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.

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

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***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

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***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.

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***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.

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***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.

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***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.

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***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.”

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***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.

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***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

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***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.

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***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

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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!

——————————————————————-

***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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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

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***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

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***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.

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***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.

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***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

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***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.

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***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.

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***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.

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***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

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***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.

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***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

———————————————————————

***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.

———————————————————————

***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)

———————————————————————

***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 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.

——————————————————————-

***Always use captions in print ads***

According to Jay Siff, you should always put a major selling
message under photos that appear in your ads.

Reason: photos have been shown to be the most compelling type of
graphic, and captions typically get 200% greater readership than
large body copy in the ad.

Source: www.movingtargets.com

——————————————————————-

*** Don’t break up long-copy sales letters online***

If you are planning a long-copy microsite or landing page to sell
a single product, make it one long continuous page that the
reader can read by scrolling down.

Don’t break it into multiple pages, each ending with a “cliff
hanger” and a “next” button the reader can click on to read the
next page.

Reason: according to online marketing wizard Yanik Silver, when
he broke his long-copy Web page into multiple linked pages,
response rates declined by 40%.

Why this happens: whenever you give the reader a choice between
doing something (i.e., clicking “Next”) and doing nothing (i.e.,
leaving), a percentage of them will opt not to take the action
you desire.

Therefore, the more steps in your online sales process, the
greater the “abandon rate” – the percentage of people who leave
without completing the purchase transaction.

——————————————————————-

***Little-known trick for boosting landing page sales***

In the close of your landing page, in addition to the “click here
to order” hyperlink, provide a toll-free phone number as an
ordering option.

Reason: according to a Search Marketing Now Webcast, 84% of
companies close leads and sales from their web site via phone.

Source: BtoB 2008 Lead Generation Guide, p. 23.

——————————————————————-

***Avoid this mistake in financial copywriting***

A financial promotion I read recently said: “This stock is going
to triple – giving us a 300% gain!”

Only problem is: triple isn’t equal to 300%. It’s 200%.

To calculate the correct percentage, take the multiple, subtract
1, multiply by 100, and that is your gain.

Example: the stock triples, so the multiple is 3. Therefore, 3 –
1 = 2 X 100 gives us the answer: the stock tripling equals a 200%
gain.

——————————————————————-

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

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

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

——————————————————————-

***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, 7/7/08, p. 1.

——————————————————————-

***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).

——————————————————————-

***4 ways to increase response to market research surveys***

1. When conducting lengthy surveys, send them via certified mail.
This can increase response rates by almost 100%.

2. Notify respondents about a week in advance by postcard or
e-mail that they will be receiving the survey. Such notification
increases the likelihood of response.

3. Surveys sent in the mail should not exceed four pages for most
audiences. Keep questions under 25 words each so they remain
short and easy to understand.

4. Send a reminder by postcard or e-mail approximately one or two
weeks after the initial survey mailing. Thank people who have
completed the survey and remind those who have not to do it now.
This will prompt additional recipients to respond.

Source: These tips are reprinted from the booklet “SPSS Survey
Tips” by SSPS, Inc., www.spss.com

——————————————————————-

***Find great products to sell online***

The National Mail Order Association (NOMA) maintains an online
database of products suitable for catalogers, Internet marketers,
and other direct merchants:

http://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:

http://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.

May 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.

———————————————————————–

***3 keys to social media success***

1—Develop strategies for where your customers are hanging out
online – e.g., niche blogs, industry forum sites, Google groups …
don’t just concentrate on key social media sites like Twitter and
Facebook.

2—Make content the core of your social media strategy – stories
that are happening around your brand that make you interesting to
your prospects.

3—Understand your role in social media in your market – whether
it’s to observe, engage, develop conversations, or build
relationships.

Source: Junta42 Content Marketing blog

———————————————————————–

***Keep track of article submissions***

Submitting articles to article directories is a great way to
generate traffic with your content, and it costs you nothing but
time.

Now there is a free article submission tracking tool that allows
you to manage your article directory submissions.

It keeps track of all the article submissions you have done so
you don’t keep submitting the same articles to the same article
directories over and over again.

www.freearticlesubmission.org

———————————————————————–

***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

———————————————————————–

***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.

———————————————————————–

***Get a win on every call***

Would you like to eliminate fear and rejection from your
prospecting and get a win on every call? You can with Art
Sobczak’s Smart Calling method.

In “Smart Calling – Eliminate the Fear, Failure, and Rejection
from Cold Calling,” Art gives you the field-tested, practical
information you need to make your calls work. Packed with
hundreds of real-world examples, Smart Calling shows you how to:

– Grab your prospect’s interest in critical first 20 seconds;
– Use “social engineering” to get the inside scoop on prospects;
– Have screeners, gatekeepers, and assistants working for you;
– Stay motivated and avoid morale-killing rejection!

Receive instant access to special bonus gifts from leading
business experts when you order today. Check out Smart Calling
now:

https://bbp.infusionsoft.com/go/sc/Bly/

———————————————————————–

***Automate your tweeting***

Twuffer (short for “Twitter buffer”) is free software you can use
to compose a list of future tweets and schedule their release.

You can create a series of tweets to notify subscribers about
upcoming podcasts or video episodes or to remind your followers
of important dates.

www.twuffer.com

———————————————————————–

***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 focus on the words one at a time.

———————————————————————–

***5 ways to make a positive impression at work***

1—Keep your desk neat … tidiness conveys that you’re organized
and have things under control.

2—Be sincere and generous with compliments … people like to be
told you appreciate them.

3—Return phone calls and e-mails promptly … it makes co-workers
and customers feel valued.

4—Be on time … being late shows that you think your time is more
important than theirs.

5—Set a good example … find out what kind of behavior your
managers and colleagues expect, and do your best to practice it.

Source: Words from Woody, Spring 2010, p. 7.

———————————————————————–

***Fun with puns***

My friend, David Yale, has just written a very funny book of
original puns, Pun Enchanted Evenings: A Treasury of Wit, Wisdom,
Chuckles and Belly Laughs for Language Lovers. With puns on every
subject from Arizona to zealous crusaders, language lovers like
you are guaranteed to laugh out loud. David’s book has the best
new moron puns since the Fifties, and unique information on the
first scientific studies showing the mental superiority of
pun-lovers. As a special favor for my e-letter subscribers, David
is offering 25% off the regular eBook price. Go to
http://tiny.cc/egn2s and enter coupon code YZ98U. You can sample
the first 100 puns free. Hurry — the discount expires May 31!

———————————————————————–

***Marketing with precision***

Tap into the mind of renowned Internet marketing superstar, Wendy
Montes de Oca, MBA, and learn her powerful, cost effective
secrets to growing a business on a shoestring budget. Wendy was
the power-house marketer to many online publishers’ success
including Early to Rise, Total Health Breakthroughs, Money and
Markets, and NewsMax, just to name a few. Sign up now for her
free e-newsletter, Precision Marketing:

http://precisionmarketingmedia.com/newslettersignup.html

———————————————————————–

***Quotation of the month***

“You are far greater than you imagine. You are a unique entity
given the power to create your own life. When you look outside
yourself for self-definition, you are giving your power away.”
–Michael Dalton Johnson, www.salesdog.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.

April 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.

———————————————————————-

***HTML e-mail design tips***

From Regina Brady, a few best practices in html e-mail design:

>> Use a two-column design.

>> Your e-mail should be between 600 and 700 pixels wide.

>> Make the header compact, so part of your content is visible in
the preview panel.

>> Use a standard color palette – stick to the 3 main colors.

>> Use no more than 3 different fonts.

>> Make calls to action clear and prominent.

Source: Target Marketing, 4/10, p. 15.

———————————————————————-

***Master social marketing***

Social Media Success Summit 2010 is a special online conference
designed to help you master social media marketing. Join Guy
Kawasaki (author, Art of the Start), Chris Brogan (author, Social
Media 101), Darren Rowse (author, ProBlogger), Mari Smith
(author, Facebook Marketing), experts from Best Buy, Home Depot,
Whole Foods, Foursquare and Groupon; Steve Rubel (Edelman), Ann
Handley (MarketingProfs), Brian Clark (Copyblogger), and Greg
Jarboe (author, YouTube and Video Marketing) just to mention a
few. So far more than 700 of your peers have signed up,
including GE, Intel, HP, Staples, Electronic Arts, Fox TV, and
Harvard (along with hundreds of small businesses). Go here for a
free sample class:

www.bly.com/SMSS

———————————————————————-

***Surviving voice mail***

Jeff Davidson, “The Work-Life Balance Expert®,” offers these tips
to successfully deal with other people’s voice mail:

* Speak a little louder than usual, enunciating as you speak.

* Say your name and organization, and then slowly leave your
phone number.

* Follow that with a short, essential message of 40 to 50
seconds.

* Pretend you’re writing your phone number in the air as you’re
reciting it. Some callers speak too fast, making recipients replay the
message repeatedly.

* Days later, if you’ve had no reply? Say, “I’m calling to
follow-up on my call last Tuesday.”

* Be flexible when offering times and dates when you can be
reached.

Jeff has just posted the first 10 of his 24 iPhone Apps in his
Work-Life Guide Series. Check it out at:

www.itunes.com/BreathingSpaceInstitute

———————————————————————-

***Live seminar appearances***

I will be speaking on how to get started in Internet marketing at
Ken McCarthy’s The System seminar on April 9 in Chicago. For more
information or to register, visit:

www.thesystemseminar.com/121.html

I’ll also talk about getting started in information marketing at
the annual conference of the American Society of Journalists and
Authors (ASJA) on April 24 in New York City. For more information
or to register, visit:

www.asjaconference.org

And, I’ll be speaking on “How to Get a Book Published” at Fred
Gleeck’s Publishing Seminar on May 24 in NYC:

www.fredinfo.com/cmd.php?Clk=2915879

———————————————————————-

***7 tips for webinar presenters***

1—Keep the overview under 5 minutes; attendees want to get to the
heart of the topic right away.

2—Reference page numbers or slides during the course of the
presentation.

3—Use examples to help explain your topic.

4—Repeat each question before you answer to allow the audience to
hear both sides of the exchange.

5—Speak clearly and project your voice fully.

6—Make sure your presentation follows the advertised agenda – and
fits the allotted time.

7—Avoid reading directly from the materials.

Source: Lorman Education Services

———————————————————————-

***Free book: The New Profit Rules***

My colleague Charlie Cook has just published a worth-reading
e-book “The New Profit Rules.”

Among the new profit rules covered in the book:

>> “Free” is the new business model.

>>The speed of implementation determines success.

>> Marketing partners can make you rich.

>> Old-school selling is dead.

>> Your customers are in charge, not you.

You can download a free copy here:

www.bly.com/TNPR

———————————————————————-

***Membership site relaunch announced***

With the economy in dire straits …

… you need to get the best advice on starting — and running — a
successful Internet information marketing business:

www.infoproductcentral.com

But you don’t want to pay through the nose for it.

That’s why Fred Gleeck and I are happy to announce the relaunch
of our “Internet Information Marketing Club.”

Here you can get our latest articles, reports, speeches, seminars
… and more.

You’ll discover dozens of ways to make thousands of dollars a
week selling information products online – honestly and
ethically.

Check it … and request a risk-free 10-day “test drive” … here:

www.infoproductcentral.com

———————————————————————-

***Can you still earn six figures during a down economy?***

You can either stick your head in the sand and wait for the
economy to turn around. Or you can dig in your heels and be pro
active like two of my colleagues, Peter Fogel and Donna Doyle
have.

Even though other copywriters are moaning and groaning these
days, these two work horses are continually being offered loads
of work… getting the fees they want from “A” clients… and
actually turning down assignments that don’t fit in with their
goals.

So what are these battle-tested, in the trenches proven
strategies that have propelled Donna and Peter further than
other copywriters?

The answer is here:

www.bly.com/SFF

Plus, when you read their whole letter you’ll discover how to
get a FREE report from yours truly that’ll show you how to get a
second income stream coming in.

Go to:

www.bly.com/SFF

———————————————————————-

***Meet the wealthy freelancers***

My colleagues Ed Gandia, Pete Savage and Steve Slaunwhite at
TheWealthyFreelancer.com have just written an excellent book
titled “The Wealthy Freelancer: 12 Secrets to a Great Income and
an Enviable Lifestyle.”

Getting great clients and well-paying work is something that
alludes many freelancers — especially in this economy. But this
book is packed with the practical, hard-earned strategies Ed,
Pete and Steve have used to consistently attract good-paying
clients, earn high incomes and enjoy a great quality of life.

