Bly.com Newsletter Archives

2/1/2010

How to market with articles

Filed under: Newsletter Archive — site admin @ 12:55 pm

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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.

February 2010

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

Your subscription brings you one regular monthly issue, usually
at the beginning of the month, plus 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

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***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.

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***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.

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***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!

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***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.

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***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

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***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.

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***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

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***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.

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***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

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***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.

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***Reprint my articles – free!***

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

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

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

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1/1/2010

Ideal length for web pages

Filed under: Newsletter Archive — site admin @ 10:42 am

———————————————————————–

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

January, 2010

———————————————————————–

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

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***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

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***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.

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***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).

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***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

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***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.

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***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.

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***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.

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***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

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***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.

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***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.

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***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

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***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.

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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 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

11/30/2009

Finding products to sell online

Filed under: Newsletter Archive — site admin @ 1:20 pm

—————————————————————–

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

December, 2009

—————————————————————–

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.

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***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

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***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/

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***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.

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***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.

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***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.”

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***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.

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***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.

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***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

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***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.

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***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***

—————————————————————–

11/9/2009

Get famous on YouTube; tweeting secrets; best time to send e-mails

Filed under: Newsletter Archive — site admin @ 11:56 am

—————————————————————–

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

November, 2009

—————————————————————–

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***

—————————————————————–

10/2/2009

How Ted Nicholas got so rich

Filed under: Newsletter Archive — site admin @ 8:12 am

———————————————————————

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

October, 2009

———————————————————————

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.

———————————————————————

9/4/2009

4 Google optimization tips; 7 online profit roadblocks; 5 ways to double conversions

Filed under: Newsletter Archive — site admin @ 12:12 pm

——————————————————————–

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

September, 2009

——————————————————————–

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***

——————————————————————–

7/31/2009

Turn your hobby into online profits

Filed under: Newsletter Archive — site admin @ 11:36 am

——————————————————————-

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

August, 2009

——————————————————————-

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.

——————————————————————-

7/1/2009

A shocking fact about your Google ranking

Filed under: Newsletter Archive — site admin @ 10:58 am

———————————————————————–

Bob Bly’s Direct Response Letter:

Resources, ideas, and tips for improving response to
business-to-business, high-tech, and direct marketing.

July, 2009

———————————————————————–

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

6/2/2009

Internet profits so obscene it’s almost unfair

Filed under: Newsletter Archive — site admin @ 8:45 am

———————————————————————

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

June, 2009

———————————————————————

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.

———————————————————————

5/4/2009

10 commandments of copywriting

Filed under: Newsletter Archive — site admin @ 11:50 am

——————————————————————

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

May, 2009

——————————————————————

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.

——————————————————————

4/6/2009

Pricing information products

Filed under: Newsletter Archive — site admin @ 12:33 pm

——————————————————————-

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

April, 2009

——————————————————————-

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.

——————————————————————-

3/6/2009

My last weekend seminar ever

Filed under: Newsletter Archive — site admin @ 9:10 am

——————————————————————-

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

March, 2009

——————————————————————-

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

2/21/2009

88 ways to make money writing

Filed under: Newsletter Archive — site admin @ 9:32 pm

———————————————————————-

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

Mid-February, 2009

———————————————————————-

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.

This is a special mid-month supplemental issue bring you news of
books, seminars, audios, and other resources I have reviewed and
want to share and recommend to my readers. In the interest of
full disclosure, I am an affiliate for some of these products,
which means if you buy it through this newsletter, I get a
commission on the sale. But the commission comes out of the
seller’s pocket; you do not pay extra.

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.

———————————————————————-

Valuable New Edition of Claude Hopkins’ Must-Read Classic
Advertising Book, “Scientific Advertising: Illustrated and
Annotated,” Available Online Only at:

http://www.scientificadvertisingillustrated.com

———————————————————————-

***88 ways to make money writing***

Looking for your niche as a freelance writer – one in which you
can earn a six-figure income? Then read my new book, “88
Money-Making Writing Jobs.”

It shows you how to make money with copywriting, articles, books
and other traditional writing opportunities – as well as some
lesser-known writing jobs including crossword puzzles, greeting
cards, and comic books. For more information … or to order and
save 25% off the cover price … click here now:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/140221507X?ie=UTF8&tag=bobblycop-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=140221507X
http://tinyurl.com/cnd6tp

———————————————————————-

***Freelance editor for hire***

“Can you recommend a freelance editor to rewrite my clunky
prose?” a client asked me the other day. So I sent him to Tom
Laga.

