Bly.com Newsletter Archives

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Bob Bly’s Direct Response Letter: Resources, ideas, and tips for
improving response to business-to-business, high-tech, and
direct marketing.

January 5, 2012

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You are getting this e-mail because you subscribed to it on
www.bly.com or because you are one of Bob’s clients, prospects,
seminar attendees, or book buyers. If you would prefer not to
receive further e-mails of this type, go to the bottom of this
message and click on “SafeUnsubscribe.”

Your subscription brings you one regular monthly issue, usually
at the beginning of the month, plus supplementary messages each
week. These are typically either free tips or personal
recommendations for information products on marketing or related
topics. I review products before recommending them and in many
cases know the authors.

We do not rent or share your name with anybody. Feel free to
forward this issue to any peers, friends and associates you
think would benefit from its contents. They will thank you. So
will I.

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***Best days to send e-mail***

According to an article in Target Marketing (12/11, p. 7), 56%
of e-mail is sent Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, distributed
almost evenly among those 3 days.

Participants at a 12/8/11 SIPA* Roundtable reported some success
e-mailing on other days, most notably Friday and Saturday.

I send 4 e-mails to my list weekly. Monday and Thursday are
content messages. Tuesday and Friday are promotions.

As a rule of thumb, at least 50% of your e-mail messages should
be content. If not, people unsubscribe.

*Specialized Information Publishers Association

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***Mail-order magic***

Among the classic mail order products were those advertised with
tiny display ads in the pages of 1960s and 1970s comic books.
Example: Sea Monkeys.

Kirk Demarais collects photos of the products and the ads in his
book “Mail-Order Mysteries.” Classic headlines include:

“Enter the Wonderful World of Amazing Live Sea-Monkeys”

“Over 1,001 Free Items – Yours for the Asking”

“Genuine Soil from Dracula’s Castle”

“Absolutely Free! Giant Life Size Moon Monster”

“100-Piece Toy Soldier Set — $1.25″

“The Insult That Made a Man out of Mac”

“Amazing X-Ray Vision Instantly!”

“Discover the Hidden Secrets of Nature’s Most Exotic and
Mysterious House Plant!”

Source: Kirk Demarais, “Mail-Order Mysteries,” Insight Editions

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***Eliminate parking hassle with this simple travel tip***

Use your cell phone’s camera to take a picture of the parking
lot post that has the row number/letter where you’re parked.
That way, you’ll be able to find your car. Delete the photo upon
your return.

Source: Ryan Lee and Bill Huddleston.

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***4 free marketing e-books for you***

For a limited time only, my colleague Bill Hall is offering 4
free marketing e-books, a total of 192 pages, just for checking
out his “Real Marketing Works” e-newsletter:

1-The Step by Step Guide to Writing Profitable E-Books.
2-10 Ways to Double Advertising Response Rates.
3-101 eBay Secrets Revealed.
4-The Easy E-Book Idea Generator.

Bill has experience in corporate marketing as well as mail
order and Internet marketing. Download your 4 free e-books here:

www.freemarketingforyou.com

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***Building your e-list***

According to my friend and consultant Wendy Montes de Oca,
conducting online polls is a great way to add names to your
e-list.

She says that for an e-list built with online polls, less than
2% of the names dropped off the list after 6 months.

Other methods Wendy recommends for e-list building include
article marketing, reciprocal ad swaps for lead generation, and
pay-per-click advertising.

Not working so well: buying e-mail addresses (“almost always a
waste of money”), renting e-lists, sweepstakes, and e-mail
address appending. “With these methods, more than 50% of the
names dropped off the file after 6 months,” she says.

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***Listening to Freud***

One day Dr. Sigmund Freud was visited by a depressed man seeking
help. After an extensive interview, Freud advised the man, “You
have severe clinical depression and it will take many visits for
an effective course of treatment.

“But in the meantime the famous clown, the Great Grimaldi, is in
town for the night, and I suggest you see his show, which may
provide some temporary relief against your gloom.”

“I cannot,” Freud’s patient answered sadly.

“And why not?” asked Freud.

“Because,” said the man, “I am the Great Grimaldi.”

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***I have to think it over***

One of the most dreaded customer objections is “I have to think
it over.” Here are some responses that can help get past it:

>> “What exactly do you want to think about?”
>> “Let’s think it over out loud. Sometime two heads are better than one.”
>> “Let’s think it over while it is fresh in your mind. What are
some of the items you need to know more about?”

Source: Selling Power magazine

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***Stop ignoring Facebook***

If, like me, you pretty much ignore social media, you are making
a mistake according to Rachel Yeomans, marketing director of
social media at Astek Consulting.

She notes that the average Facebook user is connected to 80
community pages, groups, and events. Facebook has nearly 657
million users worldwide with almost 8.7 billion visits per month.

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***Focus on repeat sales***

Too many marketers focus on the initial sale, when the real
profits are often generated by repeat business over the lifetime
of the customer, says marketing expert Jay Abraham.

For Icy Hot, a balm, he got $10 million worth of advertising
without paying for a single spot. In exchange for running the
ads at no cost, the station or publication could keep the $3
customers paid for each jar bought from the ads. One million
people tried Icy Hot on that basis.

Approximately one-third of these buyers came back at least 6
times a year at an average order of $10, generating $21 million
a year in sales.

Icy Hot became so successful that a major pharmaceutical company
bought out its original manufacturer for many millions of
dollars.

Source: The Abraham Files

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***Quotation of the month***

“We never know which lives we influence, or when, or why.”
–Stephen King

Source: Stephen King, “11/22/63: A Novel” (Scribner, p. 454).

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***Reprint my articles – free!***

Media, bloggers, marketers, editors, publishers, Web masters –
need powerful content on your Web site or blog? You can
syndicate or republish any of the articles you’ve read in Bob
Bly’s Direct Response Letter — for free! To view complete
articles, visit our newsletter archives at www.bly.com/archive.
Republishing our articles is quick and easy. All you have to do
is include author attribution (byline/name of author) and the
following statement, “This article appears courtesy of Bob Bly’s
Direct Response Letter,” and include a back-link to
www.bly.com. That’s it!

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***Our 60-second commercial***

Bob Bly is available on a limited basis for copywriting of
direct mail packages, sales letters, brochures, white papers,
ads, e-mail marketing campaigns, PR materials, and Web pages. We
recommend you call for a FREE copy of our updated Copywriting
Information Kit. Just let us know your industry and the type of
copy you’re interested in seeing (ads, mailings, etc.) and if
Bob is available to take on your assignment, we’ll tailor a
package of recent samples to fit your requirements. Call Bob Bly
at 201-505-9451 or e-mail rwbly@bly.com.

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Bob Bly’s Direct Response Letter: Resources, ideas, and tips for
improving response to business-to-business, high-tech, and
direct marketing.

December 1, 2011

—————————————————————–

You are getting this e-mail because you subscribed to it on
www.bly.com or because you are one of Bob’s clients, prospects,
seminar attendees, or book buyers. If you would prefer not to
receive further e-mails of this type, go to the bottom of this
message and click on “SafeUnsubscribe.”

Your subscription brings you one regular monthly issue, usually
at the beginning of the month, plus supplementary messages each
week. These are typically either free tips or personal
recommendations for information products on marketing or related
topics. I review products before recommending them and in many
cases know the authors.

We do not rent or share your name with anybody. Feel free to
forward this issue to any peers, friends and associates you
think would benefit from its contents. They will thank you. So
will I.

—————————————————————–

***Ideal length for audio scripts***

Nightingale-Conant and some other info marketers script their
audio products. If you do the same, how long should your script
be?

Typically each CD should run about an hour. Since we talk at a
rate of 100 to 120 words per minute, figure 6,000 to 7,000 words
in your audio script per CD.

If there are 6 CDs in your program, total length is around
35,000 to 40,000 words. By comparison, a 200-page nonfiction
book has about 80,000 words.

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***Upcoming speaking engagement***

I’ll be speaking in Miami on December 9th at the meeting of the
Specialized Information Publishers Association (SIPA), on “How
to Engage Customers Once They Are On Your Web Site.” For more
information, visit www.sipaonline.com.

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***A simple trick for increasing print ad response***

After you make the offer at the close of your copy, restate it
and put a box around the restated offer. It seems redundant but
experience shows that repeating and highlighting the offer
increases response.

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***Quick way to bond with your prospects***

Find out what trade association your prospects belong to and
join as a member or (if that’s not allowed) an associate member
(usually permitted for vendors). Then cite your membership on
your web site and other copy promoting your services.

When years ago I specialized in writing for chemical equipment
manufacturers, I was a member of the American Institute of
Chemical Engineers. Still am.

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***How to handle people who want free advice***

Speaker Patricia Fripp suggests you say something like the
following: “I charge X dollars an hour for consulting. I will
give you 5 free minutes starting now.” Then start the clock and
give them 5 minutes. End the call when the time has been used
up. Not only does this prevent callers from rambling on and on,
but it establishes that the free advice you are giving them has
high value.

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***Book authors: get great testimonials online***

When you write your book, offer something free to the reader
that they must e-mail you to request. This could be a password
to a members-only web site or a free report.

Reason: when readers e-mail you for the freebie, most will also
take a sentence or two to praise you book, giving you a
ready-made file of positive book blurbs. If your book sells on
Amazon, you can also find reader comments there.

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***Do B2B marketers sell to companies or people?***

I would have said “people.” But Terry Jukes, CEO of B2B Direct
Marketing Intelligence, a direct response consulting firm,
disagrees.

“In B2B, a customer is a site first and a person second,” says
Jukes. Reason: turnover rate of company personnel is greater
than 25% a year. Also, notes Jukes, “Central purchasing erodes
value of person tracking.”

Terry gives three suggestions for generating more B2B sales:

1. At customer sites with 250 or more employees, do periodic
mailings to update your contact list within the company.

2. Real buyers often hide in larger sites. But there are ways to
find them: warranty cards, product evaluation questionnaires
(offer a bonus gift for completion), e-mail order and shipping
confirmation, and birthday recognition programs.

3. Create a preferred supplier relationship that can withstand
the turnover in people at a customer site by telling them they
are a “loyal buyer” and rewarding them for it.

For instance, you can offer a loyal customer discount based on
longevity (number of years they have been buying from you),
frequency (number of orders per year), or dollar amount (total
amount of money spent).

Source: Merit Direct Coop.

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***Improving customer service at the check-out line in your
store***

When giving change to retail customers, do not, as most cashiers
do, hand them the receipt, coins, and bills all at once.

Reason: the customer already has one hand occupied holding the
item purchased, making it awkward and difficult to separate
these three other items.

A better practice for your cashiers:

1. First, put the receipt in the bag for the customer instead of
handing it to him.

2. Next, give him the coins, and wait until he puts them in his
pocket.

3. Then, hand him the bills, which he will put in his wallet.

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***Best typefaces for sales letters***

An old rule of thumb for designing direct mail letters is to, as
much as possible, make it look like a personal letter.

But in 2011, what typefaces best achieve that objective?

When sending sales letters to prospects age 60 and older, use
New Courier or Prestige Elite for the body, Arial Black or
Impact for the headline.

But for letters aimed at the 40-and-under crowd, use Times Roman
or another PC typeface for the body, and again, Arial Black or
Impact for heads.

Reason: to older prospects, who grew up in an era of IBM
Selectrics, New Courier and Prestige Elite, the two most popular
Selectric typefaces, remind them of typewritten, personal
letters.

Younger prospects, however, don’t remember typewritten letters –
and so to them, New Courier and Prestige Elite convey no
particular feel or impression: they just look funny.

Popular PC typefaces like Times Roman are what these young
people are used to seeing on everything – personal letters
included.

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***No-cost Google Ad Words campaigns***

This may put all those Google consultants out of business: When
you open a Google account, Google will help you build your Ad
Words campaign for free! And who knows more about Google than
Google? For more information call: 866-2-Google.

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***Quotation of the month***

“Life is so much longer than any of our enthusiasms.” –Tim Parks

Source: New York Review of Books, 9/29/11, p. 37.

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***Reprint my articles – free!***

Media, bloggers, marketers, editors, publishers, Web masters –
need powerful content on your Web site or blog? You can
syndicate or republish any of the articles you’ve read in Bob
Bly Direct Response Letter — for free! To view complete
articles, visit our newsletter archives at www.bly.com/archive.
Republishing our articles is quick and easy. All you have to do
is include author attribution (byline/name of author) and the
following statement, “This article appears courtesy of Bob Bly’s
Direct Response Letter,” and include a back-link to
www.bly.com. That’s it!

—————————————————————-

***Our 60-second commercial***

Bob Bly is available on a limited basis for copywriting of
direct mail packages, sales letters, brochures, white papers,
ads, e-mail marketing campaigns, PR materials, and Web pages. We
recommend you call for a FREE copy of our updated Copywriting
Information Kit. Just let us know your industry and the type of
copy you’re interested in seeing (ads, mailings, etc.) and if
Bob is available to take on your assignment, we’ll tailor a
package of recent samples to fit your requirements. Call Bob Bly
at 201-505-9451 or e-mail rwbly@bly.com.

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Bob Bly’s Direct Response Letter: Resources, ideas, and tips for
improving response to business-to-business, high-tech, and
direct marketing.

—————————————————————–

November 3, 2011

You are getting this e-mail because you subscribed to it on
www.bly.com or because you are one of Bob’s clients, prospects,
seminar attendees, or book buyers. If you would prefer not to
receive further e-mails of this type, go to the bottom of this
message and click on “SafeUnsubscribe.”

Your subscription brings you one regular monthly issue, usually
at the beginning of the month, plus supplementary messages each
week. These are typically either free tips or personal
recommendations for information products on marketing or related
topics. I review products before recommending them and in many
cases know the authors.

We do not rent or share your name with anybody. Feel free to
forward this issue to any peers, friends and associates you
think would benefit from its contents. They will thank you. So
will I.

—————————————————————–

***Easy way to make small ads stand out***

If you are running a print display ad of a quarter page or
smaller, put a dashed border around the advertisement.

Reason: it makes the ad look like a coupon, which catches the
reader’s eye and signals to him that the ad requires a response.

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***Little-known trick catches more typos when proofreading***

To proofread a document more effectively, read it backwards.

Reason: doing so prevents you from reading so fast that you miss
mistakes, and it helps you focus on each individual word.

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***Don’t rush a price quote***

Don’t feel you have to come up with an instant answer when a
prospect asks you, “So what will it cost?”

Instead reply: “Let me work up an estimate and get it back to
you within 24 hours.” Taking the time to carefully consider what
you want to charge eliminates the likelihood that you will quote
too small a price in haste and under pressure.

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***Should you cut prices during a recession?***

According to a survey by the National Federation of Independent
Business, nearly 30% of small business owners have lowered their
prices.

When setting your own prices, consider these ideas:

>> Be flexible – offer a wide variety of pricing options to win
over and keep risk-averse customers.

>> Customize – ask your clients what they need, and then change
your mix of offerings to emphasize the most affordable.

>> Target customers when they have the most cash – the first
week of the month after shoppers have received their pay checks
is usually the best time.

Source: Evans, Teri, “Slash & Earn,” BusinessWeek SmallBiz.

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***How long should my e-book be?***

“How long should I make my e-books?” a new Internet info
marketer asked me.

Answer: for an e-book selling in the $19 to $39 range, the PDF
should be a minimum of 50 pages.

If it’s much shorter than 40 pages, your customers may think you
are not giving them enough “meat.”

A typeset PDF page is around 300 words. So when you are writing
your e-book, you know you have enough content when your Word
document is around 15,000 words.

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***Are you charging enough for your info products?***

The minimum price for physical information products can be
calculated using the “10:1 rule.”

This rule says the price of a physical product sold through
direct marketing must be at least 10 times your product cost.

Example: A set of DVDs that costs $8 per copy to make should
sell for a minimum of $80.

A book that costs $2 per copy to print should sell for at least
$20.

But that’s the minimum. If your information is worth more, and
buyers will pay more, then charge more.

Source: Speaker Fulfillment Services, News & Notes, Vol. 15, p.
1.

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***Did you know this shocking fact about Google?***

Incredibly, sites can actually have different positions in
Google depending on who is searching for them!

“Several things can account for differences in search engine
position results,” says my SEO guru Ed Taylor. “One factor is
the Google server (data center) that is accessed. Google has
many data centers around the world and they often have slightly
different rankings.”

Another factor affecting the results you see in the Search
Engine Results Page (SERP) is the location of your PC. According
to Ed, this is especially evident on searches that Google deems
of a local nature (i.e. a dentist). In the case of local
searches, very often the Google Map setting will appear with a
group of listings specific to the local area.

Ranking differences can also result from the searcher’s computer
settings. Computers that are logged into a Google account often
display different ranking results that than those that are not.
These results are influenced by the web sites the searcher has
visited in the past.

Recommendation: The best way to view core Google indexes — the
rankings uninfluenced by your browsing history and location –
is to log out of your Google account, clear out your browser’s
cookies and cache, and then perform a search on your keyword.

Source: Ed Taylor, www.edtaylor.com

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***Bill Bonner’s copywriting secret***

Agora Publishing founder Bill Bonner uses the “IRS” (interrupt,
reveal, sell) formula to write great copy:

1—Interrupt your audience with a big idea they haven’t heard
before.

2—Reveal what it is you are talking about and how it connects to
the reader.

3—Sell by linking your big idea message to the product you are
about to offer.

Source: http://copywritersroundtable.com

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***Do you measure this important e-mail metric?***

Measuring open and click-through rates can show you just how
successful your e-mail marketing campaigns are.

But on the flip side, there’s another metric you should measure:
the “complaint rate.” And if it’s too high, you could be in
trouble.

Complaint rate is the percentage of recipients receiving your
e-mail who complain to their ISP that you are spamming them.

According to e-mail deliverability expert Kevin Senne, the
complaint rate should not exceed 0.2% — meaning a maximum of 2
spam complaints per 1,000 e-mails broadcast.

Warning: a number of e-mail services will refuse to distribute
e-mails to your list if your complaint rate exceeds 0.2% or even
0.1%.

To lower your complaint rate to acceptable levels:

>> Make your e-mail copy more content-heavy … and less
sales-oriented.

>> Ask subscribers what they want to read in your e-mails – and
give it to them.

>> E-mail your list less frequently.

Source: The Marketing Report.

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***Telemarketing tip***

When making cold calls, the first thing you should say is: “Am I
catching you at a bad time right now?” The prospect will
typically give one of two answers: yes or no.

If she answers “yes,” ask when is a good time to call back and
set an appointment for the call.

If the answer is “no,” then she is giving you permission to
proceed – at least for another minute. And the fact that you
showed respect for her time raises her opinion of you a notch.

—————————————————————–

***Reprint my articles – free!***

Media, bloggers, marketers, editors, publishers, Web masters –
need powerful content on your Web site or blog? You can
syndicate or republish any of the articles you’ve read in Bob
Bly Direct Response Letter — for free! To view complete
articles, visit our newsletter archives at www.bly.com/archive.
Republishing our articles is quick and easy. All you have to do
is include author attribution (byline/name of author) and the
following statement, “This article appears courtesy of Bob Bly
Direct Response Letter,” and include a back-link to www.bly.com.
That’s it!