It’s is essential reading for any freelancer or solo professional
who wants to enjoy a business and lifestyle that are “wealthy” in
every sense of the word.

Here’s the best part. The book will only set you back 11 bucks
and change. To learn more about the book visit:

www.TheWealthyFreelancer.com/amazon

———————————————————————-

***Quotation of the month***

“If you’re an entrepreneur, it’s inevitable that you’re going to
go through a serious roller coaster of emotions. One day you’re
on top of the world and the next you feel like you’re about to
crash and burn. It’s an occupational hazard of being an
entrepreneur, and you just can’t get around it.”
–Yanik Silver

———————————————————————-

***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!

———————————————————————-

***Automate your Internet business***

My Internet business runs on Web Marketing Magic, an integrated
software including shopping cart, e-commerce, auto-responder, ad
tracker, affiliate marketing, e-mail distribution, and more. You
can try it for 30 days for under four bucks: www.bobsbestcart.com.

———————————————————————-

***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.

March, 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.

———————————————————————

Now You Can Write and Sell E-Books for Fun and Profit:

www.myveryfirstebook.com

———————————————————————

***Tele-seminar: double or triple your online conversion rates***

On March 9, from 1 – 2:30pm EST, I’ll be leading a tele-seminar
for the Association of Strategic Marketing, “Double or Triple
Your Online Conversions, Leads, and Sales by Creating and
Testing Effective Landing Pages.”

All the traffic in the world won’t earn you a dime unless your
landing pages can convert it into leads and sales. In this audio
conference, I show you my proven formula for writing landing
pages that sell.

For more information or to register, click here now:

www.associationofmarketing.org/audio_conference/385844&cd=16266

———————————————————————

***Should you take on another project?***

Before you take on a project, ask yourself the following
questions, advises speaker Patricia Fripp:

–Does this earn a living for me?
–Can I learn from this?
–Is it useful?
–Will others benefit?
–Will I ever have a chance to do this again?
–Am I doing this because I am the right person or because no one
else will?
–What will I have to put on hold to do this?
–Can I have fun?
–Am I being pressured into doing this?

Source: Behind the Podium, 2/10, p. 6.

———————————————————————

***Bob’s new book is out***

My 77th book, “The Marketing Plan Handbook,” has just been
published by Entrepreneur Press.

To write a formal marketing plan, I charge up to $10,000. This
book gives you exhaustive detail and instructions on how I write
marketing plans — and it costs less than twenty bucks.

Former ETR CEO MaryEllen Tribby says: “It’s a no-brainer that
applying the wisdom in this book will add incremental dollars to
your company’s bottom line.” For more information or to order,
click here now:

http://tinyurl.com/y9rmfdm

———————————————————————

***Quick teleseminar tip***

When you are promoting a tele-seminar, record it so people can
listen to an MP3 download after the event – and state that you
are doing so in your e-mail invitations and registration pages.

Reason: whatever time you pick, some people can’t make it. But
they will still pay for the event if they know they can listen
later at their convenience.

To add further value, transcribe the audio and send it to
registrants after the event as a PDF transcript.

———————————————————————

***Track your billable hours more accurately***

Whether you bill clients by the project or the hour, you need to
keep accurate records of time spent on each job.

For hourly clients, keeping correct timesheets ensures you get
paid for all the work you do.

For per-project clients, it tells you how much you earn per hour
on every job.

I use Chrometa time tracking software because it tracks my time
as I work automatically.

There’s no need to enter any times. The software automatically
tracks every minute you’re on the PC by document. It also
automatically tracks your time away from the PC, too!

For more information or to order Chrometa on a risk-free trial
basis, visit:

www.bobstimetracker.com

———————————————————————

***Treat customers like royalty***

Take a second to think about your business… and ask yourself:

* Do I thank my customers when they buy my product?

* Do I emphasize the importance of their purchase?

* Do I give them clear instructions on using the product?

* Do I make suggestions for what they can do or accomplish with
the product?

* Do I deliver the product in such a manner that it excites my
customers to use it?

Source: www.workingmomsonly.com

———————————————————————

***Where to get domain names cheap***

Domain names can be purchased cheaply here, for less than ten
bucks per name:

www.bobsbestdomains.com

Tip: If the domain name you want is not available, you can always
get some variation of it.

Example: I wanted www.myfirstebook.com for a landing page selling
an e-book on how to write and marketing e-books. It was taken.

Solution: I bought www.myveryfirstebook.com

A variant of some kind is almost always available.

———————————————————————

***Choosing a shopping cart***

If you want to start an Internet marketing business, you need a
shopping cart for taking orders online.

The two most popular seem to be 1shoppingcart.com and
infusionsoft.com.

I use and recommend Fred Gleeck’s Web Marketing Magic, an
integrated system that gives you a shopping cart … auto-responder
… affiliate management system … ad tracker … and e-mail
distribution system all in one.

You can try Web Marketing Magic for a full month for less than
four bucks here:

www.bobsbestcart.com

———————————————————————

***Optimize your site with meta tags***

Write key-word rich meta tags for each web page on your site. The
most important meta tags are the title and description tags.

The title tag is what your visitors see at the top of their
browser windows when they visit your site, as well as what they
see in their bookmark lists. Failure to put strategic keywords in
the title tag can result in pages being poorly ranked. The title
tag can be a maximum 95 characters including spaces, but ideally
no longer than 6 or 7 words.

When your web site comes up in a Google search, the description
tag is what the user sees on the search engine results page
(SERP). It should incorporate strategic key words and clearly
communicate what you offer, who it is for, and the key benefit.
The description tag should be a maximum of 220 characters with
spaces.

Your major key words should also be placed in the keywords meta
tag, though Google pays less attention to the key word meta tag
than to the title and description tags.

———————————————————————

***CVS knows how to build a list***

Want to get your customer’s e-mail address? Do what CVS Pharmacy
does – and buy it.

After my last purchase at CVS, the cashier offered me a $4
discount off my next purchase in exchange for my e-mail address.

This technique can work for any retailer who is building an
opt-in e-mail list. Several restaurants in my area use it,
offering discount coupons available only when you opt into their
e-list.

———————————————————————

***Borrowed branding***

The box for a gift item I ordered from online jeweler Ice.com
came wrapped with a ribbon.

The ribbon was a luxurious blue silk — the same color as
Tiffany’s famous blue boxes.

In essence, Ice.com “borrowed” the brand equity from the color,
adding perceived value to the jewelry I bought from their site.

———————————————————————

***Find top Internet marketing gurus online fast***

There are so many names out there hawking “how to get rich on the
Internet” it’s enough to make your head spin.

Most of the legitimate experts in Internet marketing are listed
on my Internet Marketing Hall of Fame (if I’ve overlooked your
favorite, let me know):

www.internetmarketinghallofame.com

———————————————————————

***Quotation of the month***

“Just because someone sounds like they know what they’re talking
about and they criticize you does not mean you should listen to
them. Everyone has a point of view and belief system. Maybe
theirs is the one jacked up. Not everyone wants to build the same
type of business or has the same vision.”
–Marlon Sanders

———————————————————————

***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.

February 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.

———————————————————————–

***Tele-seminar: how to market with articles***

On February 17, I’ll be leading a tele-seminar with Wendy
Montes de Oca on her “Content 2.0 Article Distribution
Method.”

Wendy is the best-kept secret on the Internet today: the
consultant behind much of my Internet success … and the success
of many online marketers bigger and richer than me.

At Early to Rise, Wendy’s Content 2.0 system for content
syndication grew ETR to over 300,000 subscribers and a
multi-million-dollar business.

Best of all, Content 2.0 is a “do it yourself” system for
marketing with free content. Marketing with articles can help
you:

>> Generate massive traffic.
>> Establish your reputation as an expert in your niche.
>> Build a large and profitable opt-in e-list.
>> Cement your relationship with your subscribers.
>> Increase orders, sales, and revenues online.

For more information on the “Content 2.0 Article Distribution
Method” … or to register for the event (it’s dirt-cheap at
$19) … click here now:

www.blyteleseminars.com/content2

———————————————————————–

***Marketing tests: a neat copywriting technique that can boost
response***

Want to create credibility and lift sales? Tell your prospects
that your current offer is a limited marketing test. This could
be the reason your price is so low, you have a limited quantity,
or that you are offering tons of bonuses. You can even say
you’re only testing your offer to a small percentage of your
visitors, lists, or subscribers.

Source: “1,800 Copywriting/Marketing/Conversion Tips” by Joe
Vitale.

———————————————————————–

***To get PR, be available”***

Always provide the media with your cell phone number and other
fast contact info, advises PR pro Annie Jennings.

“If you are actively seeking PR, keep yourself instantly
available,” says Jennings. “Check your messages immediately
so you don’t miss a thing.”

If you are traveling to a location for a TV segment, ask for the
producer’s emergency contact information, but only use it for
emergencies. That way, if you have trouble finding the location,
you can reach your media contact immediately.

Source: Behind the Podium, 1/10, p. 3.

———————————————————————–

***May I feature you in my next book?***

For a book I am writing about starting a business after age 50,
I’d love to hear from my readers who have started a new
business as older adults.

What kind of business did you start? When? Are you making a
living from it? E-mail me at rwbly@bly.com. Thanks!

———————————————————————–

***Who will buy from you?***

The 4 groups of prospects more likely to buy from you are:

1—People you know.

2—People you do business with.

3—People who do business with vendors their friends talk
about.

4—People who do business with people they read about.

Action step: create and distribute more content so that more of
your prospects fall into categories #3 and #4 above.

Source: Patricia Fripp, The Podium, 12/09, p. 6.

———————————————————————–

***Handling work overload***

When asked to perform yet another time-consuming task at work or
at home, apply MaryEllen Tribby’s “Triple D” principle:

>> Ditch it – evaluate the task to see if it really needs to
be done at all.

>> Delegate it – is the task something that someone else can
do?

>> Dominate it – if you DO take on the task, give it your
all.

Source: http://workingmomsonly.com

———————————————————————–

***Do you know these facts about white papers?***

Are you skeptical about the value of writing white papers? If
so, these survey results might change your mind….

Some 84% of businesspeople surveyed find white papers
influential in their purchasing decisions. And 89% of
businesspeople pass white papers along to others.

How long should your white papers be? The survey found that
readers prefer white papers that are 6 to 10 pages in length.

Source: WhitePaperSource Newsletter, 12/8/09.

———————————————————————–

***Affirmations for success***

Sales trainer Bill Caskey advises “travel the road to
abundance through detachment.” These affirmations can help:

** “It’s OK if you don’t buy from me; others will.”

** “It’s OK if you aren’t a prospect for me; others
are.”

** “It’s OK if you disagree with me; I am not my
opinions.”

** “It’s OK if you fire me; I’ll find better situations
elsewhere.”

** “It’s OK if you don’t love me; others will.”

Source: “49 Tips to Create Wealth in Selling,”
www.caskeytraining.com

———————————————————————–

***Finding your best customers***

When segmenting your customer list, look for “RFM” –
recency, frequency, and monetary.

>> Recency – the customer who just bought from you is the most
likely to buy again. This is why you get more solicitations from
charities right after you give to them: the person who just made
a donation is the most likely to donate again.

>> Frequency – people who buy 2 or more times
(”multi-buyers”) are more loyal customers than those who have
bought only once. Reason: they experienced your product and
service, and came back for more.

>> Monetary – the more money a customer has spent with you,
the more likely they are to make additional purchases.

———————————————————————–

***Look forward to something***

Having trouble keeping a positive attitude these dreary days?
Think about one small, enjoyable thing you plan to do that day
(eating a bagel) and one really fun thing you plan on doing soon
(your upcoming fishing trip), suggests Allen Elkin, Ph.D.,
director of the Stress Management and Counseling Center in New
York City. Reason: this helps your brain not obsess about what
can go wrong that day.

Source: www.msn.com

———————————————————————–

***Quotation of the month***

“Like most drudge work, thinking is an undertaking that
Americans would rather subcontract to someone else.”
–Mattathias Schwartz

Source: Harper’s Magazine, 1/10, p. 28.

———————————————————————–

***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.

January, 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.

———————————————————————–

***The ideal length for a web page***

According to web expert Gerry McGovern, the ideal length for a
page of web copy on a regular web site (not a landing page) is
300 words. He says 50% of visitors will read a 300-word page to
the end, while only 5% will scan 1,000 words.