If you write your own copy, content, books, or info products,
you might feel more comfortable having a professional editor
take a look at it. With over 30 years of experience, freelance
editor Tom Laga can turn your drafts into clear, correct copy in
conversational English. E-mail him at: drlaga@comcast.net.

———————————————————————-

***Get Target stores to carry your products***

Selling your products in large retail outlets may seem like an
impossible dream. But it’s not as hard as you might think.

In her Special Report, “Skyrocket Your Sales by Getting Your
Product in Target,” Margie Zable Fisher shows you, step-by-step,
how to sell your products to Target. That can give your sales a
real boost, considering that the initial order for Target stores
is often 9,000 products or more. For more information or to
order, click here:

http://www.profcs.com/app/?Clk=2835996
www.bly.com/target

———————————————————————-

***Make your shopping cart make more sales for you***

Dave Hamilton, known as the “Web Marketing Magician,” advises
Internet marketers to use free offers – but not in the way you
may be doing it now.

“You may be giving away a product right now, as a carrot to
encourage people to opt in to your email list, or to promote the
services you offer,” says Dave, “but is this the most effective
use of free? You may be surprised!” Get the full story here:

http://tinyurl.com/bdylt9

———————————————————————-

***Get featured in my next book***

For a new book I am writing, I am looking for samples of
successful lead-generating sales letters (print only). If you
have one you’d like to share, please e-mail it to me at
rwbly@bly.com – and thanks!

———————————————————————-

***The skinny on selling***

In selling, the big money makers take matters into their own
hands. They don’t sit around waiting for the next sale to walk
through the door. And they know a major mistake salespeople make
is delaying or neglecting their own ongoing sales education.

That’s why I am recommending an excellent sales advice book
written by 50 leading experts, including yours truly. It costs a
whopping 25 bucks, so the publisher has thrown in $3,000 in
complimentary sales tools. Details here:

http://www.salesdog.com/Gifts.asp?Affiliate_ID=1119
www.bly.com/tdss

———————————————————————-

***Learn PR from a master***

Paul Hartunian became famous in the PR world as “the man who
sold the Brooklyn Bridge.” He sold slivers of wood from
discarded scrap lumber taken from the Brooklyn Bridge walkway
solely through PR, including being featured on the Tonight Show.
For a free trial subscription to his excellent PR newsletter,
click here now:

http://www.7dollartrial.com

———————————————————————-

***Increase organic search traffic with title tags***

The way you write the “title tag” (html code for the page title
in your meta tags) can have a big impact on search engine
rakings for that page.

A few tips on writing title tags for your web pages:

>>Use key words at the beginning of the title tag.

>>Minimize the number of non-key-words in the title tag.

>>The text used in internal links from other pages in your site
should match the title tag (e.g., if the title tag is “vacuum
pumps,” the hyperlink should read something like “we also carry
a full line of vacuum pumps”).

Source: Strategic Profits Internet marketing conference, 2/7/07,
Boca Raton, FL.

———————————————————————-

***How to double your freelance writing fees***

In his latest how-to guide, “Pricing Your Writing Services,”
Steve Slaunwhite reveals a simple 5-step system for quoting the
top rates for your writing services and persuading clients to
say yes.

In it, you’ll discover: what to charge for more than 100
different writing projects … exactly what to say when a client
says, “Your price is too high” … a 3-step follow-up technique
that doubles your chances of winning the work … ready-made
quotation forms … follow-up scripts … and more:

http://www.1shoppingcart.com/app/?Clk=2391752
www.bly.com/pricingmanual

———————————————————————-

***Make money writing resumes in your spare time***

Whether you’re just looking for some extra spare-time cash, or
are looking for a new career, writing resumes for pay may be
just the ticket for you.

AWAI’s Pro Resume Writer Program gives you everything you need
to start and run a successful spare-time resume service. And for
the next 48 hours, they are practically giving the program away
for only $48:

http://www.myresumebiz.com/bly/learnmore

———————————————————————-

***Real-world Internet marketing taught by seasoned pros***

The oldest Internet marketing seminar and one of the best!
System Seminar founder Ken McCarthy celebrates 15 years of
teaching online marketing including executives from Google,
Google certified instructors, and top experts in SEO,
pay-per-click, copywriting, info marketing. In short, everything
you need to start and grow an Internet marketing business –
from people who are doing it.

http://www.thesystemseminar.com/265-1.html

———————————————————————-

***Free writing success tips from Gordon Burgett***

My long-time colleague Gordon Burgett has developed a proven
process for turning your writing and speaking into an
“information empire.” His information-empire-building methods
can help you reach thousands more readers and make a lot more
money. And now you can learn his techniques in Gordon’s free
online newsletter. Click here to learn more or get a free
subscription:

www.gordonburgett.com/portal2nl.htm

———————————————————————-

***Sick and tired of your job or your life? Then change it!***

In his 40s, professional stand-up comic Peter Fogel reinvented
himself to become a successful copywriter and information
marketer.