—————————————————————–

***Our 60-second commercial***

Bob Bly is available on a limited basis for copywriting of
direct mail packages, sales letters, brochures, white papers,
ads, e-mail marketing campaigns, PR materials, landing pages,
and Web pages. We recommend you call for a FREE copy of
our updated Copywriting Information Kit. Just let us know your
industry and the type of copy you’re interested in seeing (ads,
mailings, etc.) and if Bob is available to take on your assignment,
we’ll tailor a package of recent samples to fit your requirements.
Call Bob Bly at 201-505-9451 or e-mail rwbly@bly.com.

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October 10, 2011

You are getting this e-mail because you subscribed to it on
www.bly.com or because you are one of Bob’s clients, prospects,
seminar attendees, or book buyers. If you would prefer not to
receive further e-mails of this type, go to the bottom of this
message and click on “SafeUnsubscribe.”

Your subscription brings you one regular monthly issue, usually
at the beginning of the month, plus one or two supplementary
messages each week. These are typically either free tips or
personal recommendations for information products on marketing
or related topics. I review products before recommending them
and in many cases know the authors.

We do not rent or share your name with anybody. Feel free to
forward this issue to any peers, friends and associates you
think would benefit from its contents. They will thank you. So
will I.

—————————————————————–

***Using QR codes in direct mail***

According to an article in Target Marketing (10/11, p. 11),
Quick Response (QR) Codes should catch the eye. They can be
read from any angle so there should be no issue in finding space in
your mailing for them.

QR Codes should be place above the fold. Avoid any area close to
the edges or crease of the mail piece. Include a white border
equal to the width of two black modules around all four sides of
the QR Code.

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***A word about my blog***

Between issues of this newsletter, I write short articles that
give either how-to tips or opinions on marketing trends and
issues. These are posted regularly on my blog; please check it
out if you haven’t already. I think you will not be disappointed:

http://bly.com/blog

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***The 50% e-mail marketing rule***

If your online business makes money by sending e-mails to your
opt-in e-list, how many of those e-mails can be sales messages
that generate revenue vs. how many must be content messages that
educate your readers but don’t directly produce income?

My finding is that your ratio of pure content to sales e-mails
must be at minimum 50% or more – that is, you must send at least
one content e-mail for every sales e-mail. If the ratio of
content messages to sales messages falls below 50%, your
subscribers will become disgruntled, stop reading your e-mails,
and unsubscribe from your list. This rule is of utmost
importance and should not be violated.

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***7 ways to make meetings more productive***

1-Start on time. Give warning; then do it.

2-Assign time-keeping and minutes responsibilities.

3-Keep posted on the time remaining and the amount behind
schedule if any.

4-Start with and stick to the agenda.

5-Allow interruptions for emergency purposes only.

6-Restate conclusions and assignments to ensure agreement.

7-End on time.

Source: Alec MacKenzie, “The Time Trap” (Amacom)

—————————————————————–

***Ideal length for subject lines***

Craig Stouffer of Pinpoint, an e-mail service, says subject
lines that are 40 to 50 characters generate approximately twice
the click-through rates of subject lines 70 to 80 characters in
length.

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***The power of print***

According to a brochure from Appleton Coated, a paper company:

>> Consumers receiving a printed catalog are 2X more likely to
buy online than consumers who do not receive a catalog.

>> 67% of online action is driven by offline messages.

>> 80% of Americans read or skim direct mail, and 38% find
direct mail interesting.

>> 75% of consumers say they have made a purchase as a result of
direct mail.

>> Consumers rate direct mail as 3.9 on a scale of 1 to 5 for
the acceptability of various communications channels – above all
other channels.

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***Facebook advertising tip***

When advertising on Facebook, send the clicks to a Facebook page
and not to your web site, advise Perry Marshall and Thomas
Meloche in their new book “The Ultimate Guide to Facebook
Advertising” (Entrepreneur Press).

Reason: If you send your clicks to a Facebook page, then the
visitors land in known and comfortable surroundings.

Says Marshall, “Their defenses are much lower than when they are
taken to a foreign web site for the first time, and they are
more likely to engage more frequently with your content.”

In addition, visitors don’t have to worry that you’re about to
install a virus on their computer, post offensive material, or
assault them with pop-ups and ads.

—————————————————————–

***4 reasons why sales stall***

If your prospect says “I want to think it over,” it’s likely for
one of these 4 reasons:

>> He’s not convinced he wants what you are offering.

>> The prospect has not been completely honest with you – and
doesn’t want to reveal the real reason he’s not buying.

>> The prospect wants to shop around first.

>> The prospect is afraid he may be overlooking something.

Source: Harry Browne, “The Secret of Selling Anything.”

—————————————————————–

***A quick tip for building credibility***

If you want to gain credibility with your prospects, participate
in the markets you serve.

For example, I knew of a fellow who sold welding equipment to
welders. To relate better to his prospects and make them more
comfortable with him, he took courses at night and became a
certified welder.

Similarly, if you sell million-dollar life insurance policies,
it’s difficult to convince someone else to buy a policy unless
you own one yourself.

—————————————————————–

***Book of the month***

My friend Joe Vitale said in a lecture I attended, “Money loves
speed.” Now my colleague David Meerman Scott has written a book,
“Real-Time Marketing & PR” (John Wiley & Sons), that shows you
how to put Joe’s guideline into practice.

The thesis of David’s excellent book is that marketing and PR
must get their messages to consumers in real-time – days or even
hours — and not on the old, leisurely time frame of weeks or
months.

Technologies like smart phones and Twitter enable this real-time
marketing to become a reality.

For more information on “Real-Time Marketing” or to order, click
below now:

www.bly.com/RealTimeMktgPR

—————————————————————–

***Believe it or not***

In Yuba City, California two thieves attempted to steal a
barbecue grill, while it was still hot, during a picnic of
county probation officers.

In other news, a bank robber was arrested when he wrote his
hold-up note on the back of his own deposit slip.

Source: Leland Gregory, “The Stupid Crook Book.”

—————————————————————–

***Quotation of the month***

“It seems to me some fine things have been laid upon your table,
but you only want the ones that you can’t get.”
–”Desperado,” The Eagles

—————————————————————–

***Reprint my articles – free!***

Media, bloggers, marketers, editors, publishers, Web masters –
need powerful content on your Web site or blog? You can
syndicate or republish any of the articles you’ve read in Bob
Bly Direct Response Letter — for free! To view complete
articles, visit our newsletter archives at www.bly.com/archive.
Republishing our articles is quick and easy. All you have to do
is include author attribution (byline/name of author) and the
following statement, “This article appears courtesy of Bob Bly
Direct Response Letter,” and include a back-link to
www.bly.com. That’s it!

———————————————————————

Bob Bly’s Direct Response Letter:
Resources, ideas, and tips for improving response to
business-to-business, high-tech, and direct marketing.

September 1, 2011

———————————————————————

You are getting this e-mail because you subscribed to it on
www.bly.com or because you are one of Bob’s clients, prospects,
seminar attendees, or book buyers. If you would prefer not to
receive further e-mails of this type, go to the bottom of this
message and click on “SafeUnsubscribe.”

Your subscription brings you one regular monthly issue, usually
at the beginning of the month, plus one or two supplementary
messages each week. These are typically either free tips or
personal recommendations for information products on marketing
or related topics. I review products before recommending them
and in many cases know the authors.

We do not rent or share your name with anybody. Feel free to
forward this issue to any peers, friends and associates you
think would benefit from its contents. They will thank you. So
will I.

———————————————————————

***Have your Internet results sucked lately?***

According to consultant Wendy Montes de Oca, Internet marketing
results are depressed from June through August. This may explain
why your click-through and conversion rates have sunk lately, if
such is the case. Action step: promote your best-selling
products heavily after Labor Day. But don’t over-promote; at
least 50% of your e-mails should be content rather than sales
messages.

———————————————————————

***Upcoming speaking engagement***

I will be speaking on “12 Ways to Succeed as a Freelance
Copywriter in 2012″ at the AWAI Boot Camp in Delray Beach, FL,
10/26-10/29/11. Among the other speakers: Michael Masterson,
Nick Usborne, Steve Slaunwhite, Dan Kennedy, Brian Clark, Joe
Sugarman, and John Forde to name just a few.

For more information or to register, click below now:

http://www.awaionline.com/bootcamp-brochure/?referredby=WB11L_49BLY

www.bly.com/12WaysBootcamp

———————————————————————

***My pet peeve***

If you are an author, don’t send me a copy of your book
unsolicited in the mail. Ask me for permission first! My office
is overflowing with business books authors have sent me – books
I will never have time to read but hate to throw out, thereby
resulting in annoying clutter. (You should see the place!) One
author sent me 2 copies of his book after I asked him not to.

If I agree to review your book and it is an e-book, don’t e-mail
me a PDF; send me a hard copy print-out in the mail. I don’t
want to consume my paper and ink printing out your book.

———————————————————————

***Don’t pat yourself on the back***

I recently got an e-mail promotion from a colleague who is a
successful copywriter. In it, he refers to himself as a “legend,”
which I found self-serving and a turn-off.

My rule of thumb: if others call you a genius, there’s a chance
you may be. But if you call yourself a genius, then you probably
aren’t. Solution: get a client, colleague, or someone known in
your industry to give you a flattering testimonial. (My first
one came from David Ogilvy.)

———————————————————————

***New 2012 Bob Bly calendar now available***

Unlike Ali Brown, I don’t have a magazine about me; I’m not in
her league.

But now Adams Media has published “The Words You Should Know to
Sound Smart 2012 Daily Calendar” – which features a different
mind-expanding vocabulary word for each day of the year and is
based on my book of the same title.

Mastering this daily listing of deliciously obscure and obtuse
terms will have you tossing about bon mots with the best of the
portentous artistes and aesthetes … and impressing the
susurration out of the perfervid hoi polloi – in no time.

For more information or to order the calendar at 15% off the
list price, click here now:

http://www.amazon.com/Words-Should-Sound-Smart-Calendar/dp/144052

7121/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1314736565&sr=1-1

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1440527121/ref=as_li_tf_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=bobblycop-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399373&creativeASIN=1440527121

www.bly.com/Words2012Calendar

———————————————————————

***Your publishing options at a glance***

There are 3 basic options for publishing a book:

1—Self-publish it as an e-book.
2—Self-publish it as a physical book.
3—Sell it to a mainstream publisher (e.g., John Wiley & Sons).

I am frequently asked which publishing option is best. My answer
is always the same:

>> #1 has the highest margin and profit potential. Choose it if
your primary goal is to make money with your book.

>> #3 has the most prestige. Choose it if you want to use the
book to promote your career or business.

>> #2 has some prestige but not as much as #3, and has better
margins than #3 but less than #1. It’s a good choice for
professional speakers who need a book to promote themselves to
meeting planners and have a product to sell at their talks.

———————————————————————

***Why I can’t look at your web site***

I am frequently asked via e-mail by my readers if I can “take a
quick look” at their web site and give my opinion.

But I can’t, for 3 reasons:

1—It falls under the category of marketing consulting, which is
what I do for a living. Why do you think I should give you my
services for free?

2—It takes time, which I have in extremely limited supply and
must reserve for my paying clients.

3—Even if you wanted to pay me, I am so booked up that the
chances I could review your web site any time soon are close to
zero.

Not trying to be mean here – just realistic.

BTW, if you asked me to review your web site, wouldn’t it have
been decent of you to at least suggest you were willing to pay
me?

———————————————————————

***Which mailing format is best?***

One of the most common questions my copywriting clients ask me
when doing direct mail is which format is best – a postcard,
self-mailer, or sales letter?

Here are some guidelines to help you answer that question:

>> When in doubt, go for a sales letter with reply element in a
#10 envelope … still the most powerful and proven format.

>> Self-mailers work well when your product is visual (e.g.,
selling vacation cruises, Christmas lights) and you want the
prospect to see pictures right away.

>> Postcards work best when driving response to a web site URL
or toll-free phone number.

>> Letters in envelopes work best when selling professional or
technical services, and with promotions that have an emotional
appeal or a story to tell (e.g., life insurance).

———————————————————————

***How to capture e-mail addresses of your web site visitors***

Another question I’m asked frequently by prospects and clients
is, “How can I make my web site convert?” By this, they often
mean “How can I capture the e-mail addresses of people who visit
the site?”

There are several methods, but the simplest is to offer free
content in exchange for the e-mail address.

For instance, create a valuable special report or online tool.
Have a prominent button on the home page that says “Free Report”
or “Free ROI Calculator” (or whatever the name of the tool is).

When they click on the button, they are taken to a simple form.
They are required to enter their name and e-mail address and
click Submit, and then they are taken to the content which they
can download or use. By doing so, they have opted into your
list, and you have captured their e-mail address with permission
to mail to it.

———————————————————————

***Using press releases to optimize your site for search engines***

In the good old days, press releases were exclusively mailed to
editors and journalists. Consumers never saw them unless they
were printed in the newspaper or magazine.

Not today. Now, press releases are routinely posted on the web
site of the company issuing the releases. Therefore, press
releases can be used in search engine optimization: simply
include your keywords in the headline and body of the release.
This doesn’t matter offline, but it does online.

———————————————————————

***Generate more inquiries from fractional display ads***

Running a half-page or smaller display ad in a magazine? Put a
dashed border around the entire ad. It resembles a coupon,
visually signaling to the reader that it’s a response ad.

Other tricks to increase print ad response:

–Show a picture of the free white paper or brochure you are
offering.

–Use the word “free” in the ad headline or a subhead.

–Run the ad on a right-hand page in the publication.

For more tips on boosting leads and sales from your print
advertising, read my e-book “Ads That Sell.” Click here for
details:

www.winningadsecrets.com

———————————————————————

***Book of the month***

Everybody tells you to market with articles, but nobody tells
you how to do it effectively.

Now my colleague Wendy Montes de Oca shares her proven 5-step
SONAR model for article marketing in her new book “Content is
Cash,” published by John Wiley & Sons. By following her model
you get higher search engine rankings and more web traffic
instead of just churning out an endless pile of articles that go
nowhere and do nothing.

For more information or to order, click below now:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0789741083/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_

tl?ie=UTF8&tag=bobblycop-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399
373&creativeASIN=0789741083

www.bly.com/ContentIsCash

———————————————————————

***Quotation of the month***

“Forget about who you thought you were and just accept who you
are.” –Liv Tyler, “Jersey Girl”

———————————————————————

***Reprint my articles – free!***

Media, bloggers, marketers, editors, publishers, Web masters –
need powerful content on your Web site or blog? You can
syndicate or republish any of the articles you’ve read in Bob
Bly Direct Response Letter — for free! To view complete
articles, visit our newsletter archives at www.bly.com/archive.
Republishing our articles is quick and easy. All you have to do
is include author attribution (byline/name of author) and the
following statement, “This article appears courtesy of Bob Bly’s
Direct Response Letter,” and include a back-link to
www.bly.com. That’s it!

———————————————————————

***Our 60-second commercial***

Bob Bly is available on a limited basis for copywriting of
direct mail packages, sales letters, brochures, white papers,
ads, e-mail marketing campaigns, PR materials, and Web pages. We
recommend you call for a FREE copy of our updated Copywriting
Information Kit. Just let us know your industry and the type of
copy you’re interested in seeing (ads, mailings, etc.) and if
Bob is available to take on your assignment, we’ll tailor a
package of recent samples to fit your requirements. Call Bob Bly
at 201-505-9451 or e-mail rwbly@bly.com.

———————————————————————

———————————————————————

Bob Bly’s Direct Response Letter:
Resources, ideas, and tips for improving response to
business-to-business, high-tech, and direct marketing.

August 4, 2011

———————————————————————

You are getting this e-mail because you subscribed to it on
www.bly.com or because you are one of Bob’s clients, prospects,
seminar attendees, or book buyers. If you would prefer not to
receive further e-mails of this type, go to the bottom of this
message and click on “SafeUnsubscribe.”

Your subscription brings you one regular monthly issue, usually
at the beginning of the month, plus one or two supplementary
messages each week. These are typically either free tips or
personal recommendations for information products on marketing
or related topics. I review products before recommending them
and in many cases know the authors.

We do not rent or share your name with anybody. Feel free to
forward this issue to any peers, friends and associates you
think would benefit from its contents. They will thank you. So
will I.

———————————————————————

***Calculating cost per click***

Dana Todd, executive VP of SiteLabs, uses this formula:

Break-even cost-per-click = average gross profit X average
conversion ratio

If your gross profit is $50 and your average conversion rate is
2%, then $50 X .02 = $1. Maximum you should pay for
pay-per-click advertising: a dollar per click.

Source: Internet Marketing Report.

———————————————————————

***Get an unfair business advantage***

My colleague Graham McGregor has released an excellent 300+ page
E-book that contains some of the best strategies I’ve ever seen
to create an Unfair Business Advantage. It includes interviews
with 25 top sales and marketing experts from 5 countries.
(including yours truly.) It’s available at no charge from:

www.theunfairbusinessadvantage.com

———————————————————————

***E-mail marketing to mobile devices***

When designing e-mail campaigns for mobile devices, the maximum
size of the header should be 110 X 120 pixels. Any larger and
the actual content is pushed too far down, making it harder for
readers to see the main message.

The maximum suggested width for the body of the e-mail is 550
pixels, but it’s even better to use a width of 485 pixels to 500
pixels. At most, you can use a two-column design.

Put the most important information in a wider left column.
Reason: some mobile devices do not fully display the e-mail on
the screen, forcing readers to scroll over to view the right
hand column, which many won’t do.

Source: Target Marketing, 7/11, p. 11.

———————————————————————

***Is Your Writing Business “Profitable – By Design”?***

Looking to make your copywriting practice more consistently
profitable? Like the idea of others hunting down work for you
(and a steady stream of it!), without much or any extra work on
your part? Ready to work smarter, not harder?

Then, check out the new e-book from veteran copywriter Peter
Bowerman, author of the popular “Well-Fed Writer” series,
entitled, “Profitable – By Design! Tapping the Writer/Designer
Partnership Goldmine.” In exhaustive, step-by-step fashion,
Peter lays out how to forge your own lucrative design
partnerships, based on 15+ years of successful firsthand
experience! Details at:

www.bly.com/PBD

———————————————————————

***Get employees to solve their own problems***

Fern Dickey, a former manager at a trade association, found that
employees were too dependent on her to solve their problems.

She solved this with a simple retort: “Pretend I’m dead. What
would you do?” Fern reports it worked like a charm.

———————————————————————

***Blogging for bucks***

My good friend, prolific author Terry Whalin, has just released
a new e-book “The 31-Day Guide to Blogging for Bucks.”

This is the clearest, most concise no-B.S. guide I have ever
read to making money with a blog. Click here for more
information:

www.bly.com/BloggingForBucks

———————————————————————

***Include a response device in your direct mail***

A growing trend for direct mail is to omit the response device
and drive recipients to either a toll-free phone number or a
URL. But a recent test by a conference promoter suggests this
may be a mistake.

What happened: the conference promoter added a registration form
to the mailing. Result: Of the 793 registrants, 320 mailed back
handwritten registration forms.

Source: Target Marketing, 7/11, p. 7.

———————————————————————

***Free tele-seminar on landing copywriting clients***

If you’re a new copywriter or have been looking for a way to
take your copywriting career to the next level, make sure you
sign up for this very special call.