Headlines should be 4 to 8 words, sentences 15 to 20 words, and
paragraphs 40 to 70 words. Hyperlinks should be in the right-hand
column, not embedded within the body copy. Reason: links in the
body copy distract readers, making it difficult for them to read
the paragraph.

Source: IntelBuilder

———————————————————————–

***Announcing the 2010 White Paper Success Summit***

This event is designed to empower you to generate more leads by
using the #1 lead-generation tool — the white paper. And since
it takes place online, you can forget about travel expenses.

The faculty - a veritable “who’s who” of business marketing
pros — will teach you everything you need to know to create,
market, and sell with white papers. Presenters include Michael
Stelzner … John Jantsch … Brian J. Carroll … Jill Konrath
… Roger C. Parker … and yours truly, among others.

In addition to the great sessions, you get nearly $1,000 in
business-building bonuses if you act quickly, along with access
to exclusive networking groups. Click here now to check out the
amazing line-up and get a free video on using white papers:

www.whitepapersummit.com/bb

———————————————————————–

***Invent your own words***

Want to make your product stand out? Invent a new term to
describe it.

Consumer example: Miller Brewing advertising its beer as “cold
filtered.”

Business example: Mike Hammer called his approach to business
improvement “re-engineering.”

Advantage: if people accept the term and it gains popular usage,
you own it.

Disadvantage: new terms don’t always catch on, and if they
don’t, they may not be clearly understood (i.e., what is
re-engineering, exactly)?

Source: The Copywriter’s Roundtable, 12/8/09.

———————————————————————–

***3 ways to build credibility***

Here are 3 things you can give - or give up - to others to
build credibility with them:

1-Material wealth.

For instance, giving a customer a full refund - even when you
don’t legally have to.

2-Time and energy.

Giving clients guidance, assistance, or advice when you are not
“on the clock” or charging them for it.

3-Opportunity.

Bypassing an opportunity can help you build credibility.

Example: the consultant who turns down a lucrative offer from a
big potential client because it represents a conflict of interest
with a smaller, less lucrative existing client.

Source: Wanek, Tom, “Currencies That Buy Credibility” (WA
Press, 2009).

———————————————————————–

***Make more money from your books***

What if you could get seven established publishers to produce
and market your book FREE just hours or days after you wrote and
submitted it? Gordon Burgett’s new e-book “Writing Your Book
for Ancillary Publishing” describes in step-by-step detail what
Gordon calls “the best publishing deal since movable type.”
For details or to order, click here now:

www.tinyurl.com/yhzubj2

———————————————————————–

***Ways to skip past a voice-mail menu***

To bypass the voice mail menu and speak to a live person, just
mumble into the phone or else speak nonsense. The system won’t
be able to understand you, and therefore may have no choice but
to connect you with a live person.

If that doesn’t work, say nothing. The system may sense a
rotary phone and connect you with a live operator.

Should all else fail, select the “cancel service” option
from the voice mail menu. If the company thinks it’s going to
lose you as a customer, someone may try to convince you otherwise
- in person.

Source: Words from Woody, Winter 2010.

———————————————————————–

***5 ways to ruin your PowerPoint presentation***

Avoid these common mistakes when preparing PowerPoint
presentations:

1-Low-contrast slides.

2-Too small font.

3-Too much type.

4-Too many bullets.

5-Reading the slides.

Source: Stephanie Weaver, The Podium, 12/09, p. 9.

———————————————————————–

***Online videos viral via word of mouth***

According to a study by Knowledge Networks, more than 4 out of
10 people who view your streaming video content online do so
because they were told about it by someone else either in person
or over the phone.

In my experience, people will tell other people to watch an
online video only if it meets at least one of the following
criteria: (1) funny, (2) entertaining, (3) unusual, (4) moving
(emotional).

Source: eMarketer, 12/2/09.

———————————————————————–

***The best of Roger C. Parker***

For several years, I’ve been after my friend, Roger C. Parker,
to offer a compilation of his popular Guerrilla Marketing &
Design newsletters.

Each issue contains practical marketing, copywriting, and design
ideas and implementation details. Now Roger has combined 68 of
his best newsletters into a single file, added a detailed table of
contents, and thrown in copies of all his Design to Sell
newsletters. If you’re looking for hundreds of detailed tips
and strategies at less than a dollar each, you can’t find a
better bargain anywhere.

For more information or to order, visit:

www.1shoppingcart.com/app/?Clk=3410112

———————————————————————–

***5 steps to better blogging***

Content marketing expert Joe Pulizzi offers these 5 tips for
writing better blogs:

1-Keep posts short - 250 words max.

2-Write some posts that are bullets or lists - readers like
them better.

3-Actively link to other bloggers. They will notice.

4-Proofread.

5-Get to the point and make it actionable.

Source: Junta42 TCR, 11/20/09.

———————————————————————–

***Best typefaces for web pages***

>> Recommended typefaces for web sites include Helvetica, Arial,
Verdana, and other popular san serif fonts.

>> If your web pages are too light to read on screen or when
printed, use a boldface font like Helvetica Bold Condensed.

>> The most common error in web page design is using too small a
type size. Use at least 12-point type. Even 16-point won’t look
awkward, and larger is easier to read than smaller.

>> For web page headlines, use Impact or Arial Bold in 2 or more
point sizes larger than the body copy.

———————————————————————–

***Get clicks in 8 days***

The toughest part of Internet marketing is generating traffic.
Now “Get Clicks in 8 Days” will help you drive all the
traffic you need. Topics covered include: how search engines find
you … the #1 secret to success on the web … 3 tactics for
search engine success … and more. Unlock the secrets to
Internet marketing with this 8-day video series:

http://getclicksin8days.com/cmd.asp?af=1101750

———————————————————————–

***Quotation of the month***

“Make certain that your actions align with what you know, in
both your mind and heart, to be right. Pretension and hypocrisy
are among the most vile human traits, so be vigilant about always
displaying the real you.”
–Robert Ringer

Source: Early to Rise, 12/9/09.

———————————————————————–

***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
Copywriter / Consultant
590 Delcina Drive
River Vale, NJ 07675
Phone 201-505-9451
Fax 201-573-4094
www.bly.com

Follow Bob:
Twitter, http://twitter.com/Robertbly
LinkedIn, http://www.linkedin.com/in/bobbly
Facebook, http://www.facebook.com/people/Robert-Bly/535042603

—————————————————————–

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

December, 2009

—————————————————————–

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.

—————————————————————–

***Finding products to sell online***

To succeed online, you have to find good products to offer your
customers, buy them wholesale, and sell them at retail.

Where can you find wholesale sources of products to sell online?
Here are a few sources to get you started:

>> www.alibaba.com

A web site full of product suppliers and manufacturers all in
one place.

>> www.nmoa.org

The National Mail Order Association’s directory of wholesale
product suppliers.

>> http://zakencorp.biz/_wsn/page5.html

Tiran Zaken has a huge warehouse full of close-out specialty
merchandise you can buy at a deep discount and resell to your
customers at a profit.

>> www.startwithsmc.com

SMC has been around for decades … a good source of wholesale
merchandise, mainly low-end consumer knick-knacks and other
items.

>> www.tiabooks.com

Buy remainder hardcover and paperback books at deep discount;
bundle them with some CDs or DVDs on the same topic and sell for
a princely sum.

>> www.clickbank.com

Thousands of e-books you can sell to your subscribers and
visitors as an affiliate for a nice commission.

—————————————————————–

***When to send e-mail***

“Lifecycle marketing” means sending e-mails either on
specific occasions or based on certain customer behaviors. Four
of these are:

1—”Happy Anniversary” – e-mail celebrating the
anniversary of the customer’s first purchase with the company.

2—”Happy Birthday” – e-mail celebrating a customer’s
birthday.

3—”We Miss You” – sent to customers who have not
purchased within the past year.

4—”We Want You Back” – sent to customers that have not
bought in the last 12 to 18 months.

Lifecycle marketing works: When Fabric.com implemented a
lifecycle e-mail marketing campaign, open and click-through rates
doubled, and conversions increased more than 40%.

Source: Silverpop White Paper, “7 New E-Mail Marketing
Tactics,” p. 4.

—————————————————————–

***A new path to Internet riches***

My colleague Nick Usborne has perfected a model of making money
on the Internet that has nothing to do with selling e-books or
sending e-mail marketing messages.

Essentially, you create a content-rich web site, and then make
money from advertising and affiliate links of products talked
about on the site.

Nick’s written a little book, “A New Path to Riches,”
describing his Internet marketing business model, which makes him
passive income of up to $4,000 per month per website.

To download the first chapter of “A New Path to Riches,”
click here now:

www.newpathtoriches.com

Or order on Amazon today:

http://bit.ly/XCAcg

—————————————————————–

***Shorten those hyperlinks***

Overly long hyperlinks are impossible to remember, difficult to
type into a browser, and often don’t work in e-mails.

Solution: automatically shorten your hyperlink using these free
online tools:

www.tinyurl.com

http://bit.ly/

—————————————————————–

***5 ways to write better***

1—Write what you know.

2—Know what it is that you know.

3—Make good use of details.

4—Look for details in experience – yours or other
people’s.

5—Collect information. You never know what will someday be
useful.

Source: Richard Lovett, Analog, 1/10/10, p. 55.

—————————————————————–

***Free e-books for you***

Want to spread your ideas and content virally online? Create a
free e-book and post it on this site. You can also browse the
site and download dozens of interesting and useful e-books for
free:

www.ebook-maniacs.com

—————————————————————–

***More mileage from your articles***

Edit your existing articles, making 300 to 500-word versions of
each. Then post them on these 2 major articles sides:

www.ezinearticles.com

www.articlesbase.com

When people find your articles on these sites and use them in
their blogs and newsletters, they are required to include all
links to your sites and products in the article. Your content
spreads virally, and you generate more traffic.

—————————————————————–

***Use the B.E.S.T. strategy when marketing with free content***

The content in special reports, white papers, and other
information-based marketing should meet these B.E.S.T. criteria:

>> Behavioral – has a purpose and drives them to some action.

>> Essential – delivers information that your prospects really
need to succeed at work or in life.

>> Strategic – content marketing should be an integral part of
your overall business strategy.

>> Targeted – must be massively relevant to your customers.

Source: Junta42 white paper, “How to Attract and Retain
Customers with Content Now.”

—————————————————————–

***What’s working in web video***

According to Melody King, VP of Treepodia, videos that
successfully engage and convert online shoppers are typically 30
to 90 seconds in length, present a clear message, and emphasize
key selling points.

Best places to place videos on your web site: product pages,
banners on the home page, and category pages.

Source: Internet Retailer, 9/09, p. 13.

—————————————————————–

***E-book of the month***

“Timeless Copywriting Wisdom,” a new e-book edited by Codrut
Turcanu, is loaded with proven direct response copywriting tips
from 15 top-gun writers and marketers. Contributing experts
include Ben Settle, Marcia Yudkin, Andrew Linick, and Andrew
Cavanagh.

If you want to save time, money and effort, and avoid costly
direct response copywriting and marketing mistakes, check it out
here:

http://www.plimus.com/jsp/redirect.jsp?contractId=2434228&referrer=rwbly
http://tinyurl.com/yd8ooca

—————————————————————–

***3 ways to make your home office healthier***

>> Get some plants – spider plants, fig trees, English ivy,
aloe vera, chrystanthemums, bamboo palm, and lilies all help
clean indoor air.

>> Clean green – clean the office and bathroom with the new
chemical-free cleaning products made from fruit and
vegetable-based ingredients.

>> Use HEPA filters – high-efficiency, particulate air (HEPA)
filters, vacuum cleaners, air purifiers, and dehumidifiers
prevent mold and trap tiny particles that irritate allergy
sufferers.

Source: Kiplinger’s Retirement Report, 3/09, p. 15.

—————————————————————–

***Bob’s new book is out!***

I have seen increases in response rates from 10% to 900% — just
by changing the offer. Now you can learn how to craft offers that
generate more leads, orders, and sales with my new hardcover book
“How to Create Irresistible Offers.” For more information or
to order, click here now:

https://www.awaionline.net/_orders/bbo/?subject=&referredby=WBBOJ749RI
www.bly.com/IrresistibleOffers

—————————————————————–

***Dupe your own CDs and DVDs at home***

Primera Technology’s Bravo SE Disc Publisher burns and prints
quantities of professional-looking CDs and DVDs automatically,
including colorful labels. Unit costs $1,495. A sensible
investment if you want to dupe your own audio and video info
products at home.

