such as the pure drive cortex or pure drive gt from babolat. It's also 100 square inches which is pretty good if you've been playing for 2 years. Sweet spot shouldn't be a problem for you. It's very aggressive and spin oriented and you'll get a bunch of power on your serves. As for strings I used on my pro hurrican tours on my aeropro drive cortex and it has a bunch of spin and durability. I think if you are really comfortable with your game you should also try out some player's frames such as the wilson k pro tour (which is on sale right now) or prince speed port black. Try demoing some racquets online or at a shop.

The racquet I'm using right now is the yonex rds 001 2008 mid with solinco heaven tour bite for mains @ 55 and gosen micro sheep for crosses @ 58.

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Direct Mail Marketing Letters - Increase Readership And Response In Direct Mail

The opening paragraph of your direct mail letter? Here’s the place to show your biggest benefit.  Lead with your best stuff first - did you want to wait till you lose readers?  This should be your hottest copy and your most exciting benefit.

“Enjoy the biggest benefit of our new product - and here’s our best offer!” - might sound like this:  “Enjoy the easy and extra-fast swing of our new ultra-lightweight tennis racquet - and try it FREE for 30 days!”

Show benefits

In any direct mail marketing campaign you show the features in the brochure, and the benefits of those features in the letter.  The brochure tells, the letter sells… and asks for the call frequently.  Direct mail marketing has it’s own set of rules.

You remember the difference between features and benefits, don’t you?  Products have features - a teacup has a handle, that’s a feature.  The benefits are what you derive from the features - when you hold the teacup with the handle you don’t burn your hands.  The benefits - what people get from the features - go in the letter.

Second paragraph.  This is a transitional paragraph of your direct mail letter expanding on your biggest benefit.  Keep all paragraphs flush left with a 4- or 5-character indent, rag right and under 7 lines.

Third paragraph - a great place to show all your benefits.  Best: place a bulleted list of benefits right in the center of your direct mail marketing letters.  Showing all benefits here sometimes become too fluffy, so including a few product features is OK in this list. 

· Bulleted lists have high readership. 
· Show one benefit to a line. 
· Everyone likes a bulleted list.
· Know who will read this paragraph?  Everyone.
· Even people who just skim your letter read this.
· Don’t forget to direct readers to call now & order! 

So you need better-than-average copy here, since it is the highest readership in the body of your letter.  You need short and sweet killer copy.  Each single line drives the reader further into the rest of the letter, closer to buying your product and closer to the phone.

Fourth paragraph.  Want to make your direct mail letter visually different?  Indent this paragraph and place it in italics.  Move the margins in, one inch on BOTH sides, so the paragraph width is about 3 inches at most.  And reduce the font size by two points.  This gives your letter copy some air - a little breathing room - and makes it look easy to read, even if it isn’t.  Tout the benefits and ask for the phone call in this foreshortened paragraph.

Fifth paragraph.  Here’s where you really sell the phone call. “Just pick up the phone and call us right now.  Questions, comments - your call is always welcome — here’s our phone number: 800-987-6543.”

Don’t be afraid to ask people to call you several times in any direct mail advertising, and the sales letter is no exception.  The fourth and fifth paragraph.  This fifth paragraph is where you MUST sell the phone call hard.  Remember, no phone calls - no orders = failure. 

Also - show your actual phone number in the text of the letter in this body copy of your direct mail letter.  Yea yea, I know - it’s in the letterhead.  Show it again here in the text. And again in the PS. It encourages phone calls.  Any arguements?

Signature.  Sign legibly.  Even if your real signature looks like the X made by Attila the Hun, sign so people can read it.  It’s a visual hook - keep it legible.

The PS in your direct mail letter is your last chance to briefly restate your one or two biggest benefits, your offer, and ask for the phone call.  Last chance - make a great, irresistible call to action.

White space. 

Don’t forget the other half of your direct mail letter - white space.  Keep a lot of breathing room around your copy, let it air out.  This may mean reducing your font size from my first preference of 12 points to a slightly smaller 10 point size, but if it makes the letter look light, breezy and easy to read, it’s worth it. 

BTW, I always prefer Courier typeface to make the letter look like a traditional letter.  While the letter may be an ad, to make your direct mail letter the most effective it can possibly be, it’s got to look like a letter.  Remember, direct mail letters are secretly ads - not really letters.  They have their own set of distinct rules.  We’ll still call our ad a letter, though.  OK?

In the next and final article in this series, you’ll learn 12 rules to increase letter readership and response.

About the Author

Bio, Jeffrey Dobkin

If you're struggling with poor response — get help by reading practical marketing tips.  Receive articles you can trust by Jeffrey Dobkin. Dobkin has written 4 books on direct marketing including How To Market a Product for Under $500. He can be reached at 610-642-1000. Read more of his articles at http://www.danielleadams.com

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