On Tuesday, August 9th at 12pm ET, three successful working
copywriters are going to show you how to land clients and grow
your business. They’ll share their personal stories and
techniques for accelerating the copywriting learning curve.

And you can listen in absolutely free. Register for free access
here:

www.bly.com/BCTele

———————————————————————

***How to qualify direct-mail-generated leads***

A common tactic used to increase response to direct mail is to
offer something free, such as a free report or free consultation.

In the case of the free report, it doesn’t cost much to send out
a booklet or article reprint. So even if some people respond to
your mailing just to get the freebie, no big deal.

But what if you offer a free consultation, evaluation, or
estimate? It takes you time to provide that kind of freebie,
especially if it requires a face-to-face meeting with the
prospect.

That face-to-face meeting may be your goal, but it’s only worth
your time with a serious prospect. To drive 2 hours to see
someone who just wants the freebie is a waste of time. How can
you prevent it?

Use the words “if you qualify” in your letter. For instance:
“Call now, and if you qualify, you will get a free appraisal of
what your business is worth in today’s market.”

With the “if you qualify” clause, you are not obligated to give
everyone a free appraisal. You can pick and choose who gets it,
making appointments only with solid prospects and passing on the
freebie seekers. That can save you a lot of time and
aggravation. The same technique can be used to qualify leads if
you are giving away something valuable or expensive, such as a
DVD.

———————————————————————

***Tips on copy length***

A trend that has been going on for more than 5 years now is that
consumer copy is getting longer, while business-to-business copy
is getting shorter. Why?

1-Business prospects are busier than ever and have less time to
read.

2-Consumers are more skeptical than ever so need more proof
before they buy.

———————————————————————

***Reprint my articles – free!***

Media, bloggers, marketers, editors, publishers, Web masters –
need powerful content on your Web site or blog? You can
syndicate or republish any of the articles you’ve read in Bob
Bly Direct Response Letter — for free! To view complete
articles, visit our newsletter archives at www.bly.com/archive.
Republishing our articles is quick and easy. All you have to do
is include author attribution (byline/name of author) and the
following statement, “This article appears courtesy of Bob Bly’s
Direct Response Letter,” and include a back-link to
www.bly.com. That’s it!

———————————————————————

***Our 60-second commercial***

Bob Bly is available on a limited basis for copywriting of
direct mail packages, sales letters, brochures, white papers,
ads, e-mail marketing campaigns, PR materials, and Web pages. We
recommend you call for a FREE copy of our updated Copywriting
Information Kit. Just let us know your industry and the type of
copy you’re interested in seeing (ads, mailings, etc.) and if
Bob is available to take on your assignment, we’ll tailor a
package of recent samples to fit your requirements. Call Bob Bly
at 201-505-9451 or e-mail rwbly@bly.com.

———————————————————————

———————————————————————

Bob Bly’s Direct Response Letter:
Resources, ideas, and tips for improving
response to business-to-business, high-tech, and direct
marketing.

July 8, 2011

———————————————————————

You are getting this e-mail because you subscribed to it on
www.bly.com or because you are one of Bob’s clients, prospects,
seminar attendees, or book buyers. If you would prefer not to
receive further e-mails of this type, go to the bottom of this
message and click on “SafeUnsubscribe.”

Your subscription brings you one regular monthly issue, usually
at the beginning of the month, plus one or two supplementary
messages each week. These are typically either free tips or
personal recommendations for information products on marketing
or related topics. I review products before recommending them
and in many cases know the authors.

We do not rent or share your name with anybody. Feel free to
forward this issue to any peers, friends and associates you
think would benefit from its contents. They will thank you. So
will I.

———————————————————————

***3 direct mail rules***

1-A “bill me” offer will improve results by 50% over a “cash
with order” offer.

2-Adding an element (e.g., a lift note, buck slip, or brochure)
to your direct mail package is more likely to pay than cutting
one out.

3-Dollar for dollar, premiums work far better than cash
discounts.

Source: Target Marketing

———————————————————————

***Boost webinar attendance***

If possible, phone each webinar registrant one or two days in
advance of the event. The fall-off when not doing so can be as
high as 50 per cent. This even applied to events registrants
would pre-pay. Apparently, some on-line teleseminar/webinar
hosts have already recognized the value of this practice as I
recently received a pleasant reminder call from the host of an
online event.

Source: Jim Nugent

———————————————————————

***Calculating subscription web site revenues***

What is the life-time customer value (LCV) of each subscriber
who signs up for your subscription or membership site?

The LCV can be calculated using the formula below where RR =
renewal rate and P = annual membership fee.

LCV = 1/(1-RR) X P

Therefore if your renewal rate is 80% and your annual membership
fee is $600, your life-time customer value is:

1/(1-0.8) X $600 = $3,000.

Meaning each new subscriber at $600 a year will stay with you on
average 5 years and spend $3,000 total.

———————————————————————

***Cool PR idea***

Remember the trapped Chilean miners? The story captured the
attention of the whole world.

As a PR “stunt,” Oakley Sunglasses supplied sunglasses for all
the miners to wear as they surfaced.

PR guru David Meerman Scott counted 119,000 Google references to
Oakley which he estimates as a publicity value of $41 million.

Source: SIPA Hotline, 6/11, p. 1.

———————————————————————

***Meet the masters of consulting***

Michael Zipursky has just released his new book “The Masters of
Consulting Interviews: 9 Interviews with the World’s Leading
Consultants.”

As the subtitle states, the book is Q&A interviews with 9
consultants, including yours truly.

For more information, click below:

www.bly.com/MOC

———————————————————————

***Should you mail the same DM piece twice?***

Your mailing does well. Really well. Should you mail the same
piece again? And when?

Rule of thumb: Sending the exact same piece to the same list
approximately 8 to 10 weeks after the initial mailing usually
generates 40% to 60% of the original response.

How to make the decision: Say you need a 1% response to be
profitable. Your initial mailing generates 4%. Half of that
would be 2% — double the response you need. So yes, you can
safely mail the same piece again.

———————————————————————

***Correct this common writing mistake in your copy***

A recent promotion that came across my desk says – “You can
triple your money – a 300% profit.”

It’s a common mistake, but tripling your returns is a 200%
profit, not 300%. The rule is take the multiple (in this case,
tripling means 3 times), subtract 1 (3 – 1 = 2), and multiply by
100 to calculate the percentage return (2 X 100 = 200%).

Sounds odd, but think about it. When you earn a 100% profit, you
have doubled your money, right? Well, 2 – 1 = 1 X 100 = 100%.

———————————————————————

***10 ways to attract prospects like a magnet***

I recently re-listened to an absolutely great audiocassette
program, “The 28 Principles of Attraction,” written by the late
Thomas Leonard and published by Nightingale-Conant.

The program presents success principles which, if applied
diligently, will cause opportunities, success, and wealth to
come to you, rather than you having to go out and look for it,
says the author. Here are my top 10:

1. Recognize and tell the truth.
2. Market your talents shamelessly.
3. Develop more character than you need.
4. Unhook yourself from the future.
5. Add value just for the joy of it.
6. Thrive on the details.
7. Deliver twice what you promise.
8. Affect others profoundly.
9. Become unconditionally constructive.
10. Master your craft.

Source: Thomas Leonard, “The 28 Principles of Attraction,”
Nightingale-Conant.

———————————————————————

***What really works in online marketing***

A colleague recently said to me, “No one has found the winning
formula for successful online direct marketing yet.”

I disagree. A number of companies know exactly what works and
are making small fortunes with it.

The primary concept is that online marketing works best when you
e-mail to people who already know you.

Therefore, successful online marketers build their “house file”
or “e-list” (lists of prospects and their e-mail addresses)
using the process outlined below, and then sell to those people
via e-mail marketing:

1. Build a Web site that positions you or your organization as
an expert, guru, or leader in your field or industry. This is
the “base of operations” for your online marketing campaign.

2. This Web site should include a home page, an “About the
Company” page and a page with brief descriptions of your
products and services (each product or service description can
link to a longer document on the individual item).

3. You should also have an “Articles Page” where you post
articles your company has published on your industry or area of
specialty, and where visitors can read and download these
articles for free (e.g., a home improvement contractor would
have tips for small do-it-yourself home improvement projects).

4. Write a short special report or white paper relating to the
problem your product or service addresses, and make this
available to people who visit your site. They can download it
for free, but in exchange, they have to register and give you
their e-mail address (and any other information you want to
capture).

5. Consider also offering a monthly online newsletter, or
“e-zine.” People who visit your site can subscribe free if they
register and give you their e-mail address. You may want to give
the visitor the option of checking a box that reads: “I give you
and other companies you select permission to send me e-mail
about products, services, news, and offers that may be of
interest to me.”

6. The more “content” (useful information) on your site, the
better. More people will be attracted to your site, and they
will spend more time on it. They will also tell others about
your site.

7. The model is to drive traffic to your site where you get them
to sign up for either your free report or free e-zine. Once they
register, you have their e-mail address and can now market to
them via e-mail as often as you like at no extra cost.

8. The bulk of your online leads, sales, and profits will come
from repeat e-mail marketing to this “house” e-list of
prospects. Therefore your goal is to build a large e-list of
qualified prospects as quickly and inexpensively as you can.

9. There are a number of online marketing options, which can
drive traffic to your site, that I can help you with — or refer
you to an expert I know and trust to help you with. These
include: free publicity; e-mail marketing; banner advertising;
co-registrations; affiliate marketing; search engine
optimization; direct mail; and e-zine advertising.

10. The key to success is to try a lot of different tactics in
small and inexpensive tests, throw out the ones that don’t work,
and do more of the ones that are effective.

———————————————————————

***Reprint my articles – free!***

Media, bloggers, marketers, editors, publishers, Web masters –
need powerful content on your Web site or blog? You can
syndicate or republish any of the articles you’ve read in Bob
Bly Direct Response Letter — for free! To view complete
articles, visit our newsletter archives at www.bly.com/archive.
Republishing our articles is quick and easy. All you have to do
is include author attribution (byline/name of author) and the
following statement, “This article appears courtesy of Bob Bly’s
Direct Response Letter,” and include a back-link to
www.bly.com. That’s it!

———————————————————————

***Our 60-second commercial***

Bob Bly is available on a limited basis for copywriting of
direct mail packages, sales letters, brochures, white papers,
ads, e-mail marketing campaigns, PR materials, and Web pages. We
recommend you call for a FREE copy of our updated Copywriting
Information Kit. Just let us know your industry and the type of
copy you’re interested in seeing (ads, mailings, etc.) and if
Bob is available to take on your assignment, we’ll tailor a
package of recent samples to fit your requirements. Call Bob Bly
at 201-505-9451 or e-mail rwbly@bly.com.

———————————————————————

———————————————————————

Bob Bly’s Direct Response Letter:
Resources, ideas, and tips for improving
response to business-to-business, high-tech, and direct
marketing.

June 2, 2011

———————————————————————

You are getting this e-mail because you subscribed to it on
www.bly.com or because you are one of Bob’s clients, prospects,
seminar attendees, or book buyers. If you would prefer not to
receive further e-mails of this type, go to the bottom of this
message and click on “SafeUnsubscribe.”

Your subscription brings you one regular monthly issue, usually
at the beginning of the month, plus one or two supplementary
messages each week. These are typically either free tips or
personal recommendations for information products on marketing
or related topics. I review products before recommending them
and in many cases know the authors.

We do not rent or share your name with anybody. Feel free to
forward this issue to any peers, friends and associates you
think would benefit from its contents. They will thank you. So
will I.

———————————————————————

***Am I catching you at a bad time?***

When cold calling, try asking the prospect, “Am I catching you
at a bad time right now?” This gives you several advantages on
the call:

** Many prospects will say, “No, it’s okay” — giving you, in
essence, permission to proceed with the sales call.

** With those who say they are busy, you can set a phone
appointment for a call-back.

** When you make that call-back, and the gatekeeper asks “Is she
expecting your call?”, you can truthfully answer “yes.”

** You will stand out from the crowd by demonstrating to
prospects you are respectful of their time.

———————————————————————

***Buy one, get one free***

“You’ve got to know how to merchandise if you want to get
ahead,” a sales executive told a shoeshine man with a stand in
the lobby.

The next day the shoeshine man attracted a flood of new business
with a sign that read: “One shoe shined FREE.”

Source: Executive’s Handbook of Humor for Speakers, Bureau of
Business Practice.

———————————————————————

***Writing a positioning statement***

The purpose of a Positioning Statement is to create a short
message that people will remember. If you want to get your
message across, it has to be memorable.

The first sentence tells people what your service is and how
they will benefit from it. The second sentence tells how your
service is different from that of other firms.

The formula goes like this:

–[Name of firm] is a [category] firm that helps [primary
clients] reach [primary benefits]. –Unlike other [category]
firms, [name of firm] specializes in [primary difference].

Example: “ABC is an architectural firm that helps medium-sized
businesses find and renovate unique commercial spaces. Unlike
other architectural firms, ABC specializes in this type of
renovation.”

Using this simple formula, you can get at the essential
description of what your firm does that’s different from other
firms, and make your message more memorable.

Source: PSMJ newsletter

———————————————————————

***Quotation of the month***

“It’s no secret that the future of the Internet is social media
and videos. Millions of people watch videos on YouTube every
day. It’s the world’s second biggest search engine. 3.5 billion
pieces of content are shared each week on Facebook and over 27.3
million tweets are shared every day. If you’re not part of this
wave, you’re going to be swept away by it.” –John Chow

———————————————————————

***Marketing that can make you smile***

I’d like to invite you to grab a copy of “Smile Marketing,” a
free e-book by cartoonist Randy Glasbergen that shows you how to
use humour to boost sales and attract new clients. Includes 5
ways to use cartoons to boost profits and increase sales.
Download the free e-book here:

http://www.glasbergen.com/smile-marketing/

———————————————————————

***Make your writing B.S.-free***

My colleague David Meerman Scott, author of great marketing
books like “The New Rules of Marketing and PR,” has created an
online tool to help you eliminate corporate gobbledygook from
your writing. Here is the URL:

http://gobbledygook.grader.com/

I also came across this helpful online tool for detecting high
levels of B.S. in your writing:

http://fightthebull.com/bullfighter.asp

———————————————————————

***Books of the Month***

Dave Kerpen’s new book “Likeable Social Media,” published by
McGraw-Hill, is a clear, easy-to-understand guide to using
Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter to market your product or
service. I’m a social media ignoramus and even I could easily
understand it. Highly recommended:

www.bly.com/LSM

I also just finished David Meerman Scott’s book “World Wide
Rave” (John Wiley & Sons), which tells how to get thousands or
even millions of people to spread your ideas and share your
stories on the Internet. Very worth reading, as are all of
David’s books:

www.bly.com/WWR
———————————————————————

***How long must your copy be?***

The client asks for a 4-page sales letter … or a 16-page
magalog. But your PC tracks document length by words, not by
pages.

So how many words must you write to fill those pages? Here’s a
rough guideline showing the average word count in a page of a
typical promotion:

** Sales letter – 300 words per page.

** Magalog – 500 words per page plus one or two visuals.

** Digest – 200 words per page.

** White paper – 300 words per page.

** Full-size sales brochure – 200 to 400 words per page.

** Ghostwritten magazine article – 800 words per magazine page.

** Online article for SEO – 500 words.

** Web page – 300 to 400 words recommended.

These are the number of words you can fit per page when the
promotion is laid out by a graphic designer. So if the job is a
16-page magalog, figure about 8,000 words.

———————————————————————

***Do you measure this important e-mail metric?***

Measuring open and click-through rates can show you just how
successful your e-mail marketing campaigns are.

But on the flip side, there’s another metric you should measure:
the “complaint rate.” And if it’s too high, you could be in
trouble.

Complaint rate is the percentage of recipients receiving your
e-mail who complain to their ISP that you are spamming them.

According to e-mail deliverability expert Kevin Senne, the
complaint rate should not exceed 0.2% — meaning a maximum of 2
spam complaints per 1,000 e-mails broadcast.

Warning: a number of e-mail services will refuse to distribute
e-mails to your list if your spam complaint rate exceeds 0.2% or
even 0.1%.

To lower your complaint rate to acceptable levels:

>> Make your e-mail copy more content-heavy … and less
sales-oriented.

>> Ask subscribers what they want to read in your e-mails – and
give it to them.

>> E-mail your list less frequently.

Source: The Marketing Report

———————————————————————

***5 best practices for e-newsletter publishers***

I use Constant Contact to broadcast my e-zine and e-mail
marketing magazines to my opt-in e-list of over 60,000 names.

Annette Iafrate, an executive with Constant Contact, gives the
following smart and sensible tips for improving e-mail marketing
results:

1—Use your own permission-based list.

2–When people sign up, let them know what kind of e-mails they
will receive from you and when they will get them.

3—Keep your list up-to-date by removing inactive subscribers or
sending them a one-time e-mail asking them to confirm their
interest.

4—Determine the optimal frequency by asking yourself how
frequently your customers think about or use your product.

5—Keep your content fresh, useful, and relevant.

Source: Target Marketing magazine

———————————————————————

***Reprint my articles – free!***

Media, bloggers, marketers, editors, publishers, Web masters –
need powerful content on your Web site or blog? You can
syndicate or republish any of the articles you’ve read in Bob
Bly Direct Response Letter — for free! To view complete
articles, visit our newsletter archives at www.bly.com/archive.
Republishing our articles is quick and easy. All you have to do
is include author attribution (byline/name of author) and the
following statement, “This article appears courtesy of Bob Bly’s
Direct Response Letter,” and include a back-link to
www.bly.com. That’s it!

———————————————————————

***Our 60-second commercial***

Bob Bly is available on a limited basis for copywriting of
direct mail packages, sales letters, brochures, white papers,
ads, e-mail marketing campaigns, PR materials, and Web pages. We
recommend you call for a FREE copy of our updated Copywriting
Information Kit. Just let us know your industry and the type of
copy you’re interested in seeing (ads, mailings, etc.) and if
Bob is available to take on your assignment, we’ll tailor a
package of recent samples to fit your requirements. Call Bob Bly
at 201-505-9451 or e-mail rwbly@bly.com.

———————————————————————

———————————————————————

Bob Bly’s Direct Response Letter:
Resources, ideas, and tips for improving response to
business-to-business, high-tech, and direct marketing.

May 5, 2011

———————————————————————

You are getting this e-mail because you subscribed to it on
www.bly.com or because you are one of Bob’s clients, prospects,
seminar attendees, or book buyers. If you would prefer not to
receive further e-mails of this type, go to the bottom of this
message and click on “SafeUnsubscribe.”

Your subscription brings you one regular monthly issue, usually
at the beginning of the month, plus one or two supplementary
messages each week. These are typically either free tips or
personal recommendations for information products on marketing
or related topics. I review products before recommending them
and in many cases know the authors.

We do not rent or share your name with anybody. Feel free to
forward this issue to any peers, friends and associates you
think would benefit from its contents. They will thank you. So
will I.

———————————————————————

***Get Bob’s new book on selling information at 32% discount***

Bob Bly’s new book, “How to Write and Sell Simple Information
for Fun and Profit” (Linden Publishing) is now available online
at amazon.com for a 32% discount off the cover price. It shows
you how to make money writing and selling e-books, books,
articles, newsletters, videos, webinars, special reports, audio
CDs, public seminars, and other “information products.”