For details or to order, visit www.bravose.com. Or call
toll-free 800-797-2772 now.

—————————————————————–

***Tell the “geniuses” on Wall Street to take a hike***

Long before the stock crash came, an unusual group of investors
realized Wall Street was a rigged game.

A group of quiet, conservative, unassuming professionals took
their profits from stocks, cashed out their various holdings, and
moved it all “off-street.” They’ve been able to produce
exceptional returns without risking their money in overvalued
stocks, crummy real estate deals, or dangerous Ponzi schemes.
To find out more about The Liberty Street League, click here:

http://tiny.cc/LSL

—————————————————————–

***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.

November, 2009

—————————————————————–

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.

—————————————————————–

***Freebie-of-the-month***

For anyone interested in direct-mail copywriting, well-known
freelancer Richard Armstrong is offering a free copy of his new
e-book, “My First 40 Years in Junk Mail: A Virtual Sample
Book.”

More than just a collection of direct-mail samples, Armstrong
talks about his trials and tribulations as a freelance copywriter
– not just his many notable successes, but his failures,
frustrations, and disappointments, too. To claim your free copy,
click below now:

www.freesamplebook.com.

—————————————————————–

***The easiest way to boost e-mail response rates***

In e-mail marketing, “above the fold” refers to the part of
your e-mail message that is visible on the screen without
scrolling.

The natural tendency is to place the call to action in e-mails
at the end of the message, below the fold. But this is an error
that lowers your response rates.

Exhaustive tests, my own included, prove that placing the call
to action above the fold increases e-mail marketing
click-through-rates.

Source: White paper, “Top 20 Mistakes Made by Email
Marketers,” Listrak.

—————————————————————–

***Get PR coverage from bloggers***

Here’s how Byron Gordon of SEO-PR does blogger-specific PR:

I had blogged about SEO and PPC. Byron e-mailed me and suggested
that, since I blogged about those topics, I might be interested
in reviewing a new keyword research and discovery tool (obviously
from one of his PR clients, though he did not say that
explicitly).

I asked Byron if searching the Internet for blog comments and
then targeting PR at individual bloggers was worthwhile.

“You might be surprised,” Byron replied. “It doesn’t
take as much time as you think, and the few hours spent can pay
big dividends, in particular when it leads to coverage for the
client on blogs and sites that have sizeable traffic.”

Source: www.seo-pr.com

—————————————————————–

***Stop retail customers from haggling***

To stop retail customers from haggling over price, do not use
hand-written price labels, says consultant Bob Clements.

Reason: a hand-written label says to the customer that you made
up the price and therefore you can change it.

Solution: get printed price labels from the manufacturer. These
say to the customer that the price has been set by someone other
than you, the retailer, and therefore you cannot change it.

Source: Ideal Computer Systems tele-seminar, 10/13/09.

—————————————————————–

***Best time of day to send B2B e-mails***

My colleague Amy Africa’s consultancy tracks the results of
billions of e-mails a year – so she knows what works in e-mail
marketing better than most.

According to Amy, the best time of day to send
business-to-business e-mail marketing messages are one hour
before lunch … and one hour before quitting time.

“People spend more time interacting with e-mails then,” says
Amy.

Time-limited offers also work well: early bird specials,
moonlight madness deals, one-hour lunchtime bonanzas, etc.

—————————————————————–

***Add visual interest to your marketing materials***

As entrepreneurs, most of us can’t afford the expensive
graphic art studios Fortune 500 companies use, yet we want our
marketing materials to have visual appeal.

Here are 5 low-cost/no-cost graphic design techniques you can
use to liven up your print and online promotions:

1–Use sidebars … these are short bits of text placed in a
box.

2–Make bar charts or pie charts from numerical data.

3–Use pull quotes … these are quotes printed in large type
and placed in a box.

4–Use cheap, royalty free stock photos or digital clip art …
like www.dreamstime.com.

5–Use a variety of different bullets … solid circles, solid
squares, arrows, check marks.

Source: Newsletter Formula, Vol. 1, Issue 1, p. 12.

—————————————————————–

***Tweet your way to success***

Perry Belcher, a successful Internet marketer with over 60,000
Twitter followers, uses this formula for successful tweeting:

** 30% tips that help people make their lives better
** 30% anything funny (jokes, funny quotes, etc.)
** 25% compliments and praise for others (includes retweets)
** 10% information that keeps them informed
** 5% what you are doing

—————————————————————–

***Tips for improving PC productivity***

1—Raise your PC monitor so you can look directly at it while
typing, without having to tilt your head down.

2—With elbows bent at 90 degrees, your hands should rest
comfortably on the keyboard — without reaching up or down to
type.

3—To prevent eyestrain, zoom in another 20% so the type looks
larger on the screen.

Source: “Unlimited Energy” (American Media), pp. 50-51.

—————————————————————–

***What works on YouTube?***

Analytics expert Shane Atchison offers the following tips for
marketing yourself with video clips on YouTube:

** Create fun or arresting videos that tell a story and
seamlessly integrate your brand.

** Take advantage of the social exchanges available on YouTube
with comments and ratings.

** Measure and track key metrics including original views,
number of comments, and repeat views.

Source: Shane Atchison, “Expert Advice from YouTube,”
ClickZ, 8/17/09.

—————————————————————–

***How to increase renewal rates in a recession***

During a recession, renewal rates plunge for subscription-based
services, especially high-priced annual contracts.

To solve this problem, Dataprise, a technology company serving
small and midsized businesses, offered clients a monthly contract
option.

Result: renewal rates climbed to 95% and new business increased
25%.

Action step: if your product or service is sold on an annual
fee, test quarterly or monthly subscription options.

Source: BusinessWeek SmallBiz, 9/09. P. 49.

—————————————————————–

***My readers love this interview***

Several readers have written to tell me how much they enjoyed
listening to this interview. In it, Pete Savage asks me questions
about freelancing and internet marketing, but also about self-
confidence, fear, failure, motivation and my own personal success
rituals. Lately I’ve been getting lots of questions from readers
about how I got to where I am today. This interview with Pete
Savage contains, I think, some of my best answers:

http://www.ultimatesupperclub.com/bb

—————————————————————–

***5 steps to getting repeat business and referrals***

1—Be a joy to work with … there’s no future for the rude,
short-tempered, or arrogant.

2—Be professional … accept feedback with confidence and
humility, and strive to make clients happy.

3—Deliver outstanding work … on every project, put forth
your best effort and deliver your best work.

4—Be flexible … create win-win outcomes rather than complain
when a project doesn’t go according to plan.

5—Thank clients frequently … let your clients know you
appreciate their business.

Source: Slaunwhite, Steve, Peter Savage, and Ed Gandia, “The
Wealthy Freelancer” (Alpha Books, 2010).

—————————————————————–

***Fresh ideas for fiction writers***

Need ideas for your novels, short stories, plays, and
screenplays? Visit an antique store and look for old photographs
– family photos, postcards, photos in old magazines. Imagining
the lives of the people in such photos can trigger ideas for new
stories to tell.

Source: Tommy Cravit, “Ignite the Muse,” The Writer, 9/09,
p. 10.

—————————————————————–

***3 ways to prevent your e-mail from being flagged as spam***

1—Remove inactive e-mail addresses from your list – those
with no opens or clicks in the last 12 months. Doing so improves
your reputation with ISPs responsible for filtering spam.

2—Suppress distribution accounts – e.g., steve@xyz.com is
OK, but sales@xyz.com should be scrubbed.

3—Remove duplicate names from your e-list – so you e-mail
each person only once.

Source: BtoB E-Mail Marketing Insight Guide 2009, p. 18.

—————————————————————–

***Networking for introverts***

How do you mix at a networking event if you are an introvert?

If two people are talking, do not interrupt. Wait for one of
them to turn toward the room. Then make eye contact with one of
them and introduce yourself to her. If she does not introduce the
other person to you, introduce yourself again. Repeat your full
name, as the other person may not have caught it.

Source: Business Week Small Biz, 11/09, p. 26.

—————————————————————–

***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.

October, 2009

———————————————————————

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 My New Book, “How to Create Irresistible Offers” today:

www.awaionline.net/_orders/bbo/?subject=&referredby=WBBOJ749RI

———————————————————————

***Handling requests for free advice***

Not sure how to handle it when prospects want to pick your
brains without offering to pay you?

One of my blog readers tells the following story:

“In my former life, I practiced law. A mentor gave me some
valuable advice: never offer free consultations. He said, ‘even
if they just pay you in hotdogs, get something’. Here is where
this pay-by-hot-dogs thing came from:

“A potential client walked in off the street claiming not to
have the funds to pay for an hour consultation. My mentor said,
‘let’s walk down the street while we talk. You can buy me a
hot dog’. The free consultation was as long as the time it took
for them to walk to the street vendor, pay for the dog, and walk
back to the lawyer’s office.

“Rule of Thumb: If he (the lawyer) wasn’t able to answer the
guy’s questions in that time, he would let him know the cost of
a paid follow up session. I thought that was genius.” I think
so, too.

———————————————————————

***Ted Nicholas’s 5 secrets of business success***

Ted Nicholas is one of the nicest guys I know and certainly one
of the most successful direct marketers who ever lived.

Here are 5 suggestions from Ted on how to be more successful in
your business:

1—Develop a sense of urgency about your business and your life
– set your alarm clock for an early hour and get out of bed.

2—Fall in love with your product or service – you simply
cannot be super-successful without great passion for what you do.

3—Include your life’s experience in sales copy – it makes
you a real person and far more believable to the reader.

4—Do your toughest task first each day – not last.

5—Never stop learning – especially marketing copy and sales
psychology.

Source: The Success Margin, 7/20/09.

———————————————————————

***Using false logic in copy***

A copywriting technique shared by freelancer Robert Lerose is to
give your prospect a “false choice.” Example: “Do you want
to follow Wall Street … or do you want to do better?”

Why it works: the false choice immediately sets up a conflict in
your prospect that can only be resolved by reading your sales
copy. In the example above, using the emotions of fear and greed
increased the emotional impact, says Lerose. It also implies that
the letter writer can show you how to do better than Wall Street.

Source: Audience Development, 8/09, p. 32.

———————————————————————

***Triple response to online subscriber surveys***

According to marketing consultant Wendy Montesdeoca, offering a
free bonus report as an incentive can triple response when you
survey your online subscribers.

Tip: A subject line relating to the content of the free bonus
report will generate more response than a subject line talking
about the survey.

Example: In a split test, the subject line (a) “5 must-know
secrets to making money” generated a 3X higher click-through
rate than the subject line (b) “Annual subscriber survey and
free report.”

In addition, 2X as many subscribers responding to (a) completed
the survey as did those responding to (b).

Source: Wendy Montesdeoca, www.precisionmarketingmedia.com

———————————————————————

***The 4 characteristics of good writing***

According to best-selling nonfiction author Mary Pipher, good
writing:

1—Facilitates the making of connections in a way that inspires
openheartedness, thinking, talking, and action.

2—Enlarges readers’ knowledge of the world or empowers them
to act for the common good.

3—Connects people to one another, to other living creatures,
to stories and ideas, and to action.

4—Allows readers to see the world from a new perspective.

Source: Mary Pipher, “Writing to Change the World”
(Riverhead, 2006), p. 7.

———————————————————————

***Outsource production of your online videos***

It’s no secret that video sells on the Internet. Now you can
outsource production of your online videos to Pixability and
their new video production service.

How it works: They send you a FlipCam. You shoot video footage
and send it back in a pre-paid envelope. They turn it into an online
video with music, titles, and your logo. You can use the video for
promotions, events, viral marketing, newsletters, YouTube, and
more. Click here for details:

www.pixability.com/promo

———————————————————————

***4 ways to keep existing clients***

1—Keep talking … stay in touch and maintain a healthy
dialogue.

2—Maintain quality … if you are providing your clients with
anything less than the best, you will most likely lose them.

3—Add value … by really understanding your client’s
business and goals.

4—Push your brand … make sure you are maintaining your
presence.

Source: Words from Woody, Fall 2009, p. 1.

———————————————————————

***Help people follow you on Twitter***

If your Twitter screen name isn’t your real name, people who
look for you on Twitter because they’ve read about you or heard
you speak may not be able to find you.

Solution: make it easy for people to find you on Twitter by
adding your first and last name to your Profile, which you can
access under the Settings tab. This way, when someone does a
search on Twitter, you’re easily found.

Source: Dianna Huff, “25 Tips for Using Twitter for
Business.”

