Tiny Changes, Big Wins: Creative Lessons from the Field

In this article, Limetree’s Creative Director, Shelly Fletchall discusses how she designs for Performance.

By: Shelly Fletchall

I’ll be honest. Limetree is really good at testing. I’ve worked as a creative designer and director for other agencies that weren’t running tests very well or not running them at all, and I look back and think what a disservice that was for the client. Our team is always looking for ways to test and learn to help our clients gain insights into their customers. Here are four high-impact ways to test and learn based on what we’ve seen work:

Tiny Messaging Tweaks That Deliver Big Results

We have found that not every test needs to be a large undertaking (multiple versions, large variable areas of copy, or significant format changes). Sometimes, tiny changes can lead to big outcomes. For example, a year ago, we ran a very simple test by testing two options, one with two words omitted from the outside of an envelope to increase urgency. We were also surprised to see that such a minor adjustment generated 16% in additional response.

Behavioral Principles That Drive Action

At Limetree, we’re very spoiled to have Behavioral Scientists who work closely with our creative team to identify and apply proven psychology principles. Here are some we’ve tested (and you can too) to learn what truly motivates people to act:

• Loss Aversion: People are more motivated to avoid losing something than to gain something of equal value. When they feel it already belongs to them, the impact is even stronger. Combine this with the endowment effect, and you’ve got a powerful motivator: the fear of losing something they believe is theirs.

• Social Proof: People look to others when making decisions. Phrases like “Others in your neighborhood chose this” add credibility and create a sense of belonging. Local references, like city, county, or even neighborhood, if you know the locality enough, can make the message feel more personal and trustworthy.

• Present Bias: We’re naturally drawn to instant gratification. Highlight what your audience can gain right now, like “Call today to get your discount” or “Start saving this week,” to encourage immediate action and avoid delay.

CTA Optimization That Lifts Response

As marketers, we know the call to action is one of the most important parts of your creative. Where it’s placed, how it looks, and what it says can all impact response. We were recently tasked by a client to help optimize their direct mail campaign. The first place we started was the CTA. What we found was that their current CTA across many letters wasn’t providing clear direction on what they wanted their customers to do. There was a QR code and a phone number, but unclear directions. With a simple reduction in steps and addition of actionable words, along with other copy tweaks, we more than doubled performance head-to-head in just one letter. We are not kidding about this result!

Here are three ways we test to make your CTA better:

• Framing the Action: Be clear about what you want people to do, and how quickly. Compare “Call today” vs. “Call immediately” or “Don’t wait to claim yours.” vs. “Claim yours now.” The more specific, the better.

• Look at Placement: Top vs. bottom, left vs. right. Each has different eye-tracking behavior. In direct mail, we have seen significant lift by using the right-hand column (or "right rail") to highlight things like the CTA, phone number, URLs, or an offer.

• Make it Stand Out: On more official communications we’ve placed a bold border around the CTA. We’ve also used bold colors or icons to draw attention.

Personalization That Goes Beyond a Name

Personalization isn’t just about saying “Hi [First Name].” Done right, it can create a stronger emotional connection and drive action. Here are ways we like to get personal (and try not to be too creepy):

• Location-Based References: Data is very important for this one, and if you have it, use it! When you mention a place a person recognizes, this helps make the message feel more relevant to them. For example: “Because you live in Clay County, this special offer is available to you.”

• Usage-Based Reminders: Once again, if you have great data (like we do): we like to highlight things they may not be fully using or missing out on. For example: “You still have $50 in rewards you can claim.”

• Ownership Language: Adding “You” and “Your” are easy ways to trigger endowment and increase urgency: “Your personal benefit expires soon.”

• Handwritten-Style Touches: As much as this might feel “off brand”, we have used simple handwritten-style arrows, circles, or underlines to make the message feel more personal and authentic.

Bottom line:

Test early. Test often. Even small shifts can create big wins and build smarter, more responsive creative over time.