Click here for more information or to order:

www.bly.com/simpleinfo

———————————————————————

***When to send e-mail invitations for webinars***

When should you start sending e-mails to invite people to your
seminar – and how many should you send? Consultant Leslie
Davidson sends 5 to 6 e-mails starting no more than 3-4 weeks
before the event.

“Consider sending at least a couple of e-mails in the week just
prior to the webinar, when people are most likely to register,”
advises Davidson. She says that 30-50% of registrations come in
the last week before the webinar.

Source: SIPA Hotline, 3/11, p. 7.

———————————————————————

***Put the important word last***

Speaker Patricia Fripp recommends putting the most important
word or phrase in a sentence at the end.

Let’s say that word is “decision.” Instead of “You have to make
an important decision today,” write: “Today, you have to make an
important decision.”

Source: Patricia Fripp, Behind the Podium, Winter 2011, p. 11.

———————————————————————

***Pricing electronic subscriptions****

There’s a tendency to lower the price of a subscription when you
create a digital version of a print newsletter because the
electronic publication costs less to produce and distribute.

But when my client Murray Bradford of Bradford and Company
converted print subscribers for his tax newsletter to online, he
actually raised the price of a subscription.

He explained to subscribers that they would benefit more from
the online newsletter because it gave them more resources
including rate-of-return calculators and links to supporting
source documents.

“We ignored the cost factor and focused on the benefits of the
subscriber factor,” says Murray.

———————————————————————

***Creating video e-mails***

Did you ever open an e-mail that had a video you could click on
and watch?

Now there’s a tool you can use to create your own video e-mails:

www.coolvideotool.com

———————————————————————

***E-books growing in popularity***

According to PublishAmerica, one out of three book buyers reads
print books as well as e-books. Another 26% read print books
only today, but expect to start reading e-books soon.

By the end of this year, almost half of all book buyers will own
a Kindle, Nook, or iPad. Amazon customers who have a Kindle
spend 3X more on books than they did when they read print books
only.

———————————————————————

***Upcoming speaking engagements***

I will be on a panel on June 6 at the conference of the
Specialized Information Publishers Association (SIPA) in
Washington DC. My topic: how to optimize conversion rates on
landing pages. For more information or to register, click below:

www.sipaonline.com

———————————————————————

*** Meet the world’s greatest living copywriter***

Ross Manly … aka “The Copy God” … is the world’s greatest living
freelance copywriter– earning more than me, Clayton Makepeace,
Gary Bencivenga, David Deutsch, and Harlan Kilstein combined!

www.thecopygod.com

I urge every marketer and copywriter to read Ross’s site
carefully … study his technique … learn from the master – and
download all the freebies he offers:

www.thecopygod.com

And will you do your friends, clients, and colleagues an
enormous favor?

Please forward this e-newsletter with Ross’s web site address
(www.thecopygod.com) to them now — while it is still open in
front of you. They will treasure what they learn from him
forever.

———————————————————————

***Did you know this shocking fact about Google?***

Incredibly, sites can actually have different positions in
Google depending on who is searching for them!

“Several things can account for differences in search engine
position results,” says my SEO guru Ed Taylor. “One factor is
the Google server (data center) that is accessed. Google has
many data centers around the world and they often have slightly
different rankings.”

Another factor affecting the results you see in the Search
Engine Results Page (SERP) is the location of your PC. According
to Ed, this is especially evident on searches that Google deems
of a local nature (i.e. a dentist). In the case of local
searches, very often the Google Map setting will appear with a
group of listings specific to the local area.

Ranking differences can also result from the searcher’s computer
settings. Computers that are logged into a Google account often
display different ranking results that than those that are not.
These results are influenced by the web sites the searcher has
visited in the past.

Recommendation: The best way to view core Google indexes — the
rankings uninfluenced by your browsing history and location –
is to log out of your Google account, clear out your browser’s
cookies and cache, and then perform a search on your keyword.

Source: Ed Taylor, www.edtaylor.com

———————————————————————

***Increase web revenues with people photos***

According to Internet marketing expert Amy Africa, the average
user spends 10% more time on web sites that have a lot of photos
showing people. Reason: according to Amy, when we see other
people’s eyes, we stay longer.

How does this translate into more online revenues? “The more you
stay, the more you pay,” Amy notes. (That’s the same reason why
Barnes & Noble now serves coffee and puts out comfy chairs for
you to sit and read.)

Tip: You can find cheap, royalty-free stock photos of almost any
image, including shots with people, at my favorite online stock
photo resource:

www.dreamstime.com

Source: Thinking Inside the Box, 6/30/09.

———————————————————————

***Great content for your newsletter — only 50 cents per article***

Whenever I am in a used bookstore or – even better — a library
selling old books, I look for and buy old business books. At my
local library, they are 50 cents each. If you are looking for
content for your e-zine, I urge you to do the same with books
related to your topic. Why?

Thumb through any old business book and I can virtually
guarantee that within 2 minutes, you’ll find at least one gem –
a great quote, a neat idea, a list of how-to tips – you can use
as a short article in your e-zine, on your blog, or in other
how-to writings.

Example: the article below on putting signage on the top of
trucks came from a discarded book I bought from my local library
for 50 cents. I flipped through the book when I got home and
found the item in about 90 seconds.

———————————————————————

***A new marketing idea: advertise to people who are high***

It’s common practice for business owners to paint the company
name and logo on the side of trucks and vans.

But if your business or its customers are located in a city, you
should also paint your company name, logo, and web site URL on
the tops of your trucks and vans. That way it will be seen by
prospects that are located on the second floor or higher of
office buildings.

Source: Mackay, Harvey, “Swim With the Sharks Without Being
Eaten Alive” (Fawcett, 1988), P. 86.

———————————————————————

***Quotation of the month***

“I’m never selling anything. I always look at it as trying to
help people.” –Jack LaLanne

———————————————————————

***Reprint my articles – free!***

Media, bloggers, marketers, editors, publishers, Web masters –
need powerful content on your Web site or blog? You can
syndicate or republish any of the articles you’ve read in Bob
Bly Direct Response Letter — for free! To view complete
articles, visit our newsletter archives at www.bly.com/archive.
Republishing our articles is quick and easy. All you have to do
is include author attribution (byline/name of author) and the
following statement, “This article appears courtesy of Bob Bly’s
Direct Response Letter,” and include a back-link to
www.bly.com. That’s it!

———————————————————————

***60-second commercial from Bob Bly***

I am available on a limited basis for copywriting of direct mail
packages, sales letters, brochures, white papers, ads, e-mail
marketing campaigns, PR materials, and Web pages. Please
call for a FREE copy of my updated Copywriting Information Kit.
Just let me know your industry and the type of copy you’re
interested in seeing (ads, mailings, etc.) and if I am available
to take on your assignment, I’ll tailor a package of recent
samples to fit your requirements. Call me at 201-505-9451 or
e-mail rwbly@bly.com.

———————————————————————

———————————————————————

Bob Bly’s Direct Response Letter:
Resources, ideas, and tips for improving response to
business-to-business, high-tech, and direct marketing.

February 28, 2011

———————————————————————

You are getting this e-mail because you subscribed to it on
www.bly.com or because you are one of Bob’s clients, prospects,
seminar attendees, or book buyers. If you would prefer not to
receive further e-mails of this type, go to the bottom of this
message and click on “SafeUnsubscribe.”

Your subscription brings you one regular monthly issue, usually
at the beginning of the month, plus one or two supplementary
messages each week. These are typically either free tips or
personal recommendations for information products on marketing or
related topics. I review products before recommending them and in
many cases know the authors.

We do not rent or share your name with anybody. Feel free to
forward this issue to any peers, friends and associates you think
would benefit from its contents. They will thank you. So will I.

———————————————————————

***Useful rules of thumb for e-mail marketers***

>> Make subject lines 37 characters or less.

>> Promotional messages should take up no more than 3 screens.

>> Copy should be no more than 2 scrolls deep and 650 pixels in
width.

>> Use no more than 5 variations of colors and fonts.

>> Images should use alt tags. They should be optimized for web
(72 DPI) and under 30K.

>> The call to action should appear above and below the fold -
and in the preview pane.

Source: SIPA Hotline, 1/11, p.2.

———————————————————————

***Add your location when bidding on keywords***

If your service is one where customers would prefer to work with
a local vendor (e.g., cosmetic dentistry, PC repair), bid on key
phrases that include your location. Example: “Hard drive data
recovery Northern NJ.”

Why it pays off: there are fewer people bidding on this key
phrase than on the broader “Hard drive data recovery,” so you’ll
likely be able to pay less per click … and, you attract
prospects more inclined to hire you.

Tip: Make sure your physical address is prominent on your Web
site. Many service providers bid on local key phrases, and then
try to hide the fact that they are actually out of town.

———————————————————————

***Learn from the man who taught me direct response
copywriting***

In their September 2007 issue of Target Marketing, copywriter
Denny Hatch wrote a full-page review of the e-book I edited,
“Milt Pierce’s Marketing Success Secrets.”

As Denny points out in his review, Milt Piece is a legendary
copywriter. He is perhaps best known for his “33 ways to save
time and money” letter, which was an unbeaten control for Good
Housekeeping for an unprecedented 25 years.

I took Milt’s copywriting course at New York University in the
early 1980s. The e-book is a collection of Milt’s best articles
and sales letters – including the full text of the Good
Housekeeping control.

“You will find dozens of useful ideas in ‘Milt Pierce’s Marketing
Success Secrets’ as well as have a very enjoyable read,” says
Denny. “At just $39, it’s a bargain.”

For more information or to order, click here now:

www.miltsmarketingsecrets.com

Source: “The Wisdom of Milt Pierce,” by Denny Hatch, Target
Marketing, 9/07, p. 66

———————————————————————

***How to prevent typos in your copy***

According to an article in Customer Service Advantage (10/5/07,
p. 4), spell-check fails to catch 7 out of 10 errors.

Therefore, you have to proofread your copy carefully. But that’s
difficult to do if you’ve already read the copy multiple times,
because your mind skips many words.

Solution: proofread your copy backward.

Why it works: the copy loses all meaning when read backward,
forcing you to notice each word more.

———————————————————————

***Overcoming price resistance***

When selling against a lower-priced competitor, communicate the
price difference – your extra cost – in the smallest unit of
measure possible.

Example: You sell an annual service agreement covering home
appliances for $395, and a competitor charges $295.

Customers like you better, but are having trouble with your fee
being $100 higher.

What they don’t see is that $100 divided by 365 is only 27.4
cents a day.

You need to focus on that small price differential in your
selling.

Point out that they are getting superior service — and greater
peace of mind — for just 27 cents a day … “less than the price
of a first-class postage stamp.”

Source: The Selling Advantage, Special Issue, 10/6/07, p.2.

———————————————————————

***What a Nathan’s hot dog can teach you about marketing***

When Nathan Handwerker opened his first hot dog stand in Coney
Island, sales were slow, despite the price of a hot dog being
just a nickel.

Reason: the public believed rumors that hot dogs were made from
tainted beef, and stayed away.

Solution: Nathan hired good-looking young college men to stand
around his cart eating hot dogs. He had each student wear a white
lab coat and a stethoscope.

The public “ate it up.” They believed that these “customers” were
doctors, and if doctors were eating Nathan’s hot dogs, it must be
healthy. Sales skyrocketed.

To learn the full story on Nathan and the selling of hot dogs in
America and overseas, check out my book “All American Frank: A
History of the Hot Dog” from PublishAmerica.

For more information or to order online, click here now:

www.bly.com/AllAmericanFrank

———————————————————————

***5 ways to make your sales letters easier to read***

1-Indent all your paragraphs 5 or 7 spaces.

2-Use short paragraphs. Maximum paragraph length: 7 lines of
copy.

3-Write your copy in the tone and rhythm of a personal one-on-one
conversation.

4-Underline key phrases and put a few well-chosen words in ALL
CAPS for those who will skim your letter.

5-Use lists of features or benefits with bullets or asterisks.

Source: Jutkins, Ray, “Magic Marketing Minutes,” p. 27

———————————————————————

***Making documents easier to read***

Maximize contrast between the typography and the background.
Reason: a greater amount of contrast makes it easier to
distinguish an image. This is especially true for the contrast in
color between text and paper.

As for type size: yes, older readers prefer large type. But type
style also matters. Avoid ornate typefaces and overuse of
italics. Choose a serif type.

A bit more spacing between lines also enhances readability. Avoid
extensive use of ALL CAPS and type reversing out of a solid or
screen.

Indenting paragraphs and use of standard capitalization improve
reading, as do smaller blocks of copy, shorter lines of type, and
more paragraphs.

Source: Writing That Works, 1/9/08

———————————————————————

***Make online buyers push your buttons***

A common mistake in designing landing pages is to use an
underlined word or phrase as the hyperlink to the order page.

Much more effective is to design the hyperlink as an order
button. To increase response, says online marketing guru Amy
Africa, use big buttons. She recommends telling your designer to
triple whatever they think is big.

Color makes a difference. The Mequoda group reports a split test
where the only variable on the landing page was the order button
color. Red was the control, which was tested against green,
yellow, and ochre. The winner? Ochre, generating 27% higher
conversion rates than red.

Source: Thinking Inside the Box, 2/8/08; Mequoda Group.

———————————————————————

***Reprint my articles – free!***

Media, bloggers, marketers, editors, publishers, Web masters –
need powerful content on your Web site or blog? You can syndicate
or republish any of the articles you’ve read in Bob Bly Direct
Response Letter — for free! To view complete articles, visit our
newsletter archives at www.bly.com/archive. Republishing our
articles is quick and easy. All you have to do is include author
attribution (byline/name of author) and the following statement,
“This article appears courtesy of Bob Bly Direct Response
Letter,” and include a back-link to www.bly.com. That’s it!

———————————————————————

***60-second commercial from Bob Bly***

I am available on a limited basis for copywriting of direct mail
packages, sales letters, brochures, white papers, ads, e-mail
marketing campaigns, PR materials, and Web pages. Please
call for a FREE copy of my updated Copywriting Information Kit.
Just let me know your industry and the type of copy you’re
interested in seeing (ads, mailings, etc.) and if I am available
to take on your assignment, I’ll tailor a package of recent
samples to fit your requirements. Call me at 201-505-9451 or
e-mail rwbly@bly.com.

———————————————————————

———————————————————————-

Bob Bly’s Direct Response Letter:
Resources, ideas, and tips for improving response to
business-to-business, high-tech, and direct marketing.

January 31, 2011

———————————————————————-

You are getting this e-mail because you subscribed to it on
www.bly.com or because you are one of Bob’s clients, prospects,
seminar attendees, or book buyers. If you would prefer not to
receive further e-mails of this type, go to the bottom of this
message and click on “SafeUnsubscribe.”

Your subscription brings you one regular monthly issue, usually
at the beginning of the month, plus one or two supplementary
messages each week. These are typically either free tips or
personal recommendations for information products on marketing or
related topics. I review products before recommending them and in
many cases know the authors.

We do not rent or share your name with anybody. Feel free to
forward this issue to any peers, friends and associates you think
would benefit from its contents. They will thank you. So will I.

———————————————————————-

***Bob’s speaking events***

On Wednesday, February 16, 2011, 1:00-2:00 p.m. EST, I’ll be
presenting a webinar “Copywriting Commandments: Keys to Boosting
Your Results” for Progressive Business Conferences.

Among the topics covered: Rosser Reeves’ “lost” 3-part formula
for creating a winning USP … the secret of the Big Promise … and
how to generate more response with the Motivating Sequence. For
more information or to register, click here now:

www.pbconferences.com/1GJ/0/2/p4LUDYc/p5LNEEKWi/p0e

———————————————————————-

***4 tips for marketing in a recession***

Dozens of my readers are complaining to me of declining response
rates, a downturn in business, and the weak economy. “Our
marketing isn’t pulling like it used to,” they complain. “What
can I do?” Here’s what I have found works:

1. Take massive action. Figure out what you think you need to do
to generate the level of leads and orders you need. Then do twice
that amount.

2. Don’t rely on only one promotional vehicle, like direct mail
or cold calling. Do three, four, even five things: send out
mailings; advertise; regularly e-mail your list; write an
article; give a speech.

3. Make every communication a direct marketing communication.
Offer a premium with a high perceived value. Stress your free
offer in your promotion.

4. Test different offers, ideas, copy, formats, and media to see
which work best. Roll out with those promotions that work.
Scratch the others. If they don’t do well in a small test,
mailing more won’t help.

For more advice on marketing in a recession, see my book
Fool-Proof Marketing, published by John Wiley & Sons. To order
the book at 30% off list price, click on

www.bly.com/FoolProofMktg
———————————————————————-

***Can you mail a successful letter twice?***

Your mailing does well. Really well. Should you mail the same
piece again? And when?

Rule of thumb: Sending the exact same piece to the same list
approximately 8 to 10 weeks after the initial mailing usually
generates 40% to 60% of the original response.

How to make the decision: Say you need a 1% response to be
profitable. Your initial mailing generates 4%. Half of that would
be 2% — double the response you need. So yes, you can safely
mail the same piece again.

———————————————————————-

***A free PR e-zine for you***

Dollar for dollar, nothing beats publicity for cost-effective
marketing. To get a steady stream of new PR ideas, I heartily
recommend you subscribe to Paul Hartunian’s FREE e-zine -
“Million-Dollar Publicity Tactics.” Discover innovative ways to
get free publicity on radio and TV, in newspapers and magazines
anywhere in the world. Go to:

www.Hartunian.com/ezine

———————————————————————-

***Lift your direct mail response rates with lift letters***

The lift letter, also known as a lift note, is the second, small
letter that is sometimes inserted into a direct mail package
along with the main multi-page sales letter. It often has a
headline that reads something like, “Read this only if you are
NOT interested in buying [name of product].”

The purpose, as its name implies, is to lift response. But what
do you put in a lift note to achieve that goal?

John Forde suggests 10 possible topics and goals for lift
letters:

1. To counter a key objection.

2. As a place to test your second-best or alternative headlines.

3. To give readers an extra testimonial.

4. As an endorsement (approved, of course) from an authority or a
celebrity.

5. To emphasize a time deadline on the purchase.

6. To focus on the best aspect of the offer (premiums,
guarantees, discounts).

7. To emphasize long-standing credibility (a formal letterhead
might work well here).

8. To keep the message newsworthy. Let the lift note cover
events that have happened since the initial mailing was written.

9. To underscore the ONE THING that really gives your product an
edge over everyone else.

10. To emphasize track record, unusual and impressive
credentials, or to make the benefits of the most important package
feature especially clear.

Source: The Copywriter’s Roundtable.

———————————————————————-

***Writing tip of the month***

“Today’s time-starved, MTV-ized, USA Today’s readers don’t have
the patience for the kind of polite strolling about the subject
that Victorian-era authors indulged in. They want their stories
straight up, fast and furious, with no throat-clearing. If you’re
writing a book about a homicide, get the bullet out of the gun on
the first page. If you’re promising to improve readers’ sex
lives, get between the sheets in the opening sentence.”
–David Fryxell, Writer’s Digest

———————————————————————-

***3 ways to create a sense of urgency***

When you encourage prospects to act now instead of later,
response rates increase.