———————————————————————

***5 ways to get your web site ranked higher on Google***

Search engine optimization expert Don Kaufmann gives these
guidelines for getting your web site ranked higher on Google:

1—Always be adding new content … Google ranks sites higher
when they are frequently updated.

2—List your site on the top niche directories and
subdirectories in your industry.

3—Use longer copy – a minimum length of 250 words per web
page.

4—Post online videos – since its acquisition of YouTube,
Google places greater ranking emphasis on video.

5—Add credibility icons – start with trade association
membership icons or the Better Business Bureau logo.

Source: “Search Engine Position Paper,” www.clicktru.com

———————————————————————

***PowerPoint tips for webinar speakers***

When creating PowerPoint presentations to be used in webinars,
make sure the slides are legible.

How to check: view your sides in PowerPoint at 40% to simulate
the reading experience your attendees will have.

Type size tips: use larger type than you would when creating
PowerPoints for an in-person audience.

Recommendation on minimum type size for slides: 18 point.

Source: “Setting Up Your PowerPoint Presentation”, ON24.

———————————————————————

***3 ways to get free PR***

What kinds of stories get editors to read and print your press
releases? Here are 3 proven ideas:

1—Surveys … survey your list and send out a press release
highlighting the results. Editors like new information, and all
survey results are by definition new information.

2—Lists … editors know their readers like lists; e.g., “10
reasons why,” “7 ways to,” “5 tips for,” etc.

3—Case studies … these are “product success stories”
telling how an individual or organization solved a particular
problem using your product, service, or idea.

Source: Vocus White Paper, “Public Relations Strategies.”

———————————————————————

***A space-saving filing trick***

When you put a thick sheaf of papers in a hanging file, the
papers tend to curl into a cylinder, making it difficult to
locate papers in the file and taking more space in the file
drawer.

Solution: take the entire stack of paper in your hands and fold
once horizontally, then put back in the file. The fold prevents
the paper from curling into a tube.

———————————————————————

***Get maximum mileage out of blogging***

To get the most value from blogging, repurpose your blog posts.
For instance, book marketer Peyton Stafford says she may quote
the same book review in several places or essentially use the
same promotion several times.

I do the same thing with my content; e.g., I excerpt articles
from my e-zine and reuse them as blog posts. I also recycle blog
posts and comments as sections of my books.

Source: IPBA Independent, 9/09, p. 11.

———————————————————————

***The most valuable ability a copywriter can have***

Many people mistakenly feel the most valuable ability a
copywriter can have is a deep understanding of the product.

That’s important, but far more important is the ability to
understand the prospect – her needs, fears, concerns, interests,
and desires.

If your client is a brilliant economist publishing a stock
newsletter aimed at the average investor, write your copy for
average investors – not brilliant economists.

———————————————————————

***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 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, 2009

——————————————————————–

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 ways to avoid being a “commodity copywriter”***

Copywriters who write content articles for Internet marketers
are a dime a dozen — and get paid appropriately. Here’s how
to avoid being yet another “commodity copywriter”:

1—Add value — offer your copywriting clients more than just
words on a screen; e.g., Internet marketing expertise, blogging
advice, Twitter campaigns.

2—Write copy that generates sales — any time the client can
make more money from what you write for them than they pay you to
write it, you can charge high fees. This is why direct response
copywriting is so lucrative.

3—Become an expert — tackle topics that are too complicated,
too difficult, or too specialized for most other copywriters;
gurus have much less competition than generalists.

Source: www.copywriterscrucible.com

——————————————————————–

***Copywriting specialist or generalist? The debate
continues….***

I urge you to sign up for the upcoming free tele-seminar,
“Generalist vs. Specialist: Which Is Better in a Tough
Economy?” In what promises to be a lively session, top
copywriters Peter Bowerman and Michael Stelzner go head-to-head,
debating the pros and cons of being a specialist vs. a
generalist.

I strongly suggest you grab a seat at this free online event,
scheduled for 9/17/09. Even though it’s free, you must be
registered to attend. Go here to learn more or to enroll now
while seats are still available:

http://www.whitepapersource.com/webinar/

——————————————————————–

***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 and higher of
office buildings.

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

——————————————————————–

***5 tips for being interviewed on a radio show***

>> Have a goal for the interview – the most common one today
is to drive people to your web site.

>> Have a web address that’s easy to remember and spell – so
listeners won’t forget it after the interview.

>> Call-in on a landline – better voice quality and more
reliable.

>> Listen to the show a few times before you get on – so you
know what to expect.

>> Have a pencil and paper in front of you during the interview
– so if a thought occurs, you can jot it down and be sure to
cover it.

Source: Fred Gleeck Insights, 8/27/09.

——————————————————————–

***What are they saying about you online?***

Is your business being hurt by people who are trash-talking
about you or your product on blogs and web sites?

To find out what is being said about you online, do a full
search using your company name, brand, and product names on
Google, Bing, and Yahoo twice a month, advises marcom strategist
Dianna Huff.

On Google, open a Google account and set up Google Alerts. These
are e-mails that Google sends you whenever a specific keyword or
phrase you specify – like your name — is used online.

Use the images, books, maps, and more links at the top of the
Google search page to see how your company and product names are
being used. Then click on “more options” to see online
reviews, forums, and related searches. Plus: check for mentions
of you on Digg, Delicious, YouTube, Twitter, Facebook, and
LinkedIn.

Source: Marcom Strategist, 7/10/09.

——————————————————————–

***Did you hear the one about the engineer?***

If you are an engineer like me – or you work with techies –
you may get a chuckle out of my favorite engineer jokes:

http://www.mychemset.com/new/jokes.php

——————————————————————–

***7 reasons why visitors don’t buy from you online***

According to an e-tailing group survey, visitors don’t buy
online for 7 reasons:

1—High shipping charges – 46%.

2—Desire to comparison shop some more—37%.

3—Lack of money—36%.

4—Wanted to look for a coupon—27%.

5—Wanted to shop offline—26%.

6—Couldn’t find preferred payment option—24%.

7—Security concerns about ordering online—21%.

Action steps: test lowering your shipping and handling charges;
expand your payment options; test coupons on your shopping
carts; and make sure you have secure socket layer (SSL) security
logos on your site’s order forms and shopping cart. These
include VeriSign, Entrust, TRUSTe, and GoDaddy.

Source: eMarketer, 6/30/09.

——————————————————————–

***Smart ideas for increasing conversion rates on B2B landing
pages***

>> Keep the headline short and compelling – and include an
immediate benefit to the reader.

>> Experiment with different offers – white papers, demos,
free consultations, webinars, and other content – to see what
prospects view as most valuable.

>> The visual should be an image of your offer – for instance,
the cover of your free white paper.

>> Keep all or most of the content on your landing page above
the fold – to eliminate scrolling.

>> Establish credibility – add client testimonials, Better
Business Bureau logo, industry awards, security site badges
(e.g., Verisign).

Source: “8 Quick Steps to Double B2B Conversions,” Pardot
white paper.

——————————————————————–

***Why the Internet information marketing business is not as
crowded as you think***

Newbie Internet marketers despair that there is too much
competition on the web and therefore no room for them.

What they do not understand is that the information business is
not competitive in the way most other businesses are.

For instance, a consumer shops and makes a decision to buy a
certain model refrigerator. If he chooses my brand, I have his
money and all the other refrigerator manufacturers have lost the
chance to sell to him – at least until he needs a new fridge.

But consumers of info products are information junkies. They
will buy many e-books, DVDs and courses on a given topic. So if
your products, marketing, and reputation are good, they will buy
your information in addition to the info products of others, not
instead of.

Tip: successful sellers of information products in your category
are great potential joint venture partners. Approach them and
suggest cross-promotions.

——————————————————————–

***4 steps to making an effective apology***

1—Acknowledge that you are at fault and did something wrong.

2—Apologize for your actions and their negative consequences.

3—Ask “How can I make it right?”

4—Explain the steps you are taking to make sure it does not
happen again.

Source: DePorter, Bobbi, “Quantum Success” (Learning Forum,
2006).

——————————————————————–

*** Asking too many questions reduces conversion rates ***

It’s no secret: experienced Internet marketers know that the
more questions you ask the prospect on an online reply form, the
fewer leads you generate.

According to Robert Williams, CEO of Conversive More,
approximately 20% of Internet users will abandon your squeeze
page or other web form for every field you require them to
complete.

Therefore, the fewer mandatory fields in your online reply form,
the higher the conversion rate. Recommendation: if you are
unwilling to reduce the number of fields on your response form,
at least consider making more of them optional rather than
mandatory.

Source: DM News, 10/20/08, p. 11.

——————————————————————–

***4 ways to make Google love your site***

According to Internet marketing guru Howie Jacobson, Google
ranks “authority” websites – sites that provide valuable
information on a topic — higher than ordinary websites.

Here are the 4 things you need to have an authority website:

1—High-quality content – valuable information that’s free
– and lots of it.

2—New material added all the time – so Google sees the site
is growing and staying current.

3—Easy-to-use site navigation – including a site map.

4—Inbound links to your site from other authority web sites in
the same niche.

Added bonus: having an authority website also helps position you
as a thought leader in your industry.

Source: Early to Rise, 7/1/09.

——————————————————————–

***Robert Fulgham’s home-improvement success secrets***

These tips from Robert Fulgham on succeeding with home
improvement projects are just as appropriate for entrepreneurs
building a business:

>> Try to work alone. An audience is rarely helpful.

>> Stay simple-minded. The simplest and most obvious solution is
often the best.

>> Always take credit for miracles.

>> If at first you don’t succeed, redefine success.

>> If what you’ve done is stupid, but it works, it isn’t
stupid.

Source: Robert Fulgham, “Maybe (Maybe Not),” Villard Books,
1993, p. 82.

——————————————————————–

***Quotation of the month***

“There’s something melancholy about late summer. The days
seem lazier than ever, but there’s also a growing sense of
haste, as if we need to start squeezing out every last drop of
the season before it’s too late … as if at every moment we
should be grilling outside, hitting the beach, taking walks,
enjoying ice cream, doing anything and everything outside before
fall unfortunately arrives.”

–Francesco Marciuliano

Source: “Sally Forth,” The Record, 8/15/09.

——————————————————————–

***Mark Amtower’s 10 success secrets***

In “Why Epiphanies Never Occur to Couch Potatoes,” Mark
Amtower, my go-to guy for all things related to marketing to the
federal government, shares his battle-tested 10 laws for
surviving and thriving in any economy. These principles make
sense and they work, having taken Mark from just another D.C.
consultant to national prominence as one of the leading guru in
his niche, quoted in over 150 publications. For more information
or to order, click here now:

www.EpiphanyBook.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 http://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 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, 2009

——————————————————————-

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 $5,000 Bob Bly Internet Marketing Conference you can
“attend” at home for a small fraction of the cost others have
paid:

www.earlytorise.com/bly/cracking_the_code.html

——————————————————————-

***Start a money-making hobby site***

A “hobby web site” is a content-rich web site about a hobby or
interest you have, like coin collecting or sky diving. You build
traffic by optimizing the site, and make money from either
Google Ad sense ads, affiliate marketing of other people’s
products, or both.

My colleague Nick Usborne makes a mid five-figure annual income
with a hobby site he created all about coffee. So now I am
following his model and building a site on one of my hobbies,
keeping tropical fish.

Take a look and let me know what you think; you can e-mail your
comments to rwbly@bly.com. Here’s the site link:

www.aquariumdetective.com

——————————————————————-

***Recycle content when writing articles***

When you have to write an article, take a look at your
proposals, papers, memos, outlines, and other content residing
on your hard drive. According to author Jeff Davidson, much of
the material you’ve already written can be quickly and easily
repurposed and recycled into articles.

“When I was a management consultant, after each engagement, I
had to write a client report,” says Davidson. “From those
reports I was often able to extract 5 or 6 pages of text that
could be generalized and applied to a larger audience in
articles.” Confidential client data, of course, should be
removed when editing these documents into articles.

For more writing tips from Davidson, visit:

www.GhostWithTheMost.com

——————————————————————-

***Build your own web sites — fast and professionally***

Normally, web sites built by amateurs (that’s you and me) look
boring, ugly, or both.

Now, with XSitePro, you can design your own professional-quality
web sites quickly, easily, and affordably … even if you have no
design talent.

For more information or a free demo, click here now:

http://tinyurl.com/l4y6eb

——————————————————————-

***Which Internet marketing gurus are the “real deal”?***

Which teachers of “how to get rich on the Internet” are worth
listening to … and which are just hype-masters blowing smoke?

