People instinctively know that any unsolicited mailing has been sent because you want them to do something. That is why creating the right offer is so critical. To help, here is a list of basic offers direct marketing pros rely upon. These are a few (though not all!) of the most common offers by business to business and business to consumer companies as well as nonprofit fund raising organizations.

Free Information - This is the most common offer when trying to get leads for salespeople in the business to business world. Free information can be in the form of a helpful guide or white paper and does not always have to be tied directly to the product/service being sold.

Free Demonstration - Important for products like business equipment.

Free Survey of Your Needs - Also called an "audit offer," this is often used with success by service companies.

Free Cost Estimate - Good for professional services such as contractors.

Special Terms - Bill me later, installment terms, low or no interest, postponed payment schedule are a few examples.

Samples - Depending on the product, the offer of a free sample can be a compelling offer, particularly when it is coupled with something else, such as free information. It is often a good practice to charge a nominal fee for samples, because this only lets the very highly qualified prospect through the screen of the offer.

Free Trial - This is a common offer for higher priced merchandise and many services, both for businesses and consumers.

Conditional Sale - Very similar to a free trial, but it is on the buyer to cancel the product or service at the end of a specified period of time.

Till Forbid - Calls for continuing shipments until the customer cancels - has worked well for business services and continuity programs (book clubs, food product clubs, newspapers, garbage collection, landscape services).

Time Limit - Setting a time limit on any offer is good practice because it forces action now.

Get-A-Friend - Based on the rule that the best source for new business is existing customers. Ask customers to supply names of others they know that are good prospects for what you are selling or incentivize them in some way if they send a customer your way.

Add-On-Orders - This involves a customer qualifying for a discount offer on a secondary product when they buy the primary product. (Ex. Buy a fertilizer spreader and get a discount on the fertilizer.)

Customer Appreciation Sale - Special deals for past customers only.

Special Seasonal Sale - Tie special offers to time-limited sales period (pre-season, Christmas, Mother's Day, Father's Day, etc.)