1. One way to do this is to put a deadline on your offer.

Since third-class mail takes an average of 2 ½ weeks to be
delivered nationwide, make the deadline at least 8 to 12 weeks
from the mail drop date. Alternatively, for any mailing that goes
out September or later, a good deadline date is December 31.

Copywriter David Yale recommends emphasizing that the deadline
date is final by adding the phrase “it’s too late” as follows:
“This offer expires December 31, 2011. After that, it’s too
late.”

For e-mail marketing, you can say the offer is good only if the
recipient replies “today” or “this week.”

2. If you are not comfortable putting a deadline date on your
mail piece, specify a time frame within which the reader must
reply, e.g., “reply within the next 10 days.”

3. Or at least make it clear that this is a time-limited offer.
Copywriter Milt Pierce suggests this wording:

“But I urge you to hurry. This offer is for a limited time only.
And once it expires, it may never be repeated again.”

———————————————————————-

***Should you write your own copy?***

My answer may surprise you, but it’s enthusiastically “yes” – IF
these three conditions exist:

1. You are an excellent copywriter.
2. You enjoy writing copy.
3. You have the time to write copy.

Business owners and marketing managers who fit these criteria
often produce copy that’s better and more successful than the
pros. Why?

They know the product and the market intimately, because they
live with it full-time. Half the battle in copywriting is really
knowing the customer and the product, so the business owner or
manager has the edge – IF he can write.

On the other hand, marketers who can’t write, don’t like to
write, or don’t have time to write copy are better off farming it
out to an agency or freelancer.

———————————————————————-

***How much should you pay per click?***

Dana Todd, executive VP of SiteLabs, uses this formula:

Break-even cost-per-click = average gross profit X average
conversion ratio

If your gross profit is $5 and your average conversion rate is
2%, then $5 X .02 = $0.10. Maximum you should pay for
pay-per-click: 10 cents a name.

Source: Internet Marketing Report.

———————————————————————-

***Don’t waste time calling on unqualified prospects***

A common tactic used to increase response to direct mail is to
offer something free, such as a free report or free consultation.

In the case of the free report, it doesn’t cost much to send out
a booklet or article reprint. So even if some people respond to
your mailing just to get the freebie, no big deal.

But what about if you offer a free consultation, evaluation, or
estimate? It takes you time to provide that kind of freebie,
especially if it requires a face-to-face meeting with the
prospect.

That face-to-face meeting may be your goal, but it’s only worth
your time with a serious prospect. To drive 2 hours to see
someone who just wants the freebie is a waste of time. How can
you prevent it?

Use the words “if you qualify” in your letter or e-mail. For
instance: “Call now, and if you qualify, you will get a free
appraisal of what your business is worth in today’s market.”

With the “if you qualify” clause, you are not obligated to give
everyone a free appraisal. You can pick and choose who gets it,
making appointments only with solid prospects and passing on the
freebie seekers. That can save you a lot of time and aggravation.

———————————————————————-

***Give your copy the breath test***

Short sentences are easier to read than long sentences. But how
long is too long for a sentence?

To determine maximum sentence length, use the “breath test.”
Without taking in a gulp of air, and just with the amount of air
you ordinarily have in your lungs, read the sentence aloud at a
normal conversational speed and volume.

If you run out of breath before you get to the end, the sentence
is too long. Solution: Break it into two sentences at a point
where a new idea is introduced.

———————————————————————-

***Let Uncle Sam write your special reports at no charge***

In past issues, I’ve recommended that you have a “bait piece” – a
special report, white paper, or other informational premium you
give away to generate leads for your product or service.

But many marketers don’t produce info premiums because of the
research and writing work involved.

An easy way to get around this is to visit the U.S. government’s
Federal Citizen Information Center (FCIC) online. There are loads
of how-to and information booklets on a wide range of topics such
as money, health, travel, housing, nutrition, computers, small
business, and more.

If you find one that would make a good info premium for your
business, you can print or download the text, put your own cover
on it, print copies, and use it as your own freebie – without
paying Uncle Sam a dime!

How? Most of these publications are not copyrighted, so the U.S.
government allows you to use them for your own purposes (they do
appreciate if you credit them as the source).

To see whether FCIC has a booklet you can use as a bait piece, go
to their Web site:

www.pueblo.gsa.gov

Warning: Be sure to check the publication for copyright notices.
If the booklet you selected is copyrighted, then you can’t use
it.

———————————————————————-

***Reprint my articles – free!***

Media, bloggers, marketers, editors, publishers, Web masters –
need powerful content on your Web site or blog? You can syndicate
or republish any of the articles you’ve read in Bob Bly Direct
Response Letter — for free! To view complete articles, visit our
newsletter archives at www.bly.com/archive. Republishing our
articles is quick and easy. All you have to do is include author
attribution (byline/name of author) and the following statement,
“This article appears courtesy of Bob Bly Direct Response
Letter,” and include a back-link to www.bly.com. That’s it!

———————————————————————-

***60-second commercial from Bob Bly***

I am available on a limited basis for copywriting of direct mail
packages, sales letters, brochures, white papers, ads, e-mail
marketing campaigns, PR materials, and Web pages. Please
call for a FREE copy of my updated Copywriting Information Kit.
Just let me know your industry and the type of copy you’re
interested in seeing (ads, mailings, etc.) and if I am available
to take on your assignment, I’ll tailor a package of recent
samples to fit your requirements. Call me at 201-505-9451 or
e-mail rwbly@bly.com.

———————————————————————-

———————————————————————–

Bob Bly’s Direct Response Letter:
Resources, ideas, and tips for improving response to
business-to-business, high-tech, and direct marketing.

January 3, 2011

———————————————————————–

You are getting this e-mail because you subscribed to it on
www.bly.com or because you are one of Bob’s clients, prospects,
seminar attendees, or book buyers. If you would prefer not to
receive further e-mails of this type, go to the bottom of this
message and click on “SafeUnsubscribe.”

Your subscription brings you one regular monthly issue, usually
at the beginning of the month, plus one or two supplementary
messages each week. These are typically either free tips or
personal recommendations for information products on marketing or
related topics. I review products before recommending them and in
many cases know the authors.

We do not rent or share your name with anybody. Feel free to
forward this issue to any peers, friends and associates you think
would benefit from its contents. They will thank you. So will I.

———————————————————————–

***The future of Internet marketing***

If you want to “see the future” of information marketing online,
now you can. Vinton Cerf, one of the two people who founded
the Internet, was recently interviewed by my friend and colleague,
Fred Gleeck.

Fred was able to ask the questions any serious Internet/information
marketer would want to know.Vinton Cerf, Google’s Chief Internet
Evangelist, gave Fred some answers that will help you figure out
exactly what to do differently in your business.

All you have to do to watch the interview is go to
www.FredGleeck.com. On the home page you’ll be able to see
a preview and then see the entire interview which runs over an
hour.

Good stuff . . . go get it!

———————————————————————–

***Radio advertising tips***

1—Only air one ad at a time. The listener thinks different ads
are from different businesses.

2—Twenty ads per week is a good rough guideline for sufficient
frequency on an FM music station.

3—Run your ads at least four weeks before you change them … six
to eight weeks is usually better.

4—Don’t spread your budget over 2-3 stations to begin with. Start
with one station, as many dollars as you can, for a full year.
Then add another station.

5—Have approximately 3 ads for every 5 hours, several times per
week.

Source: “Secrets, Tips, and Tricks to Profitable Radio,” by
Harmony Tenney.

———————————————————————–

***Making e-mails social***

Make it easy for e-mail subscribers to share content through
social networks. Including “share with your network” (SWYN) links
in your e-mails. When recipients click on the SWYN link, it
automatically populates their Facebook status or a Twitter post
with a URL link to the content of the e-mail and, if you wish, a
brief blurb.

Source: Chief Marketer, 1/11, p. 30.

———————————————————————–

***Do handwritten envelopes work?***

Yes, according to Think Ink Marketing, a letter shop specializing
in direct mail personalized by hand. The say handwritten
envelopes are proven to increase the odds of your mailing being
opened by 300% or more.

Reason it works: Handwriting personalizes the mailing and
captures the attention of your audience much more than standard
mailing labels or typed envelopes.

Tip: Handwrite both the mailing address and the return address.
If you’re confident in the accuracy of your mailing list, try
using no return address to spark the recipient’s curiosity and
entice them to open it.

Source: www.ThinkInkMarketing.com

———————————————————————–

***Packaging information products for maximum profit***

The packaging of your information product has a huge effect on
perceived value, notes self-publishing guru Dan Poynter.

For a book, binder format has the highest perceived value. But
binder products are more expensive to produce, more difficult to
store, and harder to ship.

Publishing your book as a traditional “bookstore book” has more
prestige – people revere book authors – but the lowest perceived
value, because buyers compare its price with books sold in
bookstores.

Hardcover books, which can be printed with or without dust
jackets, have higher perceived value than paperbacks.

“Oddly enough” says Dan, “a hardcover without a dust jacket has a
higher perceived value than one with the dust jacket.”

Reason: books for professionals do not have dust jackets. Think
of the leather-bound volumes you see in the library or conference
room of any law firm.

E-books also have a higher perceived value than paperback books.
Because an e-book doesn’t look like a traditional book and has a
larger page size, buyers see it as a specialized report rather
than a regular book.

———————————————————————–

***It’s not what you say; it’s how you say it***

Direct marketing consultant Gary Hennerberg is a master at
boosting response rates through proper usage of semantics.

He’s famous for increasing sales of a mail order bakery 60% by
changing the name of their product from “fruitcake” to “native
Texas pecan cake.”

He’s also worked the same magic in insurance, by calling his
client’s product “financial protection” instead of “life
insurance.”

“No one wants to buy life insurance,” says Gary. “But they seem
to warm up to ‘financial protection.’ So that’s what I call it.”

Source: Gary Hennerberg, www.hennerberg.com

———————————————————————–

***What a Nathan’s hot dog can teach you about marketing***

When Nathan Handwerker opened his first hot dog stand in Coney
Island, sales were slow, despite the price of a hot dog being
just a nickel.

Reason: the public believed rumors that hot dogs were made from
tainted beef, and stayed away.

Solution: Nathan hired good-looking young college men to stand
around his cart eating hot dogs. He had each student wear a white
lab coat and a stethoscope.

The public “ate it up.” They believed that these “customers” were
doctors, and if doctors were eating Nathan’s hot dogs, it must be
healthy. Sales skyrocketed.

To learn the full story on Nathan and the selling of hot dogs in
America and overseas, check out my book “All American Frank:
A History of the Hot Dog” from PublishAmerica, available on
amazon.com at:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1413750621?ie=UTF8&tag=bobblycop-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=1413750621

www.bly.com/AllAmericanFrank

———————————————————————–

***5 ways to make your sales letters easier to read***

1—Indent all your paragraphs 5 or 7 spaces.

2—Use short paragraphs. Maximum paragraph length: 7 lines of
copy.

3—Write your copy in the tone and rhythm of a personal one-on-one
conversation.

4—Underline key phrases and put a few well-chosen words in ALL
CAPS for those who will skim your letter.

5—Use lists of features or benefits with bullets or asterisks.

Source: Jutkins, Ray, “Magic Marketing Minutes,” p. 27.

———————————————————————–

***Pricing audio information products online***

For years I have been selling audio information products on tape
and CD.

Now, my customers are beginning to ask if they are available for
immediate download as MP3 files. And maybe yours are, too.

Internet marketing guru Fred Gleeck, who has produced somewhere
north of 2,000 audio info products, recommends that you offer
your customers a choice: MP3 or CD.

He suggests that, for multi-CD programs, the physical product
cost $50 more than the downloadable version, e.g., $77 for the
MP3 download and $127 for the CDs.

I would suggest that the buyer of the physical product also get
the downloadable MP3 as a bonus.

Visit Fred online at www.fredgleeck.com/ebooks to claim 5 free
books worth over $75.

———————————————————————–

***Reprint my articles – free!***

Media, bloggers, marketers, editors, publishers, Web masters –
need powerful content on your Web site or blog? You can syndicate
or republish any of the articles you’ve read in Bob Bly Direct
Response Letter — for free! To view complete articles, visit our
newsletter archives at www.bly.com/archive. Republishing our
articles is quick and easy. All you have to do is include author
attribution (byline/name of author) and the following statement,
“This article appears courtesy of Bob Bly Direct Response
Letter,” and include a back-link to www.bly.com. That’s it!

———————————————————————–

***60-second commercial from Bob Bly***

I am available on a limited basis for copywriting of direct mail
packages, sales letters, brochures, white papers, ads, e-mail
marketing campaigns, PR materials, and Web pages. Please
call for a FREE copy of my updated Copywriting Information Kit.
Just let me know your industry and the type of copy you’re
interested in seeing (ads, mailings, etc.) and if I am available
to take on your assignment, I’ll tailor a package of recent
samples to fit your requirements. Call me at 201-505-9451 or
e-mail rwbly@bly.com.

———————————————————————–

———————————————————————

Bob Bly’s Direct Response Letter:
Resources, ideas, and tips for improving response to
business-to-business, high-tech, and direct marketing.

December 9, 2010

———————————————————————

You are getting this e-mail because you subscribed to it on
www.bly.com or because you are one of Bob’s clients, prospects,
seminar attendees, or book buyers. If you would prefer not to
receive further e-mails of this type, go to the bottom of this
message and click on “SafeUnsubscribe.”

Your subscription brings you one regular monthly issue, usually
at the beginning of the month, plus one or two supplementary
messages each week. These are typically either free tips or
personal recommendations for information products on marketing or
related topics. I review products before recommending them and in
many cases know the authors.

We do not rent or share your name with anybody. Feel free to
forward this issue to any peers, friends and associates you think
would benefit from its contents. They will thank you. So will I.

———————————————————————

***Can you use “free” in your subject line?***

The experts at MailerMailer.com analyzed over 300,000 keywords in
subject lines.

Their finding: “free” was one of the top subject lines that get
prospects to open e-mails, despite spam filters.

For retailers, “free shipping” gets prospects to click through.

Other words that get prospects to open e-mails: events, news,
newsletter, sale, tonight, and update.

———————————————————————

***4 steps to stronger e-zines***

Best-selling author Michael Masterson gives the following tips
for writing strong content for your e-newsletter:

1. The quality of the ideas presented is paramount. A reader may
sign up for an ezine for many different reasons but he will
continue to read it only if he feels that his time invested in
reading is yielding valuable ideas. Valuable in this context
means provocative, memorable and useful.

2. Less is better than more. If you overwhelm the reader with
ideas — even valuable ideas — he will come away from the
reading experience emotionally neutralized. That happens because
the reader recognizes subconsciously that he has taken in more
information than he can possibly act upon. Being comprehensive
therefore is not the virtue some writers and publishers think it
is.

3. Specificity is key. Unsubstantiated claims and promises may
attract your readers’ attention but you will never win their
trust unless you back up those claims and promises with
specifics.

4. Stories sell the heart. Facts sell the brain. Don’t forget that
the job of good writing is to appeal as much to the readers’
emotional intelligence as it is to provide them with rational
evidence.

———————————————————————

***How many columns should be in your layout?***

Graphic designer Lori Haller gives the following guideline for
choosing the number of columns in your layout:

** One column going across the page looks and reads like a
personal letter.

** A two-column design looks more like a report.

** Three columns begin to feel like a magazine.

Source: AWAI 2010 Boot Camp

———————————————————————

***The 6 basic types of leads***

The “lead” is the beginning of your promotion – the copy on page
one.

Michael Masterson and John Forde have categorized leads into six
basic categories:

1-The offer lead.

Puts the offer up front. Only works if the offer is strong.

Example: “Special Introductory Offer Just for You.”

2-Promise lead.

Makes a big promise to the reader.
Example: “You Can Grow New Hair.”

3-Problem-solution lead.

States a problem and positions the product as the solution.

Example: “Do You Make These Mistakes in English?”

4-Secret lead.

Hints at a secret to be revealed.

Example: “What Never, Ever to Eat on an Airplane.”

5-Declarative lead.

Boldly states a dramatic fact or claim.

Example: “Why Most 20th Century Diseases Will Soon Become
Extinct.”

6-Story lead.

Tells an intriguing story.

Example: “They Thought I Was Crazy to Ship Live Main Lobsters as
Far as 1,800 Miles from the Ocean.”

Tip: Leads 1, 2, and 3 work best when your audience has a high
awareness of the product or the problem it solves. Use leads 4,
5, and 6 when they do not.

Source: AWAI 2010 Boot Camp.

———————————————————————

***4 steps to increasing customer value***

1-Call some of your customers … take 30 minutes a day, 5 days a
week to call your customers and say hi.

2-Leave personal voice mails for your customers … you can leave
messages on their mobile phone using www.slydial.com.

3-Send out physical thank-yous … send a thank-you letter after
the first purchase, and another the next month.

4-Make yourself strategically available at live events … have
special times you will be available at the bar 1 or 2 nights of a
multi-day training event. Do lunch or dinner with your most
profitable clients.

Source: TNT Marketing, 11/10, p. 2.

———————————————————————

***Make your web site mobile***

To make your web site easier to read on the small screens of
mobile devices, streamline text files and images. Reduce the size
of text files by eliminating white space. Reduce the file size of
images. Once you have identified the traffic as coming from a
mobile, selectively send site content based on the data volumes
the mobile devices can support.

Keep server connections to a minimum. While full desktop browsers
can handle a large number of parallel connections, mobile
browsers benefit from sites that create fewer connections. Use
fewer hosts to minimize the number of connections.

Source: Target Marketing, 12/10, p. 33.

———————————————————————

***How much time should you spend on marketing?***

Marketing Mentor Ilise Benun suggests dedicating 20% of your time
– one day per week — to business development, if you want to
get steady, high-quality clients in 2011.

If you need help keeping your marketing efforts on track for
2011, check out Marketing Mentor’s 2011 Calendar Bundle for
Creative Professionals. It includes an eCalendar that outlines
all of your marketing tasks for the year ahead (and syncs with
your iCal, Google calendar, Outlook or any other electronic
calendar), PLUS a printed marketing plan and journal that gives
more instruction and insight. Check it out here:

www.bly.com/mmcalendar

———————————————————————

***8 simple rules for repeat sales***

On his blog, sales guru Mike Sigers gave the following tips for
generating repeat sales from your customers:

1. Give them what they asked for — close doesn’t count, exact
does — not once, but every time.

2. Deliver quality — don’t bother delivering inferior product.

3. Don’t oversell them — convincing them to take a chance on
selling two year’s worth of product in one year’s time is the
fast lane to being a one-time supplier.

4. Become a valued team member — go above and beyond or don’t go
at all.

5. Keep them informed — let them know about delays, pricing
issues, and potential problems well in advance of the rumor
mongers (your competition).

6. Tell the truth — don’t become overly enthusiastic and stretch
the truth, even if your honesty costs you the sale.

7. Show appreciation for past sales — e.g., nice golf courses,
2-hour lunches, and leisurely steak dinners.

8. Show interest — either you invest your time thinking about
their company and how you can help them — or your competitor
will.

Source: http://simplenomics.com

———————————————————————

***Quick PC repair tip***

Has this ever happened: you slide your mouse over your desktop
but the cursor on the screen lags behind?