This free site lists the Internet marketing gurus I know to be
successful, knowledgeable, and worth listening to:

www.internetmarketinghallofame.com

——————————————————————-

***Find a literary agent online***

To sell your book to a major NYC publisher, you need a literary
agent to represent you. Now you can find an agent to represent
you online here:

www.agentquery.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.

——————————————————————-

***Where to find a good copywriter***

There are hundreds of freelance copywriters on the Internet
today – but most of them are beginners with no real skills,
experience, knowledge, or track record.

Is this a plug for my copywriting services? No. I have more work
than I could ever hope to handle, take on very few new clients,
and am highly selective in the projects I do accept. And, you
probably can’t afford me.

However, to make sure you do not get burned by hiring a “cheap”
(read: inexperienced) copywriter, I have listed the copywriters
I know to be talented and experienced on a new free web site. To
find the right copywriter for your project, click here now:

www.freelancecopywritersdirectoryonline.com

——————————————————————-

***Best times to send B2B e-mail marketing messages***

According to marketing consultant Jeanne Jennings, distributing
your B2B e-mail marketing campaigns during business hours on
week-days increases response.

Reason: you have a better chance of getting opened and read if
you land in the inbox mid-day, rather than at night or over the
weekend. When people get in their office, many have inboxes that
are full, and you’re competing for their attention with
everything else that landed overnight or over the weekend.

——————————————————————-

***Make your landing pages make more money***

You can drive all the traffic in the world to your landing page,
but if it doesn’t convert, you don’t make money.

My free site on landing pages can give you dozens of strategies
for building your list, getting more orders, and making more
money from all your squeeze pages and landing pages:

www.thelandingpageguru.com

——————————————————————-

***4 steps to changing unproductive or harmful behavior***

Only by changing your behavior can you proactively improve your
life. Here are 4 simple steps to doing things differently:

1—Become aware of what you are doing.

2—Understand why you are doing it.

3—Recondition, reprogram, or neutralize unsupportive beliefs.

4—Identify what you would prefer to be doing.

Source: Wanis, Patrick, “The Greatest Money Making Secret of All
Time”, American Media, 2008, p. 41.

——————————————————————-

***This automatically proofreads your web site for free!****

Sick and tired of visitors pointing out spelling errors on your
web site? Here’s a tool that can automatically proofread your
entire site; act now and the first 100 pages are free:

http://spellr.us/

——————————————————————-

***Good spelling can increase search engine rankings***

Proofread the metatags for each page as well as the page copy
itself. Reason: if you misspell keywords in the metatags, it can
adversely affect your score with search engines.

Example: Direct Response Letter subscriber Wayne Stonestreet
found several misspellings in my metatag keywords including
“copwriters” instead of “copywriters” and “coywriting” instead
of “copywriting.”

——————————————————————-

***Domain names gone bad***

Your e-mail message may get blocked if one of the products or
services you are mentioning has a hyperlink to a URL that has
been blacklisted.

Action step: whenever you include a hyperlink in your e-mails to
a third-party source, check the reputation of the domain to see
if it has been publicly blacklisted. Here’s a blacklist research
tool you can use:

www.spamcop.net/bl.shtml

Source: Marketing Sherpa, 6/18/09.

——————————————————————-

***Should you send press releases by postal mail or e-mail?***

Sending paper press releases through the post office is dead,
says Eric Yaverbaum, co-author of “Public Relations for Dummies”
(written with yours truly as his co-author).

“Snail mail is the worst,” says Yaverbaum, “and while editors do
get a ton of e-mail, we always use e-mail as the one way to
reach them.”

Tip: the press release must be in the body of the e-mail or
editors won’t even open it. Never send it as an attachment.

Though postal PR is obsolete, press releases are not. “Nothing
will replace a well-packaged press release and intense
follow-up,” Yaverbaum says.

——————————————————————-

***Do this before you recruit affiliates***

“Don’t actively recruit affiliates until you know your landing
page has a high enough conversion rate that they will make money
driving traffic to the site,” advises Google Ad Words guru Perry
Marshall.

Affiliates need to know that they can make more money driving
traffic to your sites than anyone else’s, says Marshall. In
addition, if their first joint venture (JV) with you yields
disappointing results, they are unlikely to give you another
shot. So make sure the pages you ask them to drive traffic to
can make money for both of you.

——————————————————————-

***Insider secrets of making money with e-books***

Gordon Burgett is one of the founding fathers of “how to build
your information empire.” In his most recent newsletter, he
published a 48-point checklist of tips and ideas on making money
by writing and selling e-books online.

To get the free newsletter and read the checklist, click below
now:

www.gordonburgett.com/free-reports

——————————————————————-

***Options trading: an ideal home business?***

Jeffrey Ziegler shows you how to “put your money to work” by
trading options. Many of his students average 8-10% returns per
month using these low risk strategies.

For a limited time, you can get his $1,000 Home Study Course for
FREE with one month’s subscription to his Membership site:

www.JeffreyZiegler.com/bobbly

——————————————————————-

***Quotation of the month***

“Every person is afraid sometimes. Thing is not to let it run
you. Thing is to go ahead and do what you need to do.”
–Robert B. Parker

Source: Parker, Robert B., “Chasing the Bear” (Philomel Books,
2009, p. 37).

——————————————————————-

***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 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, 2009

———————————————————————–

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.

———————————————————————–

My new book reveals 88 off-the-beaten-path ways to make money as
a freelance writer.
I’ve made millions with these writing projects – why not you?

http://tinyurl.com/cnd6tp

———————————————————————–

Will you be my friend on Facebook?

www.facebook.com/people/Robert-Bly/535042603

———————————————————————–

***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

———————————————————————–

***Avoid this mistake in renewal series***

Marketers are tempted to cut price and add incentives with the
later efforts in a renewal series. Their reasoning is that if
the first offer didn’t renew the prospect, you need to step up
your incentives to move them to action.

Unfortunately, sweetening the offer as the series goes on is a
big mistake. As circulation consultant Paul Goldberg notes, in a
renewal series, you should always start with your very best
offer.

Why? “If the subscriber fails to renew with the first effort and
receives a better offer on the second, he’ll wait to see if an
even better off comes in the third, fourth, fifth, and sixth
efforts,” says copywriter Denny Hatch.

Goldberg’s tip: explicitly tell the reader in the first effort
that this is the best offer he will receive, and that the offer
will not get better.

Source: Target Marketing, 6/09, p. 50.

———————————————————————–

***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) is image or
flash-based.

Source: www.MoreVisibility.com

———————————————————————–

***How your peers are handling the recession***

Of marketers surveyed on my Web site:

** Nearly half (46.4%) say their sales have fallen since the
recession began in December 2007.

** Approximately 87% say they are worried about the effect the
recession is having on their business and sales.

** Just 28% have lowered their prices since the recession
started.

** As for marketing, 76.7% are spending the same or more on
marketing than they did last year.

Source: www.bly.com.

———————————————————————–

***SEO tip of the month***

The most important meta tag is the title tag – the words people
see at the top of the screen when using their browser to visit
your site. Ed Taylor says title tags should be short – no more
than 6 or 7 words.

More important, the title tag should begin with the words you
are optimizing the page for; e.g., on my site, which we are
optimizing for copywriter (and many other keywords), he changed
“Bob Bly, freelance copywriter” to “Freelance copywriter Bob
Bly.”

———————————————————————–

***How to get more web traffic***

According to Internet marketing master Marlon Sanders, the 6
best ways to drive traffic to your Web sites are:

1—Getting affiliates to promote your products to their lists.

2—Article marketing – see www.getfamouswritingarticles.com for
more information.

3—Buying ads in other people’s e-zines.

4—Search engine optimization – to generate more organic traffic.

5—Google Ad Words – and other pay-per-click advertising.

6—Banner advertising – once counted out, now making a comeback.

To this list I’d add a few others you might try: co-registration
… PR … postcard marketing … social networking … blogging.

Source: Marlon Sanders e-mail, 5/30/09.

———————————————————————–

***Keep those subject lines short***

Many e-mail in-boxes only display the first 40 characters or so
of the subject line. Now, here’s another reason to cut the
character count in subject lines: short subject lines work
better than long ones!

According to a report from E-consultancy, subject lines with 35
characters or less are 28% more likely to be opened than e-mails
with longer subject lines.

Speaking of open rates, a study published by Experian found the
average open rates for e-mail marketing messages to be 12% to
14%.

Here’s a free online tool that shows how your subject line will
be displayed by the different e-mail readers:

www.emaillabs.com/tools/from_subject_line_tool_popup.html

Source: “101 B2B Marketing Tips: Vol. 2, ReachForce,” 2009
Digital Marketer Benchmark and Trend Report, Experian, p. 26.

———————————————————————–

***What you should know about increasing profits***

Marketing expert Charlie Cook is offering my subscribers a free
special report. It details the 7 low-cost and no-cost steps to
take to grow your business and maximize your profits in a soft
economy:

www.marketingforsuccess.com/bly

———————————————————————–

***Which landing page converted best?***

MarketingSherpa founder Anne Holland has launched a new Web site
focused on A/B and multivariate testing. Each week, she posts a
new quiz on the home page challenging you to guess the winner in
a test:

www.whichtestwon.com

———————————————————————–

***4 ways to strengthen customer loyalty ***

>> Offer free advice … such as a white paper that positions you
as an industry expert and accelerates the customer’s
decision-making process.

>> Once a quarter, send a handwritten note to your best
customers … and ask how you can serve them better.

>> Resolve complaints fast … a problem resolved with swiftness
and creativity can turn an unhappy customer into a highly loyal
one.

>> Offer your expertise as a value-added service … for instance,
make yourself available to answer questions customers and
prospects have about your product or service.

Source: The Pohly Circle, 5/29/09.

———————————————————————–

***Save those PowerPoints and PDFs***

When a client, colleague, or boss sends you source material that
includes Word documents, PDF files, and PowerPoint files, print
them, but also save the electronic files.

Reason: when you have the computer files, you can easily lift
photos, charts, and graphs from the source material for use in
the document you are writing.

———————————————————————–

***Are you ready to take your freelancing seriously?***

If so, you might want to attend How Magazine’s 2nd Annual
Creative Freelancer Conference (CFC), August 26-28, 2009, San
Diego CA.

Features speakers include Peleg Top, June Walker, Todd Henry,
and Ilise Benun. They’ll share tips on pricing … online
marketing … building client relationships … self promotion … and
more. Register by the July 15 early-bird deadline and get a free
bonus report by Ilise Benun, “The Freedom of Freelancing.” Click
below for more info or to enroll now:

www.creativefreelancerconference.com

———————————————————————–

***Ever stumble in a speech?***

If you lose track of where you are during a presentation, don’t
let it throw you off. Just move on. The sooner you forget about
it, the faster everyone else will, too.

Tip: Take a deep breath and say, “I’m sorry. I’m getting off
track. Let me rephrase that.”

Source: Cosmopolitan, 7/09, p. 141.

———————————————————————–

***Quotation of the month***

“Who among us does not move through life with the hidden sense,
maybe even quiet desperation, that we are destined for more?
That underneath our ordinary exterior lays an extraordinary
soul? That given the right opportunity, the right stage, the
right audience, we would shine as the stars we truly are?”
–Peter Bregman

Source: CNN.com, 4/22/09.

———————————————————————–

***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
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
Copywriter / Consultant
590 Delcina Drive
River Vale, NJ 07675
Phone 201-505-9451
Fax 201-573-4094
www.bly.com

Follow Bob:
Twitter, http://twitter.com/Robertbly
LinkedIn, http://www.linkedin.com/in/bobbly
Facebook, http://www.facebook.com/people/Robert-Bly/535042603

———————————————————————

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

June, 2009

———————————————————————

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 $5,000 Bob Bly Internet Marketing Conference you can
“attend” at home for a few hundred bucks:

www.earlytorise.com/bly/cracking_the_code.html

———————————————————————

***We’ve moved***

Our new address is: Bob Bly, 590 Delcina Drive, River Vale, NJ
07675; new office phone is 201-505-9451; new fax is
201-573-4094; e-mail remains rwbly@bly.com; web site remains
www.bly.com

———————————————————————

***4 great tips for selling info products online***

1—Choose a niche where customers have a very strong emotional
need.

2—Narrow your niche – don’t widen it.

3—Create a special report or online video with high perceived
value … and give it away for free.

4—Don’t save your best content for your paid products – put it
in your free report or video. Reason: Prospects will think, “If
this is the stuff they are giving away, the product they are
selling must be GREAT!”

Source: Allie Longoria, Expert Summaries, 5/5/09

———————————————————————

***Internet profits so obscene it’s almost unfair ***

When you hear about the money some otherwise ordinary people are
making on the Internet today, the profits are so obscene it
seems almost unfair. Example: a few years ago, my friend Mike
“Zappy” Zapolin bought the domain name beer.com – and sold it 3
months later for $7 million in cash.

Now if that strikes you as unfair, you have two choices. You can
continue to read about other people’s Internet success stories –
and turn green with envy every time you do. Or, you can join
them – and make your own six or seven-figure fortune online.

Now Zappy shows you in his new manual “The Internet Warrior” the
proven strategies that enable him to live the dream lifestyle of
an Internet millionaire — in a beautiful home on the ocean in
Miami Beach:

www.internetwarrior.com/cmd.php?af=988688

———————————————————————

***May I feature you in my next book?***

If you are a freelance copywriter, I’d like to get samples of
any materials you use to promote yourself: ads, direct mail,
brochures, copywriting information kits, press releases, sales
letters, e-mails. I’d also love a short note telling me the
results you got with the promo.

If I feature your material in my book, you will get full credit,
of course. So please send your materials via e-mail to
rwbly@bly.com. Or mail to Bob Bly, 590 Delcina Drive, River
Vale, NJ 07675.

———————————————————————

***How to avoid being called a spammer***

>> Put your entire physical address in the sig file at the
bottom of your marketing e-mails.

>> Make sure your e-mail contains a way for recipients to
unsubscribe from your mailing list.

>> Reduce the use of large fonts and characters,

>> Use simple HTML – no Javascript.

>> Keep the file size small — under 70K.

Source: “101 B2B Marketing Tips: Vol. 2,” p. 5, ReachForce.

———————————————————————

***Be a social networking pioneer!***

Infosocia is a brand-new software platform that lets you quickly
and easily build a social networking site for your customers,
subscribers, members, or niche market. It also lets you
integrate e-commerce and membership features into your social
networking site:

http://i360net.com/info.php?ref=291&plid=

———————————————————————

***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,
5/09, pp. 59-61.

———————————————————————

***Protect your copyrighted e-books from piracy***

Do you deliver e-books and special reports to your customers via
e-mail, and worry that they’ll duplicate or pass them on to
others illegally?

Here’s a service that tracks people who forward your PDF files
to others, so you can catch any cheaters:

www.readnotify.com

———————————————————————

***3 techniques for writing strong headlines***

1–Ask a question … but make sure it’s a question to which the
reader wants to know the answer.

Example: “What Do Japanese Managers Have That American Managers
Sometimes Lack?”

2–Tie-in to current events … a news angle is especially
effective when promoting financial publications and other
products affected by current events on a daily basis.

Example: “Stay One Step Ahead of the Stock Market Just Like
Martha Stewart – But Without Her Legal Liability!”

3–Create a new terminology … you can literally create a brand
or product category by expressing an old idea in a fresh and
compelling way.

Example: “New ‘Polarized Oil’ Magnetically Adheres to Wear Parts
in Machine Tools, Making Them Last Up to 6 Times Longer.”

———————————————————————

***Find your calling by helping others find theirs***

Imagine if you could get paid to work from home, brainstorming
with people on the phone or run seminars about creative ways
they could turn their interests into income. Learn how,
step-by-step, you can start your own business as an “Outside the
Job Box Expert and Small Business Idea Consultant” and turn your
knack for helping others into an income stream.

You will see how this is more than just a training program on
how to help others discover their passion. You’ll also get a
proven framework and model to help you launch your own
successful business. Learn more about this amazing opportunity
here:

www.changingcourse.com/cmd.php?af=928102

———————————————————————

***Do B2B prospects prefer print or online?***

A recent survey of 741 small and mid-size businesses (SMBs)
revealed, surprisingly, that SMBs prefer print over the Internet
as a source of product information.

Of the B2B prospects surveyed, 43% said they rely most on
magazine articles and direct mail to learn about products.
Only 27.8% prefer social networking as a source of product
information, and just 19.2% like podcasts.

Source: DM news 4/6/09, p. 1.

———————————————————————

***3 secrets of entrepreneurial success from Yanik Silver***

>> Develop and build your business’s personality that stands
out. People want to buy from people.

>> Always have something else to sell whenever a transaction
takes place. The hottest buyer in the world is the one who just
gave you money.

>>Do the unexpected before and after anything goes wrong so
customers are compelled to share your story.

Source: Yanik Silver’s 34 Rules for Maverick Entrepreneurs.

———————————————————————

***Newspaper advertising dead? Not yet!***

In his new e-book “Ultimate Moneymaking Newspaper Ads,” David
Fowler reveals how to generate ROI as high as 15:1 in direct
response newspaper ads.

The e-book is packed with great examples that reveal
out-of-the-ordinary methods used by the world’s few elite
“direct response” newspaper ad pros. But don’t expect these
“un-pretty” ads to win awards—unless they give awards for ads
that earn piles of money:

www.davidfowlerads.com

———————————————————————

***How to determine your budget for online advertising***

To determine your online advertising budget, your first step is
to determine what you can afford to pay for each new name you
add to your list.

To determine the value of new names, divide annual online
revenues by the number of subscribers. Example: If your 20,000
online subscribers account for $300,000 in annual sales, your
subscriber value is $15 per name per year.

List-building campaigns should ideally pay back their cost
within 6 months or sooner. Therefore, if your names are worth
$15 per year each, you can afford to spend up to $7.50 per
subscriber to acquire new names.

———————————————————————

***How fast is the Internet growing?***

In 1992, there were only 50 Web sites in the world.

In 2002, there were 40 million Web sites online.

In 2008, there were 120 million Web sites.

Source: Snow, Patrick, “Creating Your Own Destiny” (Aviva,
2009), p. 203.

———————————————————————

***Quotation of the month***

“It is a known fact that every project has at least one
irredeemable imbecile.”
–Dilbert

Source: The Record, 3/18/09.

———————————————————————

***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 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.

May, 2009

——————————————————————

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.

——————————————————————

Everything You Need to Know About Making Money as a Copywriter:
www.awaionline.com/bly/gettingclients/

——————————————————————

***What offers work best in direct and online marketing?***

According to catalog consultant Stephen Lett, the most effective
catalog and multi-channel offers are:

** Free shipping.

** A dollar amount off.

** A percentage off.

** A free gift with purchase.

Lett notes that free shipping can increase catalog sales by 20%
or more.

Dollar discounts work better than percentage discounts because,
says Lett: “Consumers can relate to actual dollar amounts easier
than they can calculate the percentage.”

Source: Catalog Success, 4/09, p. 24.

——————————————————————

***How I wrote 75 published books***

I’ll be giving a talk on “How I Wrote 75 Published Books for Fun
and Profit” at Fred Gleeck’s Book Publishing Seminar on 5/26 in
NYC. I’ll reveal:

>> 10 steps to writing a book and getting it published.
>> How to build an “author’s platform” that helps you land a
book contract.
>> My 8-step formula for writing winning book proposals.
>> How to find and work with a literary agent.
>> 7 ways to come up with a great idea for your first (or next)
book.

For more information or to register online, click below:

www.fredinfo.com/publishing/bly

——————————————————————

***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.

——————————————————————

***3 steps to writing postcards that sell***

1—Clearly state the biggest benefit of the product or service
(e.g., “Get Rid of Annoying Pain & Fatigue!”).

2—Give the recipient a good reason to contact you NOW, such as a
special offer or deadline.

3—Provide a simple, easy way for the recipient to respond – an
800 number, Web site, e-mail address, or all three.

Source: Gendusa, Joy, “The Ultimate Postcard Success Manual”
(2007), pp. 33-34.

——————————————————————

***Let Zig Ziglar give you free sales training***

Attitude, skill, and activity lead to the results you want in
your personal and business life. Whether your interests lie in
sales, personal development, or leadership skills, the Ziglar
Newsletter gives you life-changing advice … ideas you can use on
your journey to success. For a free subscription, just click on
the link below:

www.ziglar.com/newsletter.php

——————————————————————

***The 10 commandments of copywriting***

Over half a century ago, G. Lynn Sumners, who created the
classic Harry & David Fortune magazine ad (”Imagine Harry & Me
Advertising Our Pears in Fortune!”), put forth these 10 rules
for writing winning advertisements – all of which are still
applicable today:

1–Learn all about your proposition before you write anything
about it.

2–Organize your material from the viewpoint of the buyer’s
interests, not yours.

3–Decide to whom you are writing.

4–Keep it simple.

5–Use meaningful words and phrases—words that stir the
emotions, make the mouth water, make the heart beat faster.

6–Don’t try to be funny. Remember, the most serious of all
operations is separating a man from his money.

7–Make your copy specific—names, places, what happens to whom.

8–Prove your points.

9–Make copy long enough to tell your story—and quit.

10–Give your reader something to do and make it easy for him to
do it.

Source: G. Lynn Sumners, “How I Learned the Secrets of Success
in Advertising.”

——————————————————————

How to Use Social Media Marketing to Grow Your Business:

Do you know how to use social media tools like Twitter, Facebook
and LinkedIn to gain exposure, drive traffic, build partnership
opportunities and generate quality leads? Discover precisely
how to use social media to grow your business during this
economic slump at Social Media Success Summit 2009
www.socialmediasummit09.com/bb - a professional
development conference for marketers and business owners.

Leading experts Gary Vaynerchuk (Wine Library TV), Darren Rowse
(Problogger), Mari Smith (Facebook guru), Jason Alba (wrote the
book on LinkedIn), Ann Handley (MarketingProfs), Brian Clark
(Copyblogger), Chris Garrett (Authority Blogger) and Denise
Wakeman (BlogSquad) have joined forces to share their closely
guarded secrets to social media success at this LIVE online
summit. Learn how to qualify for a $200 savings (expires May
14th) and lock in your key to success.

Visit www.socialmediasummit09.com/bb and get an immediate gift
valued at $39 entitled “Achieving Social Media Marketing Success
(Secrets From Three Successful Marketers).”

——————————————————————

***Optimize your Web sites for the major browsers***

According to a survey by Net Applications, the top 6 Web
browsers are:

1—Internet Explorer – preferred by 67.4% of Internet users.

2—Firefox—21.8%.

3—Safari—8.0%.

4—Chrome—1.2%.

5—Operate—0.7%.

6—Netscape—0.7%.

Recommendation: make sure your Web designer optimizes your sites
and landing pages for Internet Explorer, Firefox, and Safari.

Source: Internet Retailer (4/09, p. 57).

——————————————————————

***Write your own auto-responder e-mails***

An auto-responder is software that automatically delivers a
sequence of e-mail marketing messages according to a schedule
you specify. By sending such an e-mail sequence to prospects who
visit your landing page but do not buy, you can achieve
conversion rates of 10% to 30% or more.

One of the best auto-responder e-mail writers out there today is
copywriter Jay White. I recently shared the stage with Jay at a
high dollar marketing seminar. At the event, Jay gave us a sneak
peek at his easy yet ultra-powerful system for writing
auto-responder e-mails that sell. To see a free video of Jay’s
profit-pulling methods, go here now:

www.emailcopymadeeasy.com/members/go.php?r=2&i=l2

——————————————————————

***What you can’t say in nutritional supplement copy***

The one thing you absolutely can’t say when selling dietary
supplements is that they can treat or cure a disease.

Solution: substitute the euphemisms below for the disease, and
then say “promote” or “optimize” or “improve” instead of “cure”
or “treat” or “prevent.”

Unacceptable: “Prevents Alzheimer’s Disease.”

Better: “Improves memory.”

Other recommended disease euphemisms: “joint pain” instead of
arthritis … “blood sugar problems” instead of diabetes … “bone
loss” instead of osteoporosis … “abnormal cell growth” instead
of cancer … “low energy” instead of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.

Source: Carline Anglade-Cole’s Copy Star, Issue #20,
www.carlinecole.com

——————————————————————

***Another nail in book publishing’s coffin***

More bad news for the book publishing industry: reading may
actually be hazardous to your health (or at least your
children’s health)!

The Consumer Product Safety Commission is urging libraries to
remove from their shelves children’s books published before
1986, because the ink used to print them may contain unsafe
levels of lead.

Source: The Record, 3/18/09.