If you have a mouse with a track ball, unscrew the plastic ring
on the bottom. Take out the ball. Wash gently with warm water and
a little soap, rinse, dry, and put back.

If you have an optical mouse, wipe the entire bottom with a
tissue carefully. Look for and remove any dirt and gunk.

———————————————————————

***Reprint my articles – free!***

Media, bloggers, marketers, editors, publishers, Web masters –
need powerful content on your Web site or blog? You can syndicate
or republish any of the articles you’ve read in Bob Bly Direct
Response Letter — for free! To view complete articles, visit our
newsletter archives at www.bly.com/archive. Republishing our
articles is quick and easy. All you have to do is include author
attribution (byline/name of author) and the following statement,
“This article appears courtesy of Bob Bly Direct Response Letter,”
and include a back-link to www.bly.com. That’s it!

———————————————————————

***60-second commercial from Bob Bly***

I am available on a limited basis for copywriting of direct
mail packages, sales letters, brochures, white papers, ads,
e-mail marketing campaigns, PR materials, and Web pages. Please
call for a FREE copy of my updated Copywriting Information Kit.
Just let me know your industry and the type of copy you’re
interested in seeing (ads, mailings, etc.) and if I am available to
take on your assignment, I’ll tailor a package of recent samples
to fit your requirements. Call me at 201-505-9451 or e-mail
rwbly@bly.com.

———————————————————————

————————————————————————-

Bob Bly’s Direct Response Letter:
Resources, ideas, and tips for improving response to
business-to-business, high-tech, and direct marketing.

November 6, 2010

————————————————————————-

You are getting this e-mail because you subscribed to it on
www.bly.com or because you are one of Bob’s clients, prospects,
seminar attendees, or book buyers. If you would prefer not to
receive further e-mails of this type, go to the bottom of this
message and click on “SafeUnsubscribe.”

Your subscription brings you one regular monthly issue, usually
at the beginning of the month, plus one or two supplementary
messages each week. These are typically either free tips or
personal recommendations for information products on marketing or
related topics. I review products before recommending them and in
many cases know the authors.

We do not rent or share your name with anybody. Feel free to
forward this issue to any peers, friends and associates you think
would benefit from its contents. They will thank you. So will I.

————————————————————————-

***Distract buyers from thinking about your product’s high
price***

Ever notice how some car commercials avoid using the words
“dollars” or “thousands”?

Instead they say: “The car — fully loaded — is just twenty four
nine fifty.”

Next to your home and possibly a college education for your kids,
the most expensive product you buy is your car.

“This technique makes it sound like the car doesn’t cost any
money,” says mail order entrepreneur Bob Kalian. “It’s yours for
just a bunch of numbers.”

————————————————————————-

***How many renewal notices should you send?***

It’s very common for a renewal series to have 8 to 10 efforts,
according to Mary Lou Probka of Inside Mortgage Finance
Publications.

“The rule of thumb is to add notices until one stops paying for
itself,” she notes. Probka recommends starting renewal notices
for weekly and monthly publications 8 months prior to expiration.
This is followed by a break of 2 ½ to 3 ½ months before the next
effort.

Source: Best Customer Retention Strategies, SIPA Marketing
Conference, 12/13/07.

————————————————————————-

***Make online buyers push your buttons***

A common mistake in designing landing pages is to use an
underlined word or phrase as the hyperlink to the order page.

Much more effective is to design the hyperlink as an order
button. To increase response, says online marketing guru Amy
Africa, use big buttons. She recommends telling your designer to
triple whatever they think is big.

Color makes a difference. The Mequoda group reports a split test
where the only variable on the landing page was the order button
color. Red was the control, which was tested against green,
yellow, and ochre. The winner? Ochre, generating 27% higher
conversion rates than red.

Source: Thinking Inside the Box, 2/8/08; Mequoda Group.

————————————————————————-

***Take an e-list-building tip from The Motley Fool***

Each month, The Motley Fool adds 100,000 new names to its e-list
by offering free online reports to the 4 million unique visitors
that come to its web site.

Importantly, the only information they collect on the landing
pages offering these free reports is the prospect’s e-mail
address. They don’t even ask for the name.

Reason: the fewer data fields you require the prospect to
complete, the higher your conversion rates on name-squeeze pages
… and the faster you can build your e-list.

Source: SIPA Hotline, 4/21/08, pp. 2-3.

————————————————————————-

***How to design content and marketing documents for older folks
like me***

Since vision impairments increase with age, time spent organizing
your layout and using legible design and typography will more
than pay for themselves in increased audience response when
marketing or publishing to the over-50 market.

One tip: maximize contrast between the typography and the
background. Reason: a greater amount of contrast makes it easier
to distinguish an image. This is especially true for the contrast
in color between text and paper.

As for type size: yes, older readers prefer large type. But type
style also matters. Avoid ornate typefaces and overuse of
italics. Choose a serif type.

A bit more spacing between lines also enhances readability. Avoid
extensive use of ALL CAPS and type reversing out of a solid or
screen.

Indenting paragraphs and use of standard capitalization improve
reading, as do smaller blocks of copy, shorter lines of type, and
more paragraphs.

Source: Writing That Works, 1/9/08

————————————————————————-

***Does e-mail isolate you from other people?***

Yes, the results from a recent survey from Novations Group imply.

Too much reliance on e-mail – and having little face-to-face time
with employees – was the #1 reason, cited by 35% of HR executives
who were asked, “Why does senior management have a hard time
connecting with employees?”

Action step: Don’t hide behind your PC. Pick up the phone and
talk with your clients. Take your key vendors or team out to
lunch.

Source: Training & Development, 9/07, p.17.

————————————————————————-

***Overcoming price objections***

When selling against a lower-priced competitor, communicate the
price difference – your extra cost – in the smallest unit of measure
possible.

Example: You sell an annual service agreement covering home
appliances for $395, and a competitor charges $295.

Customers like you better, but are having trouble with your fee
being $100 higher.

What they don’t see is that $100 divided by 365 is only 27.4
cents a day.

You need to focus on that small price differential in your
selling.

Point out that they are getting superior service — and greater
peace of mind — for just 27 cents a day … “less than the price
of a first-class postage stamp.”

Source: The Selling Advantage, Special Issue, 10/6/07, p.2.

————————————————————————-

***4 steps to creating effective postcard mailings***

According to an article in DM News (7/30/07, p. 3), elements of
an effective postcard mailing include:

1. A clear, bold headline.
2. Eye-catching color.
3. Clearly stated benefits from a product or service.
4. A clearly displayed offer with a reason to “call now.”

————————————————————————-

***Know where prospects are in their buying cycles***

According to Gary Elley of KeywordMarketer.com, you can tell
where your prospects are in the buying cycle by looking at the
key words they search.

“Those at the beginning of the buying cycle tend to search with
keywords and phrases that are one to three words long and
describe the niche in generic terms,” says Gary. These prospects
should be sent to pages giving them detailed product information.

On the other hand, prospects nearer to making a purchase decision
search with more specific terms and phrases including brand
names, models, or product numbers. These prospects should be sent
to a page where they can order the product.

Source: The Marketing Minute, 11/14/07,
www.yudkin.com/markmin.htm

————————————————————————-

***5 secrets to success***

1. How you think is everything. Always be positive. Think
success, not failure. Beware of a negative environment.

2. Decide upon your true dreams and goals. Write down your
specific goals and develop a plan to reach them.

3. Take action. Goals are nothing without action. Don’t be afraid
to get started. Just do it.

4. Never stop learning. Go back to school or read books. Get
training and acquire skills.

5. Be persistent and work hard. Success is a marathon, not a
spring. Never give up.

Source: Investor’s Business Daily, 7/24/07, p. 8.

————————————————————————-

***Reprint my articles – free!***

Media, bloggers, marketers, editors, publishers, Web masters –
need powerful content on your Web site or blog? You can syndicate
or republish any of the articles you’ve read in Bob Bly Direct
Response Letter — for free! To view complete articles, visit our
newsletter archives at www.bly.com/archive. Republishing our
articles is quick and easy. All you have to do is include author
attribution (byline/name of author) and the following statement,
“This article appears courtesy of Bob Bly Direct Response Letter,”
and include a back-link to www.bly.com. That’s it!

————————————————————————-

***60-second commercial from Fern Dickey, Project Manager***

Bob is available on a limited basis for copywriting of direct
mail packages, sales letters, brochures, white papers, ads,
e-mail marketing campaigns, PR materials, and Web pages. We
recommend you call for a FREE copy of our updated Copywriting
Information Kit. Just let me know your industry and the type of
copy you’re interested in seeing (ads, mailings, etc.) and if Bob
is available to take on your assignment, we’ll tailor a package
of recent samples to fit your requirements. Call Fern Dickey at
201-797-8105 or e-mail fern@bly.com.

————————————————————————-

———————————————————————

Bob Bly’s Direct Response Letter:
Resources, ideas, and tips for improving response to
business-to-business, high-tech, and direct marketing.

October 5, 2010

———————————————————————

You are getting this e-mail because you subscribed to it on
www.bly.com or because you are one of Bob’s clients, prospects,
seminar attendees, or book buyers. If you would prefer not to
receive further e-mails of this type, go to the bottom of this
message and click on “SafeUnsubscribe.”

Your subscription brings you one regular monthly issue, usually
at the beginning of the month, plus one or two supplementary
messages each week. These are typically either free tips or
personal recommendations for information products on marketing or
related topics. I review products before recommending them and in
many cases know the authors.

We do not rent or share your name with anybody. Feel free to
forward this issue to any peers, friends and associates you think
would benefit from its contents. They will thank you. So will I.

———————————————————————

***AWAI Boot Camp is coming***

The annual AWAI Boot Camp is coming this November in beautiful
Delray Beach, Florida. I’ll be giving several presentations and
would love to meet you there. Click here for more information or
to enroll now:

http://www.awaionline.com/bootcamp-brochure/?referredby=WB10K_49BR

www.bly.com/bootcamp

———————————————————————

***4 tips for marketing with content***

1—Keep writing … consistently generating new content is a great
way to build your personal brand.

2—The world craves information and entertainment … articles can
be content-rich and fun to read at the same time.

3—Look to multiple platforms for distribution … if the
information is relevant, an e-mail newsletter or blog post can
become a new article with some slight tweaks.

4—Write down any idea that comes to you … make a note of any
ideas and put them all in the same place so they’re easy to find
later.

Source: Ben Settle

———————————————————————

**3 ways to increase sales of luxury products**

“As a rule, I believe it pays to think of high-end buyers as the
same as you and me, except they have lots more money,” says my
friend, Ruth Sheldon, a copywriter specializing in luxury product
marketing.

Here are 3 tips from Ruth on how to sell costly goods and
services to affluent buyers:

1. They love a deal. Even though they have more resources than
most, buyers of luxury products want to think they’re getting a
bargain.

Being frugal may be how they got their money in the first place,
and wanting to get a deal will always be a part of their
emotional make-up. Besides, thinking you’ve scored big-time is
part of the game — and everyone wants to feel like a winner.

2. They love exclusivity. Consumers of luxury goods want to feel
the product or service for which they are being asked to spend
top dollar, will not be available to everyone.

They can afford to be different — and they’re willing to pay for
it. Try to use one-of-a-kind or limited edition positioning if
possible.

3. They want value — and do their homework to make sure they get
it.

Although luxury car buyers, for example, will spend hundreds of
thousands of dollars for a car without flinching, you can be sure
they’ll carefully evaluate performance, safety, acceleration
speeds, etc. to make sure they’re getting exactly what they want.

So be prepared to give them the facts they want along with a
knock-your-socks off emotional appeal.

———————————————————————

***5 things your e-zine readers want from you***

1—Useful tips they can immediately use.

2—An offer they might like to buy.

3—Sage advice from masters.

4—Short, well-defined sections.

5—Source info so they can get more information if they choose.

Source: Robert Schwarztrauber

———————————————————————

***2 free reports to accelerate your online success***

When you sign up today for a free subscription to Precision
Marketing, the Internet’s ultimate marketing and business
building newsletter, you’ll receive two “must read” reports for
any marketer, business owner, or entrepreneur – “Launching An
Online Business: 6 Things You Must Know Before You Get Started”
and “Tips and Tricks of the Trade: The 8 Things You Must Know
When Buying Online Advertising.” Help give your business a
boost. Click here now to get your free reports and free
newsletter subscription:

http://www.precisionmarketingmedia.com/newslettersignup.html

———————————————————————

***Fundraising tips from an old pro***

I once had the honor of interviewing Jerry Huntsinger, whom many
(me included) consider the world’s greatest fundraising
copywriter, for a program on fundraising one of my clients, AWAI
(www.awaionline.com) publishes.

Among the secrets Jerry shared: Virtually every successful
control mailing he has written these days has some sort of
freebie – address labels, for example – enclosed with the letter.

(In subscription marketing we call this enclosed premium a
freemium, but Jerry uses the term “up-front premium.”)

Its main purpose, according to Huntsinger, is to stop the busy
reading from tossing your brilliantly written letter into the
round file.

He says that the up-front premium gives the package a “tactile
presence” – and that putting an object in your package “keeps
people from throwing it away.”

For instance, one successfully package Jerry wrote recently for
Covenant House has an angel pin enclosed.

He also says that having a brochure in fundraising packages
almost never increases response – and that plain envelopes work
better than envelopes with teaser copy.

———————————————————————

***Do white papers still work?***

Do White Papers still work as a direct response offer? Yes, says
Nick Copley, Vice President of Bitpipe, a white paper syndicator.

“The big [magazine] publishers are scaling back the amount of
editorial space they have to offer,” he explains.

White papers allow marketers to bypass the trade press and reach
their prospects directly, and the IT audience is receptive.
“People are looking to get up to speed on technology any way they
can, and a little bias seems to be okay.”

Here are a few of Copley’s tips for writing effective white
papers:

* Determine the objective: Decide up front what the one goal you
are trying to achieve with this document. Save all the other
nuggets of ideas for other white papers.

* Add a case study: When your white paper is too abstract, adding
a case study or two, perhaps as sidebars, “can bring the paper
back to reality.”

* Address competing technologies: Show how your solution maps
against the competition. Make sure your white paper addresses the
major issues your competitors raise.

* Have a call to action: You’ve educated and persuaded the
reader. Now spell out the next step.

Source: Software Success, Vol. 16, No. 22

———————————————————————

***Why Internet marketing guru Perry Marshall markets offline***

I was surprised when I received in my postal mail a marketing
newsletter by my friend Perry Marshall, the well-known
pay-per-click expert.

And so I sent Perry this question via e-mail: “With you being an
Internet guru, why do you go to the trouble and expense of
printing and mailing The Perry Marshall Marketing Letter in hard
copy, when you could just e-mail it to your list with the click
of a mouse?”

Perry replied: “Great question. It’s because I believe that, no
matter how you slice it, a real physical print newsletter is
inherently more valuable than a PDF version.

“As a matter of fact, with few exceptions, PDF versions of my
newsletters aren’t even made available. A real snail mail copy,
bound and stapled together, is easier to take with you, easier to
read in bed, more tangible than an electronic version — which
translates, I think, to more loyal subscribers and people paying
more attention.”

Perry’s surprising conclusion: “Electronic will never replace
real paper and ink.”

———————————————————————

***8 simple rules for repeat sales***

On his blog, sales guru Mike Siger gives the following tips for
generating repeat sales from your customers:

1. Give them what they asked for — close doesn’t count, exact
does — not once, but every time.

2. Deliver quality — don’t bother delivering inferior product.

3. Don’t oversell them — convincing them to take a chance on
selling two year’s worth of product in one year’s time is the
fast lane to being a one-time supplier.

4. Become a valued team member — go above and beyond or don’t go
at all.

5. Keep them informed — let them know about delays, pricing
issues, and potential problems well in advance of the rumor
mongers (your competition).

6. Tell the truth — don’t become overly enthusiastic and stretch
the truth, even if your honesty costs you the sale.

7. Show appreciation for past sales — e.g., nice golf courses,
2-hour lunches, and leisurely steak dinners.

8. Show interest — either you invest your time thinking about
their company and how you can help them — or your competitor
will.

Source: http:simpleconomics.com

———————————————————————

***Reprint my articles – free!***

Media, bloggers, marketers, editors, publishers, Web masters –
need powerful content on your Web site or blog? You can syndicate
or republish any of the articles you’ve read in Bob Bly Direct
Response Letter — for free! To view complete articles, visit our
newsletter archives at www.bly.com/archive. Republishing our
articles is quick and easy. All you have to do is include author
attribution (byline/name of author) and the following statement,
“This article appears courtesy of Bob Bly Direct Response Letter,”
and include a back-link to www.bly.com. That’s it!

———————————————————————

***60-second commercial from Fern Dickey, Project Manager***

Bob is available on a limited basis for copywriting of direct
mail packages, sales letters, brochures, white papers, ads,
e-mail marketing campaigns, PR materials, and Web pages. We
recommend you call for a FREE copy of our updated Copywriting
Information Kit. Just let me know your industry and the type of
copy you’re interested in seeing (ads, mailings, etc.) and if Bob
is available to take your assignment, we’ll tailor a package of
recent samples to fit your requirements. Call Fern Dickey at
201-797-8105 or e-mail fern@bly.com.

———————————————————————

————————————————————————-

Bob Bly’s Direct Response Letter:
Resources, ideas, and tips for improving response to
business-to-business, high-tech, and direct marketing.

September 2, 2010

————————————————————————-

You are getting this e-mail because you subscribed to it on
www.bly.com or because you are one of Bob’s clients, prospects,
seminar attendees, or book buyers. If you would prefer not to
receive further e-mails of this type, go to the bottom of this
message and click on “SafeUnsubscribe.”

Your subscription brings you one regular monthly issue, usually
at the beginning of the month, plus one or two supplementary
messages each week. These are typically either free tips or
personal recommendations for information products on marketing or
related topics. I review products before recommending them and in
many cases know the authors.

We do not rent or share your name with anybody. Feel free to
forward this issue to any peers, friends and associates you think
would benefit from its contents. They will thank you. So will I.

————————————————————————-

***Give Your Online Marketing A Jolt: When SEO, SEM and Social
Media Marketing Just Aren’t Enough***

Using no cost online marketing tactics, like search engine
marketing, search engine optimization, and social media marketing
are all good strategies, but they’ll only get you so far. And
they won’t create you the voluminous traffic needed to really see
substantial results, fast.

When you really want to increase your Web exposure … and sales …
you need to cast a broader net using targeted, cost effective
online advertising.

Discover the ‘insider secrets’ for buying online ads for less:
banners, text ads, blog ads, email marketing, and newsletter
sponsorships as well as the “must knows” for affiliate marketing,
joint ventures and publishing ad swaps!

Click here NOW for details!

www.bly.com/mm

————————————————————————-

***Are your customers seeing red? If not, let them!***

Colors in products, packaging, and advertising can have a
tremendous effect on sales, notes Louis Cheskin, director of the
Cheskin Color Institute, in his classic book “The Cheskin System
for Business Success” (Frederick Fell Publishers).

For instance, a roadside restaurant was failing. So the owner
changed the color of its sign — “hot food served around the
clock” and the building’s roof — from blue to red. Result:
business increased almost 300%. Concludes Cheskin, “The word
‘hot’ in red is not the same as ‘hot’ in blue.”

Actions to take: try using red in the headlines of your landing
pages and on the outer envelope teasers of your direct mail
package. Do you notice a lift in response?

————————————————————————-

***International Freelancers Day***

Great news… you can watch free videos from me and 24 more
high-profile marketers and copywriters, as part of the
celebrations for International Freelancers Day. It’s an
incredible online event happening on Sept. 24 and 25 and
attendance is complimentary:

http://www.InternationalFreelancersDay.com

(And be sure to watch the 90-second video posted at the link
above.)

————————————————————————-

***It pays to advertise***

According to the Ad Council (admittedly not an objective source),
the following examples serve as proof of advertising’s
effectiveness:

** The Smokey the Bear ad campaign — reduced the land destroyed
by forest fires each year from 22 million acres to 5 million
acres.

** The Crash Test Dummies campaign for the U.S. Department of
Transportation — increased seatbelt usage from 21% to 79% of
drivers.

** “Friends don’t let friends drive drunk” – reduced the
percentage of crashes caused by drunk driving from 60% to 45%.

** The “Take a Bite out of Crime” ads featuring crime dog McGruff
– persuaded 20 million Americans to join Neighborhood Watch.

** “A Mind is a Terrible Thing to Waste” ad campaign for the
United Negro College Fund – boosted enrollment of African
American students in college from 522,000 to 2.1 million.

Source: Daily News

————————————————————————-

***How to prevent typos in your copy***

According to an article in Customer Service Advantage,
spell-check fails to catch 7 out of 10 errors.

Therefore, you have to proofread your copy carefully. But that’s
difficult to do if you’ve already read the copy multiple times,
because your mind skips many words.

Solution: proofread your copy backward.

Why it works: the copy loses all meaning when read backward,
forcing you to notice each word more.

————————————————————————-

***A simple rule of thumb for copy length***

When deciding whether you need long copy or short – whether in a
landing page, e-mail, or sales letter – follow this simple rule:
short copy for generating leads, longer copy for generating
orders.

“As a general proposition, an ad in which you are seeking only
inquiries should be short, merely leading the reader down to the
free booklet and the coupon,” writes copywriter Robert Collier,
“whereas an ad in which you are attempting to make the actual
sale should be long enough to tell all about your offer.

“Some authorities will tell you to write only short, crisp ads,
with plenty of white space – others to crowd in every word you
can get. Both are wrong. There is no hard and fast rule as to how
long an ad should be, except that it should be long enough to
tell your story, but short enough to hold your reader’s
interest.”

Source: Collier, Robert, “How to Make Money at Home in Spare Time
by Mail,” p. 154.

————————————————————————-

***How long should SEO web pages be?***

According to the white paper “Top 10 Considerations When Planning
a Web Site Redesign,” each page on a search engine optimized web
site should contain 200 to 500 words of text-based content.

Make sure none of the elements you want search engines to be able
to crawl (headlines, body copy, navigation) are image or
flash-based.

Source: www.MoreVisibility.com

————————————————————————-

***Thought of the month***

This is the beginning of a new day. I have been given this day to
use as I will. I will use it for good, because I am exchanging a
day of my life for it. When tomorrow comes, this day will be gone
forever, leaving in its place something that I have traded for
it. I want it to be gain and not loss; good and not evil; success
and not failure—in order that I shall rejoice in the price that I
paid for it.
–Ira L. Kaplan, President, Servolift Eastern Corp

————————————————————————-

***10 powerful success principles***

1. Recognize and tell the truth.
2. Market your talents shamelessly.
3. Develop more character than you need.
4. Unhook yourself from the future.
5. Add value just for the joy of it.
6. Thrive on the details.
7. Deliver twice what you promise.
8. Affect others profoundly.
9. Become unconditionally constructive.
10. Master your craft.

Source: Thomas Leonard, “The 28 Principles of Attraction,”
Nightingale-Conant.

————————————————————————-

**Collect past-due invoices faster***

When calling delinquent accounts, always tie the promise of
payment to a specific date.

For instance, if the customer says “We will send you a check by
Friday,” say, “Then we can expect your payment no later than next
Tuesday?”

Having an established deadline seems to increase collections.

————————————————————————-

**Find new products for your mail order business online**

The National Mail Order Association (NOMA) maintains an online
database of products suitable for catalogers and other direct
merchants:

www.nmoa.org/Products/index.htm

NOMA also has a “new product alert” service you can sign up for
to receive notification of available new products via e-mail at
no charge:

www.nmoa.org/alert/index.asp

————————————————————————-

***Reprint my articles – free!***

Media, bloggers, marketers, editors, publishers, Web masters –
need powerful content on your Web site or blog? You can syndicate
or republish any of the articles you’ve read in Bob Bly Direct
Response Letter — for free! To view complete articles, visit our
newsletter archives at www.bly.com/archive. Republishing our
articles is quick and easy. All you have to do is include author
attribution (byline/name of author) and the following statement,
“This article appears courtesy of Bob Bly Direct Response Letter,”
and include a back-link to www.bly.com. That’s it!

————————————————————————-

***60-second commercial from Fern Dickey, Project Manager***

Bob is available on a limited basis for copywriting of direct
mail packages, sales letters, brochures, white papers, ads,
e-mail marketing campaigns, PR materials, and Web pages. We
recommend you call for a FREE copy of our updated Copywriting
Information Kit. Just let me know your industry and the type of
copy you’re interested in seeing (ads, mailings, etc.) and if Bob
is available to take your assignment, we’ll tailor a package of
recent samples to fit your requirements. Call Fern Dickey at
201-797-8105 or e-mail fern@bly.com.

————————————————————————-

——————————————————————-

Bob Bly’s Direct Response Letter:
Resources, ideas, and tips for improving response to
business-to-business, high-tech, and direct marketing.

August 19, 2010

——————————————————————-

You are getting this e-mail because you subscribed to it on
www.bly.com or because you are one of Bob’s clients, prospects,
seminar attendees, or book buyers. If you would prefer not to
receive further e-mails of this type, go to the bottom of this
message and click on “SafeUnsubscribe.”

Your subscription brings you one regular monthly issue, usually
at the beginning of the month, plus one or two supplementary
messages each week. These are typically either free tips or
personal recommendations for information products on marketing or
related topics. I review products before recommending them and in
many cases know the authors.

We do not rent or share your name with anybody. Feel free to
forward this issue to any peers, friends and associates you think
would benefit from its contents. They will thank you. So will I.

——————————————————————-

***9 steps to writing a winning sales page***

Dynamo entrepreneur Ali Brown gives these 9 clear and accurate
tips for writing powerful sales pages:

1—Establish credibility.

2—Address the potential customer’s pain.

3—List several benefits.

4—Demonstrate how an investment in the product will pay for
itself.

5—Provide testimonials.

6—Create an incentive for customers to act in a timely manner.

7—Make a personal connection with the audience by including a
picture and some appealing biographical information.

8—Offer a guarantee.

9—Add eye-appealing formatting and graphics to make the page
visually appealing.

Source: www.alibrown.com

——————————————————————-

***Attend my live info products teleseminar***

Want to ask me a question about creating and selling information
products? You can when you attend my live teleseminar with Terry
Whalin on Wednesday, August 25th at 8 p.m. EST / 5 p.m. PDT.

If you can’t make it, the teleseminar will be recorded and
everyone who registers will receive the replay information to
listen at your convenience. You can attend this free event either
on the phone or webcast. Also get my special report: How to Make
$100,000+ A Year Selling Simple Information Online In Your Spare
Time when you register at:

www.bly.com/askme

——————————————————————-

***Don’t be an “affiliate pest”***

An “affiliate pest” is a newbie Internet marketer who thinks she
can convince a bigger Internet marketer to promote her product as
an affiliate by constantly calling, e-mailing, and otherwise
pestering him.

It’s OK to query and to follow-up in a reasonable manner. But not
every day. Even more important: don’t write a huffy e-mail
complaining “I haven’t heard from you” to the person you’re
trying to recruit as an affiliate.

Yes, all the big and even the medium-size (like me) Internet
marketers today are inundated with requests from people who want
us to promote their products to our lists.

But that means we’re busy. We have many other projects going. So
we can’t always respond to requests for joint ventures as quickly
as we’d like.

Acknowledge this, and you have a chance. Pressure us, and we’ll
avoid you like the plague.

——————————————————————-

***Get a free bait piece from Uncle Sam***

In past issues, I’ve recommended that you have a “bait piece” – a
special report, white paper, or other informational premium you
give away to generate leads for your product or service.

But many marketers don’t produce info premiums because of the
research and writing work involved.

An easy way to get around this is to visit the U.S. government’s
Federal Citizen Information Center (FCIC) online. There are loads
of how-to and information booklets on a wide range of topics such
as money, health, travel, housing, nutrition, computers, small
business, and more.

If you find one that would make a good info premium for your
business, you can print or download the text, put your own cover
on it, print copies, and use it as your own freebie – without
paying Uncle Sam a dime!

How? Most of these publications are not copyrighted, so the U.S.
government allows you to use them for your own purposes (they do
appreciate if you credit them as the source).

To see whether FCIC has a booklet you can use as a bait piece, go
to their Web site:

www.pueblo.gsa.gov

Warning: Be sure to check the publication for copyright notices.
If the booklet you selected is copyrighted, then you can’t use
it.

——————————————————————-

***Scarsdale Diet author’s writing secret***

When you write with a clear picture of your reader in mind, your
copy is much more effective.

Samm Sinclair Baker, author of many best-selling books (including
“The Scarsdale Diet” with Dr. Herman Tarnower), had an
interesting way of picturing his reader as he wrote:

Baker looked through magazines until he found a picture of a
person he imagined was a typical reader for what he was writing.

He then cut out the picture and taped it to the edge of his PC
monitor.

As a result, he was constantly looking at his reader while he
wrote.

Baker says this helped him write more conversationally, because
he was “talking” to the person in the picture as he typed.

——————————————————————————————————————

***Should you write your own copy?***

My answer may surprise you, but it’s enthusiastically “yes” – IF
these three conditions exist:

1. You are an excellent copywriter.
2. You enjoy writing copy.
3. You have the time to write copy.

Business owners and marketing managers who fit these criteria
often produce copy that’s better and more successful than the
pros. Why?

They know the product and the market intimately, because they
live with it full-time. Half the battle in copywriting is really
knowing the customer and the product, so the business owner or
manager has the edge – IF he can write.

On the other hand, marketers who can’t write, don’t like to
write, or don’t have time to write copy are better off farming it
out to an agency or freelancer.

——————————————————————-

***3 ways to create a sense of urgency****

When you encourage prospects to act now instead of later,
response rates increase.

1. One way to do this is to put a deadline on your offer.

Since third-class mail takes an average of 2 ½ weeks to be
delivered nationwide, make the deadline at least 8 to 12 weeks
from the mail drop date. Alternatively, for any mailing that goes
out September or later, a good deadline date is December 21.

Copywriter David Yale recommends emphasizing that the deadline
date is final by adding the phrase “it’s too late” as follows:
“This offer expires December 21, 2010. After that, it’s too
late.”

For e-mail marketing, you can say the offer is good only if the
recipient replies “today” or “this week.”

2. If you are not comfortable putting a deadline date on your
mail piece, specify a time frame within which the reader must
reply, e.g., “reply within the next 10 days.”

3. Or at least make it clear that this is a time-limited offer.
Copywriter Milt Pierce suggests this wording:

“But I urge you to hurry. This offer is for a limited time only.
And once it expires, it may never be repeated again.”

——————————————————————-

***Marketing with scratch-off promos***

How about using a scratch-off business card? My local
Chrysler-Plymouth dealer handed me a yellow card that said,
“Scratch off to see if you are a winner!” There were 7 options
listed on the card, e.g., “(A) Free Oil Change, (B) $25 Off Next
Required Service,” etc. When you scratch a silver circle, your
prize is revealed – and everyone wins.

This could be a great idea for ANY business. For instance, a dry
cleaner (“A. Free starch”), computer dealer (“A. Free screen
saver”), real estate agent (“A. Free home buying seminar”), or
just about anything you can think of.

——————————————————————-

***Success without stress***

What follows is not directly related to marketing, writing, and
the other topics I typically cover in this newsletter – and it is
easy to dismiss advice like this as simplistic or trivial.

But when copywriter Kim Stacey e-mailed this list to me, I read
it carefully – and found it to be deceptively profound and
effective.

Here are 10 tips for living less stressfully, from “Loving and
Leaving the Good Life” by Helen Nearing:

1. Do the best you can, whatever arises.
2. Be at peace with yourself.
3. Find a job you enjoy.
4. Live in simple conditions; get rid of clutter.
5. Contact nature every day; find the earth under your feet.
6. Take physical exercise.
7. Don’t worry; live one day at a time.
8. Share something every day with someone else; help someone else
somehow.
9. Take time to wonder at the world and at life; see some humor
in life where you can.
10. Be kind

——————————————————————-

***7 ways to get free PR***

“The cleverly expressed opposite of any generally accepted idea
is worth a fortune to somebody,” said F. Scott Fitzgerald

But how can you use this principle in your PR to get media
attention? My colleague, marketing expert Marcia Yudkin, says you
can do it by:

1. Taking issue with a survey result.

2. Disagreeing with a common belief or counteract a stereotype.

3. Championing an underdog.

4. Revealing common misconceptions.

5. Making surprising predictions.

6. Exposing flaws in something assumed to be beneficial.

7. Describing the underside of something popular.

Example: Bob Baker and three colleagues in the music business
collaborated on a press release titled “What’s Wrong with
American Idol?”

Their press release criticized the popular U.S. talent show for
misleading aspiring musicians and the public about what it takes
to succeed in music. Baker’s reward for stirring up controversy:
five radio interviews that highlighted his status as an expert on
careers in music.

——————————————————————-

***Make money with online advertising***

When you really want to increase your Web exposure … and sales …
you need to cast a broader net using targeted online advertising.
But the question is, how do you leverage this powerful platform
without spending a fortune?

The answer is learning the ‘insider secrets’ to buying online ads
for less. Discover the best ways to get the most bang for your
buck when buying online advertising such as banner ads, text ads,
blog ads, email marketing, and newsletter sponsorships as well as
the “must knows” for affiliate marketing, joint ventures and
publishing ad swaps!

Click here NOW for details:

www.bly.com/mm

——————————————————————-

***Reprint my articles – free!***

Media, bloggers, marketers, editors, publishers, Web masters –
need powerful content on your Web site or blog? You can syndicate
or republish any of the articles you’ve read in Bob Bly Direct
Response Letter — for free! To view complete articles, visit our
newsletter archives at www.bly.com/archive. Republishing our
articles is quick and easy. All you have to do is include author
attribution (byline/name of author) and the following statement,
“This article appears courtesy of Bob Bly Direct Response Letter,”
and include a back-link to www.bly.com. That’s it!

——————————————————————-

***60-second commercial from Fern Dickey, Project Manager***

Bob is available on a limited basis for copywriting of direct
mail packages, sales letters, brochures, white papers, ads,
e-mail marketing campaigns, PR materials, and Web pages. We
recommend you call for a FREE copy of our updated Copywriting
Information Kit. Just let me know your industry and the type of
copy you’re interested in seeing (ads, mailings, etc.) and if Bob
is available to take your assignment, we’ll tailor a package of
recent samples to fit your requirements. Call Fern Dickey at
201-797-8105 or e-mail fern@bly.com.

——————————————————————-

——————————————————————-

Bob Bly’s Direct Response Letter:
Resources, ideas, and tips for improving response to
business-to-business, high-tech, and direct marketing.

August 2, 2010

——————————————————————-

You are getting this e-mail because you subscribed to it on
www.bly.com or because you are one of Bob’s clients, prospects,
seminar attendees, or book buyers. If you would prefer not to
receive further e-mails of this type, go to bottom of this
message and click on “SafeUnsubscribe.”

Your subscription brings you one regular monthly issue, usually
at the beginning of the month, plus one or two supplementary
messages each week. These are typically either free tips or
personal recommendations for information products on marketing or
related topics. I review products before recommending them and in
many cases know the authors.

We do not rent or share your name with anybody. Feel free to
forward this issue to any peers, friends and associates you think
would benefit from its contents. They will thank you. So will I.

——————————————————————-

***The new rules of selling***

1–Sell what the customer desires or requires, not what you want
them to buy.

2–Get personal; collect as much information about your customer
as possible and use it.

3–Become a friend, because people will buy from their friends
but don’t always trust salespeople.

4–Concentrate on building strong relationships.

5–Find things you and your customer have in common, and build on
those similarities.

6–Gain the trust of your customers.

7–Have a great time, and have a great sense of humor.

8–Don’t even look like you’re trying to sell.

Source: www.businessbrief.com

——————————————————————-

***Does e-mail isolate you from other people?***

Yes, the results from a recent survey from Novations Group imply.

Too much reliance on e-mail – and having little face-to-face time
with employees – was the #1 reason, cited by 35% of HR executives
who were asked, “Why does senior management have a hard time
connecting with employees?”

Action step: Don’t hide behind your PC. Pick up the phone and
talk with your clients. Take your key vendors or team out to
lunch.

Source: Training & Development

——————————————————————-

***Is “click here now” old hat for Web pages?***

Adam Lasnik from Google says you can raise your site’s ranking in
Google by using descriptive key words in links.

Example: Instead of “click here now,” hyperlink the call to
action to a key word or phrase, e.g., “red widget.”

Lasnik also advises marketers to avoid using keywords
repetitively. Instead, he recommends focusing on just one or two
keyword concepts per page.

Source: DMA SEM Certification Program.

——————————————————————-

***The importance of being specific***

A 6-year-old boy, separated from his mother in a supermarket,
began to call frantically for “Martha! Martha! Martha!”

That was his mother’s name and she came running to him quickly.
“But honey,” she admonished. “You shouldn’t call me Martha. I’m
‘Mother’ to you.”

“Yes, I know,” he answered, “but this store is full of moms, and
I want mine.”

Source: Herbert Prochnow, The Complete Toastmaster,
Prentice-Hall, Inc.

——————————————————————-

***Handing sales objections***

One of the most dreaded objections is “I have to think it over.”
Here are some responses that can help get past it:

>>”What exactly do you want to think about?”

>>”Let’s think it over out loud. Sometimes two heads are better
than one.”

>>”Let’s think it over while it is fresh in your mind. What are
some of the items you need to know more about?”

Source: Selling Power magazine

——————————————————————-

***How much should you pay per click?***

Dana Todd, executive VP of SiteLabs, uses this formula:

Break-even cost-per-click = average gross profit X average
conversion ratio

If your gross profit is $5 and your average conversion rate is
2%, then $5 X .02 = $0.10. Maximum you should pay per click: 10
cents.

Source: Internet Marketing Report, 9/30/03, p. 2.

——————————————————————-

***Double your networking power***

If you want to leave an indelible impression on somebody, ask for
two business cards – one for yourself, and one to pass on to
somebody else. You’ll always be remembered as the person who
asked for an extra business card to pass along.

Also, wear a sports jacket with two pockets: one for the business
cards that you collect, and one to hold your business cards to
hand out to others.