——————————————————————

***More recession-fighting business strategies***

>>Be proactive with your creditors. Talk to them before there’s
a problem, not after.

>> Scrutinize your spending. Spend only on those things that
have a positive justifiable effect on your business and profits.

>> Consult with your banker. Arrange a line of credit before you
need it.

>> Revisit your business plan monthly to adjust strategy in
response to changing market conditions.

>> Review your financial statement constantly. Assess your reports
weekly to improve decision making.

Source: Words from Woody, Spring 2009, p. 1.

——————————————————————

***Quotation of the month***

“The only people who seem to be capable of getting us to act on
our impulses are the direct response marketers, something that
Madison Avenue, awash in brand advertising, has never had to
concern itself with.”
–Remy Stern

Source: Stern, Remy, “But Wait…There’s More” (HarperCollins,
2009), p. 227.

——————————————————————

***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!

——————————————————————

***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.

April, 2009

——————————————————————-

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 Unvarnished Truth About Making Money on the Internet
http://www.fredinfo.com/truthprints/bly

——————————————————————-

***Are you prepared for a prolonged recession?***

My new online business evaluation can help you determine your
state of readiness for a protracted recession. Takes less than 2
minutes, and for participating you get a free copy of my
best-selling special report (featured in the LA Times) “15
Recession-Proof Business Strategies” (list price: $29).

To take the assessment and claim your free recession report,
click below now:

www.bly.com/recessionsurvey

——————————————————————-

***How much time does social networking take?***

As my readers know, I am not a huge fan of social media. Yes, it
can work. But it can also take up a lot of your time, and that’s
a problem when you’re already too busy.

According to a new social media survey by Michael Stelzner, “How
Marketers are Using Social Media to Grow Their Business,” nearly
9 out of 10 marketers use social media to increase exposure,
generate traffic, and forge new business relationships.

However, 64% are using social media for 5 hours or more each
week, 39% for 10 hours or more each week, and 9.6% devote more
than 2 hours a week to social media.

In my own informal survey, not included in Michael’s report,
I’ve found that marketers who devote less than 5 hours a week to
social media primarily focus on one networking channel.

Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, and blogs are the ones most often
cited. Only those marketers who network online over an hour a
day can participate in multiple networks and forums.

For more information or to download Michael’s new social media
report and survey, visit:

http://www.whitepapersource.com/socialmediamarketing/report/

——————————————————————-

***Is a one-time Internet buyer a real direct response
customer?***

Not according to direct response consultant Stephen Lett, who
says you should never mail a print catalog to first-time
Internet buyers.

“Most first-time Internet buyers never make a second purchase,”
says Lett. “They were surfing the Web for a specific item they
wanted, so mailing them a catalog has little impact.”

Source: Lett, Stephen, “Cost Cutting Checklists,” Catalog
Success (3/09, p. 23).

——————————————————————-

***Make money on the Internet as easy as 1-2-3-4***

I just posted a new video online. It reveals how you can make a
six-figure income selling information products over the Internet
… in just 4 simple steps.

And if you are a writer — or just have a way with words – you
can complete these 4 steps quickly and easily.

Watch this short video and discover the 4 steps to building a
profitable online business. It’s free — and takes less than 2 ½
minutes:

www.internetmarketingforcopywriters.com

——————————————————————-

***Why compiled mailing lists suck***

According to Eric Webster, a VP of Marketing at State Farm
responsible for mailing half a billion direct mail pieces a
year, 9 – 12% of the names on compiled lists are undeliverable.

Solution: the first time you mail to compiled names, send your
mailing first class. Then track the returned pieces, and remove
those addresses from future mail streams.

Source: Jackson Consulting Group Advanced Insurance Direct
Marketing Workshop, 3/3/09.

——————————————————————-

**101 ways to double your response rates***

“101 Ways to Double Your Response Rates” is the title of a new
Special Report from my colleague Ivan Levison, a top copywriter
specializing in software and B2B marketing.

As the title implies, his report gives dozens of practical,
quick-reading tips for improving readership and response
generated by sales letters … brochures … lift notes … sales
literature … e-mail marketing … advertising … postcards … and
more.

To download a FREE copy of this valuable report, visit:

www.levison.com/subscribe

——————————————————————-

***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 cost $8 per copy should sell for a
minimum of $80.

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.

——————————————————————-

***Why people open or trash your e-mail***

A study from Pitney Bowes reveals why some direct mail goes
straight into the trash, while other DM is enthusiastically
opened and read by the recipients.

Watch a free video on designing direct mail that people open
here:

http://news.pb.com:80/section_display.cfm?section_id=269

——————————————————————-

***Does personalization pay off?***

A study from GI Direct, reported in the Talon Newsletter (3/09,
p. 2), found that over 70% of adults surveyed said they are 5X
more likely to respond to properly personalized direct marketing
offers vs. non-personalized mailings.

My own experience is that personalization almost always
increases response rates, but not always sufficiently to pay
back the added cost of the personalization.

In b-to-b DM, the larger the company and the higher up on the
corporate ladder your prospect, the more likely personalization
is to pay off.

Conversely, middle managers, professionals, support staff,
salespeople, and small business owners respond well to
non-personalized mail.

For business-to-consumer direct mail, personalization often pays
off in mortgage mailings, insurance, banking, and other
financial services promotions … and also in mailings to existing
customers.

——————————————————————-

***6 reasons why consumers don’t buy online***

In order, here are the 6 most common reasons consumers cite for
their reluctance to shop online:

1—They prefer to see an item before buying it – 58% picked this
reason.

2—Concern about the security of paying online – 52%.

3—Shipping charges on e-commerce sites are too high – 30%.

4—Returning items to Internet merchants is a hassle – 27%.

5—They are worried that products may not get delivered in good
condition – 21%.

6—They do not want to wait for delivery – 14%.

Source: Internet Retailer, 3/09, p. 64.

——————————————————————-

**Words that work in headlines***

Here are some words and phrases that, according to advertising
great Ted Nicholas, work especially well in headlines:

Announcing … Secrets of … Facts you … Advice to … Protect … Do
you … Yes … Love … Hate … How much … How would you … Only …
Free … You … How to … New … Now … Amazing … Breakthroughs … At
last … Life … Discover … Bargains … Sale … Free.

Source: “Success in the Sun,” Ted Nicholas seminar, Tampa, FL,
February 2009.

——————————————————————-

***My secret formula for writing 75 published books***

My secret formula for writing 75 published books …

… will be revealed in a talk I give on writing and selling
nonfiction books at Fred Gleeck’s big publishing seminar in NYC
in May. Click here for dates, location, and other details:

www.fredinfo.com/publishing/bly

——————————————————————-

***Quotation of the month***

“Retiring is just practicing to be dead.”
–Paul Harvey

Source: Time, 3/16/09, p. 22.

——————————————————————-

***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 http://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 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.

March, 2009

——————————————————————-

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.

——————————————————————-

Retire This Year With a Six-Figure Passive Income from
Writing and Selling Simple Information over the Internet:

www.theinternetmarketingretirementplan.com

——————————————————————-

***My last weekend seminar: Secrets to Selling on the
Internet***

I will be presenting, for Early to Rise, a weekend workshop,
“Secrets to Selling on the Internet,” in New York City from 3/20
to 3/22.

I am the only speaker. If you have ever wanted to attend an
intensive training session in Internet marketing with me, this
is your last chance — because after this, I will do no more.

In this workshop, I’ll show you step-by-step how to create
everything - and I mean everything - you need to start and run a
successful Internet marketing business, including: landing pages
… Web sites … search engine optimization … PPC ad campaigns …
e-mail marketing messages … e-books … e-newsletters … bonus
reports … articles … PR … and so much more.

Click here for more information or to register; this is the only
notice you will receive from me:

www.earlytorise.com/bly/bobbly

——————————————————————-

***5 ways to thrive in a recession***

BusinessWeek recently gave these 5 suggestions for navigating
your business through the current economic storm:

1–Don’t panic. Cycles happen. Sometimes they happen hard, but
we’ll come back around eventually.

2–Keep marketing. Slowdowns are an ideal time to snatch up
market share.

3–Stick to your focus. Don’t water down your message in a
misguided attempt to widen your market appeal.

4–Don’t go “discount crazy.” If you keep offering “special
deals,” eventually the deals are no longer special… and
customers learn to wait for the next deal instead of buying
right now.

5–Have a plan. You can’t wish the crisis away by ignoring it.

Source: The Copywriter’s Roundtable, #398.

——————————————————————-

***Clever networking idea***

I met a fellow last month at the Ted Nicholas seminar in Tampa
who used a rather clever networking idea. He was tall and had a
head full of curly hair in a semi-Afro.

He had special business cards printed up just for the event.
Above his contact information, the cards said: “I’m the curly
haired guy that you met at the Ted Nicholas Seminar in Tampa.”

A really clever way, I think, to make yourself memorable -
although for me, I’d have to change “curly haired” to “short and
dumpy.”

——————————————————————-

***Free tips on increasing landing page conversion rates***

A “landing page” is a long-copy sales letter posted on the Web.
Its purpose: to sell a single product.

Landing page performance is measured by the conversion rate: the
percentage of unique visitors who purchase the product.

Any incremental increase in conversion rate produces a
proportional increase in orders and revenues.

For free tips on maximizing landing page conversion rates and
sales, click below:

www.thelandingpageguru.com

——————————————————————-

***Health care copywriting tactics for a tough economy***

Discover the best ways to position your dietary supplements or
other health products … overcome your prospect’s skepticism …
and keep your sales up. Free special report “17 Health
Copywriting Tactics for a Tough Economy” tells you how. Click
here to download now:

www.healthwriterclachar.com/Report.html

——————————————————————-

***What we know about Hispanic shoppers***

John Fogli, a specialist in Hispanic marketing, says that Latino
consumers:

>> Shop more often.

>> Live for today.

>> Spend on average a half hour more in stores than other
shoppers.

>> Shop with friends and family.

>> Rely on word-of-mouth.

>> Prefer bilingual communication.

Source: Jackson Consulting Group Advanced Insurance Direct
Marketing Workshop, 3/3/09.

——————————————————————-

***Book of the month***

My colleague Bernie Malonson has started a fascinating venture:
finding and republishing rare marketing books.

The second volume in his series is “How I Learned the Secrets of
Success in Advertising” by G. Lynn Sumners, originally published
in 1957 - the year I was born.

And it’s well worth reading. Sumners helped create classic ad
campaigns for DuBarry Success Course … Fruit of the Month Club …
Singer Sewing Machine … and others. And virtually everything he
says about writing winning ads is still true half a century
later.

http://tinyurl.com/ab6wat

——————————————————————-

***3 vendor management tactics to avoid***

Here are 3 things customers often do to vendors to save money
and gain control. Unfortunately, they have the opposite effect,
causing the vendor to resent the customer and not care about
doing their work:

>> Paying vendors late - this may improve your cash flow. But
vendors give priority treatment to customers who pay their bills
on time.

>> Haggling over price - yes, you may be able to drive the price
down if the vendor needs the work. But too much negotiating can
have an effect on the relationship.

>> Showing the vendor who’s the boss - yes, you are the boss.
You are the customer. You are in charge. But don’t treat vendors
like children, morons, or slaves.

The common perception is that employees require motivation but
vendors do not. Unfortunately, it’s not true. Vendors are people
too. And their treatment of you reflects your treatment of them.

Source: Gene Marks, Home Business Magazine, 4/09, p. 68.

——————————————————————-

***Best pages for running mail order ads***

According to Ted Nicholas, full-page mail order ads pull best
when run on right-hand pages in the front third of the magazine.

Ted says your insertion order should read “pages 3, 5, 7, 9, 11,
or omit.” That means the magazine either gives you page 3, 5, 7,
9, or 11 (odd pages are right-hand pages) — or you do not want
to run the ad.

Ted says that if the magazine goofs and runs the ad on another
page, they are contractually obligated to run it again for free
- known as a “make good.”

Source: Success in the Sun, Ted Nicholas Seminar, 2/20-2/22/09,
Tampa, FL.

——————————————————————-

***Quotation of the month***

“I never use a long word when a short one will do or an involved
construction when a simple one will do or literary trickery when
plain-speaking will do.”
–Isaac Asimov

Source: Yours, Isaac Asimov (Doubleday, 1995), p. 11.

——————————————————————-

***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
Copywriter / Consultant
22 East Quackenbush Avenue
Dumont, NJ 07628
Phone 201-385-1220
Fax 201-385-1138
www.bly.com