Source: Words from Woody, Winter 2004, p. 2

——————————————————————-

***Success without stress***

What follows is not directly related to marketing, writing, and
the other topics I typically cover in this newsletter – and it is
easy to dismiss advice like this as simplistic or trivial.

But when copywriter Kim Stacey e-mailed this list to me, I read
it carefully – and found it to be deceptively profound and
effective.

Here are 10 tips for living less stressfully, from “Loving and
Leaving the Good Life” by Helen Nearing:

1. Do the best you can, whatever arises.
2. Be at peace with yourself.
3. Find a job you enjoy.
4. Live in simple conditions; get rid of clutter.
5. Contact nature every day; find the earth under your feet.
6. Take physical exercise.
7. Don’t worry; live one day at a time.
8. Share something every day with someone else; help someone else
somehow.
9. Take time to wonder at the world and at life; see some humor
in life where you can.
10. Be kind.

——————————————————————-

***The surest way to become a better and more confident public
speaker***

In the late Robert B. Parker’s latest Spenser novel, “Cold
Service,” Spenser says to Susan this about his sidekick Hawk:
“He’s nearly always right. Not because he knows everything. But
because he never talks about things he doesn’t know.”

This is a good tip for public speakers, bloggers, writers, and
anyone else who communicates: stick to what you know and you’ll
be a more effective, more persuasive, more credible communicator.

And by “knowing” a thing, I don’t mean just researching and
reading about it. I mean knowing from actual experience.

The only way to ensure total credibility as a speaker is to not
speak on a subject unless you’ve actually done it. If you haven’t
done it and an audience member challenges you, you are completely
vulnerable … because you don’t truly know what you are talking
about.

——————————————————————-

***Are you working hard or hardly working?***

If, like many of my readers, you feel like you’re juggling a
dozen balls in the air and churning out copy like crazy, well –
don’t compare yourself to Barbara Cartland.

Cartland, who died in 2000 at 98, wrote 723 books selling more
than a billion copies. She also left 160 unedited manuscripts,
now being published by her estate.

Having written only 77 books, I feel like a total slug. And I
don’t think I’m even close to selling a billion copies.

Source: Parade, 8/21/05, p. 2.

——————————————————————-

***How a Tom Collins can make you a better ad writer***

Direct response veteran Tom Collins suggests asking these
questions when assessing print advertising effectiveness:

1. Does the ad state or imply the problem? Every ad presents a
solution to a problem, whether it’s how to quench your thirst or
choose your next car.

2. Does typography invite reading? Text type not too small or
pale, lines not too wide?

3. Does it include proof? Favorable facts beat claims.

4. Does it identify the product? Best way to attract buyers of
what you’re selling is to make instantly clear what it is.

5. Does it tempt and reward response? Display web site address
clearly, promise something relevant and worthwhile there?

Source: Collins, Tom, “How I would Have Done These Ads” (Wizard
Press, 2006, p. 178).

——————————————————————-

***Reprint my articles – free!***

Media, bloggers, marketers, editors, publishers, Web masters –
need powerful content on your Web site or blog? You can syndicate
or republish any of the articles you’ve read in Bob Bly Direct
Response Letter — for free! To view complete articles, visit our
newsletter archives at www.bly.com/archive. Republishing our
articles is quick and easy. All you have to do is include author
attribution (byline/name of author) and the following statement,
“This article appears courtesy of Bob Bly Direct Response Letter,”
and include a back-link to www.bly.com. That’s it!

——————————————————————-

***60-second commercial from Fern Dickey, Project Manager***

Bob is available on a limited basis for copywriting of direct
mail packages, sales letters, brochures, white papers, ads,
e-mail marketing campaigns, PR materials, and Web pages. We
recommend you call for a FREE copy of our updated Copywriting
Information Kit. Just let me know your industry and the type of
copy you’re interested in seeing (ads, mailings, etc.) and if Bob
is available to take your assignment, we’ll tailor a package of
recent samples to fit your requirements. Call Fern Dickey at
201-797-8105 or e-mail fern@bly.com.

——————————————————————-

——————————————————————-

Bob Bly’s Direct Response Letter:
Resources, ideas, and tips for improving response to
business-to-business, high-tech, and direct marketing.

July 2010

——————————————————————-

You are getting this e-mail because you subscribed to it on
www.bly.com or because you are one of Bob’s clients, prospects,
seminar attendees, or book buyers. If you would prefer not to
receive further e-mails of this type, go to the bottom of this
message and click on “SafeUnsubscribe.”

Your subscription brings you one regular monthly issue, usually
at the beginning of the month, plus one or two supplementary
messages each week. These are typically either free tips or
personal recommendations for information products on marketing or
related topics. I review products before recommending them and in
many cases know the authors.

We do not rent or share your name with anybody. Feel free to
forward this issue to any peers, friends and associates you think
would benefit from its contents. They will thank you. So will I.

——————————————————————-

***Be a better networker***

1–As soon as possible after meeting new contacts, jot down notes
on the back of their business card. Your notes should include
memory joggers (mustache, red hair), reminders of where you met,
what you discussed, and things you have in common.

2—The next day, transfer their details and your notes into your
contact management system.

3—Follow up. Send a short note or e-mail to strengthen the
initial contact. Note: unless sales information was specifically
requested, your first follow-up should not be marketing oriented.

Source: IABC

——————————————————————-

***How FedEx got started***

Michael Basch, Co-founder, Federal Express, tells the following
story….

When Federal Express first went into business, we could not get
RCA to use our services, despite the fact we had opened one of
our first offices near their plant in Wilmington, Indiana.

Then late one Friday afternoon, Diane, our clerk, got a call from
a woman in Wilmington.

“I don’t know who Federal Express is,” the woman said. “I’ve
never heard of you. All I know is that my wedding dress was
supposed to be here today. It’s 3:30 in the afternoon and I’m
about to panic — I’m getting married tomorrow. Can you help me?”

No manager was around Diane could ask for advice. So on her own,
she chartered an airplane and pilot for $300 to fly the package
to Wilmington. It arrived that night.

Some of the key RCA executives were at the wedding and heard
about the outrageous package airline that chartered an airplane
for a wedding dress. Two weeks later, FedEx got its first order
for 20 packages from RCA.

——————————————————————-

***Recession-marketing tips***

Dozens of my readers are complaining to me of declining response
rates, a downturn in business, and the weak economy. “Our web
site isn’t converting like it used to,” they complain. “What can
I do?” Here’s what I have found works:

1. Take massive action. Figure out what you think you need to do
to generate the level of leads and orders you need. Then do twice
that amount.

2. Don’t rely on only one promotional vehicle, like direct mail
or cold calling. Do three, four, even five things: send out
mailings; advertise; regularly e-mail your list; write an
article; give a speech.

3. Make every communication a direct marketing communication.
Offer a premium with a high perceived value. Stress your free
offer in your promotion.

4. Test different offers, ideas, copy, formats, and media to see
which work best. Roll out with those promotions that work.
Scratch the others. If they don’t do well in a small test,
mailing more won’t help.

——————————————————————-

***Should you mail the same piece twice?***

Your mailing does well. Really well. Should you mail the same
piece again? And when?

Rule of thumb: Sending the exact same piece to the same list
approximately 8 to 10 weeks after the initial mailing usually
generates 40% to 60% of the original response.

How to make the decision: Say you need a 1% response to be
profitable. Your initial mailing generates 4%. Half of that would
be 2% — double the response you need. So yes, you can safely
mail the same piece again.

——————————————————————-

***Generate more leads with a bait piece***

Never do a lead-generating promotion – ad, banner ad, e-mail,
direct mail – without a “bait piece.”

The “bait piece” is an informative booklet, white paper, or
special report addressing some aspect of the problem your product
or service helps the reader solve.

Example: Fala Direct Marketing, a letter shop specializing in
producing personalized direct mailings, offered a free booklet,
“Should I Personalize?” It helps clients decide whether and how
to personalize their mailings.

You will greatly increase response to your direct mail and other
promotions with the offer of a strong bait piece, e.g., “Call or
write us today for a copy of our FREE booklet, ’7 Ways to Reduce
Energy Costs.’”

Conversely, not having a bait piece will significantly lower the
response rate to lead-generating direct response promotions,
whether business or consumer.

——————————————————————-

***Getting feedback on your sales pitch***

After making your sales presentation, pause, and ask the
prospect: “How does that sound—good, bad, or terrible?”

If the prospect answers “good,” you can proceed to the next step
in the sales cycle. If the prospect answers “bad” or “terrible,”
ask her what she doesn’t like. Then address these concerns so you
can move the sale forward.

Source: Studebaker-Worthington Leasing Corp.

——————————————————————-

***The keys to persuasion***

If you want to persuade people to believe something, do
something, or buy something, you must rely on three factors,
according to Herb Cohen:

1. They have to understand what you’re saying. It’s imperative
that you put your reasons into analogies that relate to their
experiences, their particular imprinting. In order to do this,
you must enter their world. (That’s why it’s so hard for you to
negotiate with someone who’s stupid or who you think is a
lunatic.)

2. Your evidence must be so overwhelming that they can’t dispute
it.

3. Their believing you must meet their existing needs and
desires.

Of these three factors, the third is by far the most important.
Why? “Even if you present me with overwhelming evidence I
understand, should the conclusion depress me, I will remain
unconvinced,” says Cohen. “Your facts and logic may be
unassailable but their acceptance will not meet my existing needs
and desires.”

If you want to persuade people, show the immediate relevance and
value of what you’re saying in terms of meeting their needs and
desires.

Source: Herb Cohen, You Can Negotiate Anything, Carol Publishing

——————————————————————-

***Add a Johnson box to your sales letters***

Sixty years ago, Frank H. Johnson was looking for a way to
increase the impact of his sales letters.

Johnson decided that instead of forcing readers to wade through a
mass of copy before making the offer, he would highlight the
offer in a centered rectangular box placed at the very top of the
letter above the salutation. The results were terrific, and the
“Johnson Box” has been going strong ever since.

Copywriter Ivan Levison shares some tips you can use for putting
a Johnson Box to work the right way:

1. Put the right content in the box. What should you include
there? The offer. The main product benefit.

2. Use it in the right kind of letter. If you’re writing a
non-personalized letter that’s going out bulk rate in a window
envelope using teaser copy, a Johnson Box will fit right in.

3. Make it the right size. If you’re mailing an 8 1/2″ x 11″
letter (folded twice down to 3 5/8″) you want the Johnson Box and
the salutation line to appear above the fold.

4. Use an appropriate box shape made from a fine-ruled line. For
added impact, throw a screened-back second color inside the box.

5. Use a box in the body of the letter. There’s no law that says
you can’t throw your guarantee into a small box somewhere within
the letter. Or a few testimonials. Or a short excerpt from a
glowing product review.

6. Show your fulfillment piece in a box or at the top of your
letter. If you’re offering a report, guide, White Paper,
Executive Summary, whatever, use a picture of it.

Source: “The Levison Letter.” For a free subscription to this
valuable e-zine, click on the link below:

www.levison.com/subscribe

——————————————————————-

***Reprint my articles – free!***

Media, bloggers, marketers, editors, publishers, Web masters –
need powerful content on your Web site or blog? You can syndicate
or republish any of the articles you’ve read in Bob Bly Direct
Response Letter — for free! To view complete articles, visit our
newsletter archives at www.bly.com/archive. Republishing our
articles is quick and easy. All you have to do is include author
attribution (byline/name of author) and the following statement,
“This article appears courtesy of Bob Bly Direct Response Letter,”
and include a back-link to www.bly.com. That’s it!

——————————————————————-

***60-second commercial from Fern Dickey, Project Manager***

Bob is available on a limited basis for copywriting of direct
mail packages, sales letters, brochures, white papers, ads,
e-mail marketing campaigns, PR materials, and Web pages. We
recommend you call for a FREE copy of our updated Copywriting
Information Kit. Just let me know your industry and the type of
copy you’re interested in seeing (ads, mailings, etc.) and if Bob
is available to take your assignment, we’ll tailor a package of
recent samples to fit your requirements. Call Fern Dickey at
201-797-8105 or e-mail fern@bly.com.

——————————————————————-

———————————————————————

Bob Bly’s Direct Response Letter:
Resources, ideas, and tips for improving response to
business-to-business, high-tech, and direct marketing.

June 15, 2010

———————————————————————

You are getting this e-mail because you subscribed to it on
www.bly.com or because you are one of Bob’s clients, prospects,
seminar attendees, or book buyers. If you would prefer not to
receive further e-mails of this type, go to the bottom of this
message and click on “SafeUnsubscribe.”

Your subscription brings you one regular monthly issue, usually
at the beginning of the month, plus one or two supplementary
messages each week. These are typically either free tips or
personal recommendations for information products on marketing or
related topics. I review products before recommending them and in
many cases know the authors.

We do not rent or share your name with anybody. Feel free to
forward this issue to any peers, friends and associates you think
would benefit from its contents. They will thank you. So will I.

———————————————————————

***How to set goals***

Writing in Inner Realm magazine, personal coach Sande Foster
outlines 4 steps for effective goal-setting:

1. Set a success goal. What’s your purpose, your overall
direction? Determine what you need to get started.
2. Determine what you are willing to give up. What price will you
have to pay? How much time will it take away from the things you
like to do?
3. Write a clear statement of what you want. Write down the steps
to achieve your goal. Include in your plan some way to measure
your progress.
4. Read your written statement every morning and before you go to
bed. See yourself achieving your goal. Experience the satisfaction
of reaching your goal.

———————————————————————

***Why discounting works so well***

When selling, keep in mind that your prospects like to get a
bargain: According to a Roper Starch poll, 7 out of 10 adults
surveyed say they feel satisfied, even excited, when they get a
really good deal.

Source: American Demographics magazine

———————————————————————

***Create your positioning statement***

If you want to get your message across, it has to be memorable.
The purpose of a Positioning Statement is to create a short
message that people will remember.

The first sentence tells people what your service is and how they
will benefit from it. The second sentence tells how your service
is different from that of other firms.

The formula goes like this:

• [Name of firm] is a [category] firm that helps [primary clients]
reach [primary benefits].
• Unlike other [category] firms, [name of firm] specializes in
[primary difference].

Example:

“ABC is an architectural firm that helps medium-sized businesses
find and renovate unique commercial spaces. Unlike other
architectural firms, ABC specializes in this type of renovation.”

Using this simple formula, you can get at the essential
description of what your firm does that’s different from other
firms, and make your message more memorable.

Source: PSMJ newsletter

———————————————————————

***Should you charge for shipping and handling online?***

According to a recent study of online buyers, 43% of online
buyers abandoned their orders at checkout. The most common
reason, cited by 48% of those surveyed, was that shipping was too
expensive.

Two solutions suggested by the study:

1. Offer free shipping.

2. Give buyers a choice of delivery options (12% of consumers
said they will not buy from online companies that do not offer
multiple delivery options).

Source: “Increase Sales With Online Buyers,” United States Postal
Service.

———————————————————————

***A little-known trick for picking effective domain names***

Most of us tend to pick a domain name that is a variation of our
name or company (e.g., www.bly.com, www.ibm.com) or area of
expertise (www.coachville.com).

My friend, Internet marketing guru Fred Gleeck, says a better
strategy is to pick a domain that is easy for people to remember
without writing it down.

Example: to promote an engine additive that improves gas mileage,
Gleeck reserved www.savegaslikecrazy.com.

Financial guru Doug Roberts promotes himself through speeches,
but audience members had difficulty remembering the URL for his
company www.channelcapitalresearch.com.

Since his investment method is based on following the Federal
Reserve, he reserved the domain name www.followthefed.com, and
that’s the one he gives during his talks. It is so much easier to
remember!

———————————————————————

***5 ways to turn more leads into sales***

The late Ray Jutkins, a great marketing teacher, gave these 5
rules for more effective inquiry follow-up:

1. Answer every inquiry, no matter how “bad” it may seem. You
never know who may buy from you tomorrow, even though today they
may not.

2. When you answer, make it with a personal letter. A letter will
improve your response.

3. No matter what you send in response — do it quickly. Take no
longer than 48 hours … sooner if possible.

4. Be warm and friendly. Write your answer and present your
message as if you care. You do, so express that caring.

5. Reply completely and fully. Do not tease. Give your prospect
what you promised you would. Give them what they expect.

———————————————————————

***Should you put your URL on your outer envelope?***

A small but growing number of direct marketers are putting their
Web site address on the outer envelope of their direct mail
packages.

Those that argue in favor of it say: “Some folks today want to
get to you right away. Why force them to open the outer envelope
and hunt for your URL in the letter or on the reply form? Put it
right on the outer envelope!”

Those against it counter: “How can you ask for the order or
inquiry before you’ve even sold the reader on the product? It is
a distraction, and it doesn’t work.”

I’d like to hear from anyone who has tested putting your Web site
URL on your outer envelopes, especially if you have measured the
results or better yet, split test envelopes with and without the
URL. Just e-mail your comments to me at rwbly@bly.com. Thanks!

———————————————————————

***Testing your price? Watch “the number on the left”***

In a price of $40, the number or digit on the left is 4, and the
digit on the right is zero.

Be careful when changing the left digit. Example: a service
business found no price resistance raising price five dollars
from $40 to $45.

But when they raised price another five dollars from $45 to $50,
they encountered huge resistance.

Source: Marlene Jensen, “The Tao of Pricing,”
www.TaoOfPricing.com

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***Why send direct mail to people who don’t respond to it?***

According to the U.S. Postal Service, 52% of consumers purchase
products advertised in the mail.

Unfortunately, that also means that a whopping 48% of consumers –
nearly half the U.S. population – never buy through the mail!

So if you compile a list of prospects, as so many marketers do,
the statistical probability is that half of the people on the
list never buy through the mail – and therefore won’t respond to
direct mail packages which ask for an order.

The solution: When doing mail order selling, ask your broker to
recommend only “response lists” reaching your target market.

A “response list” is a list of mail order customers … people who
have purchased products through direct response.

Just using a response list means you have eliminated the half of
Americans who do not purchase through the mail from your mailing
list, which should effectively – at a minimum – double your
response vs. compiled lists.

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***Quotation of the week***

“Live all you can; it’s a mistake not to. It doesn’t so much
matter what you do in particular, so long as you have your life.
If you haven’t had that, what have you had?”
–Henry James (1843-1916)

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***Reprint my articles – free!***

Media, bloggers, marketers, editors, publishers, Web masters –
need powerful content on your Web site or blog? You can syndicate
or republish any of the articles you’ve read in Bob Bly Direct
Response Letter — for free! To view complete articles, visit our
newsletter archives at www.bly.com/archive. Republishing our
articles is quick and easy. All you have to do is include author
attribution (byline/name of author) and the following statement,
“This article appears courtesy of Bob Bly Direct Response Letter,”
and include a back-link to www.bly.com. That’s it!

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***60-second commercial from Fern Dickey, Project Manager***

Bob is available on a limited basis for copywriting of direct
mail packages, sales letters, brochures, white papers, ads,
e-mail marketing campaigns, PR materials, and Web pages. We
recommend you call for a FREE copy of our updated Copywriting
Information Kit. Just let me know your industry and the type of
copy you’re interested in seeing (ads, mailings, etc.) and if Bob
is available to take your assignment, we’ll tailor a package of
recent samples to fit your requirements. Call Fern Dickey at
201-797-8105 or e-mail fern@bly.com.

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