If you are thinking of making a major mid-life change, I highly
recommend Peter’s new book, “If Not Now… Then When? Stories
and Strategies of People Over 40 Who Have Successfully
Reinvented Themselves.” Check out the video book trailer (an
interesting marketing technique) here:

http://youtube.com/watch?v=1Hhs6dNtvGo

———————————————————————-

***Why you should join the new AABPE today***

Jim Straw, an entrepreneur for over 50 yrs, came up with an
ingenious idea. The idea for the American Association of
Business People & Entrepreneurs came to Jim late one night in
the first week of November, 2008, when he saw a TV commercial
for the AARP. He asked himself, “Why isn’t there an
organization like that for Business People?” After thinking
about it for a couple days, the idea for, and concept of, such
an organization began forming and Jim began writing notes to
himself regarding the formation of such an organization.

The basis of this organization, which is patterned after the
AARP, which acts much like an American purchasing cartel … the
AABPE will offer the same kinds of products/services only
directed toward Business People & Entrepreneurs. For more
information or to join, visit:

https://paydotcom.com/r/78947/BobBly/22320040/
www.bly.com/aabpe

———————————————————————-

***Dr. Gary North can save you $180 an hour***

My colleague Gary North is a true renaissance man: an author,
economist, investment guru, direct marketing expert, and
political analyst blessed with more brains and common sense than
any man should have a right to possess.

Let Gary help you save money on stuff you really will buy (or
should), plus increase your productivity with free or dirt-cheap
digital tools, and find ways to make extra walking-around money.
Subscribe to Gary North’s free “Tip of the Week” e-letter:

www.garynorth.com

———————————————————————-

***Give a great talk***

My new book, “Persuasive Presentations for Business,” went to #1
in the business nonfiction category on Amazon. Mark Amtower
recently interviewed me about the topic of becoming a better
speaker, and you can hear our discussion – and my presentation
tips – here:

http://www.federaldirect.net/blyinterview.html

———————————————————————-

***Quotation of the month***

“Writing is my business. I am in the profession of producing
verbal objects that I place on sale to the highest bidder. I
chose from the outset to make writing my sole means of support,
so I have always worked hard, produced my verbal objects at a
steady pace, and taken care to be paid, and well, for my labor.”
–Robert Silverberg

Source: “The Collected Stories of Robert Silverberg: Volume I”
(Bantam, 1992), p. xiii.

———————————————————————-

***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.

———————————————————————-

2/4/2009

What products sell best online?

Filed under: Newsletter Archive — site admin @ 9:31 pm

———————————————————————-

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

February, 2009

———————————————————————-

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.

———————————————————————-

Sig Rosenblum Was My First Copywriting Mentor. Now He Can Be
Yours Too:
www.sigsmarketingsecrets.com

———————————————————————-

***Which products are easiest to sell online?***

According to Internet entrepreneurs Brock Felt and Buck Rizvi,
products sold online can be divided into four categories:

1 – Products that alleviate the prospect’s pain.

2 – Products that solve a problem.

3 – Products that give or enable pleasure.

4 – Products that prevent a problem or condition.

Of these, #1 and #2 are the easiest to sell, because people feel
an urgent need to solve the problem or get rid of the pain.

Pleasure is desirable but its attainment is less urgent, making
products in category #3 more difficult to sell.

Products in category #4 are the most difficult to sell –
because, as health marketers have long known, people will buy
cure but not prevention.

Source: ETR Internet Marketing Conference 2008.

———————————————————————-

***Sales secrets of the mail order masters***

If you’ve ever wondered where thousands of small and midsize
direct marketers connect to find new opportunities to build
their business, it’s at the National Mail Order Association
(NMOA).

After 36 years, their member network has grown worldwide,
including new networking groups starting in each state. If you
would like to be part of this professional network, and you
should if you’re tied into direct marketing somehow, you can
register to receive their e-news at no charge.

Each week they cover new products to sell, expert advice
articles, headline news in direct marketing, and new
opportunities for businesses. Click here now for a free
subscription:

http://www.nmoa.org/freestuff.aspx

———————————————————————-

***7 simple steps to reducing your stress***

1—Get up 15 minutes earlier.

2—Prepare for your day the night before.

3—Write things down – don’t rely on memory alone.

4—Say “no” more often.

5—Always make copies of important papers.

6—Break large jobs into bite-size tasks.

7—Ask for help with jobs you dislike doing.

Source: Words from Woody, Winter 2009, p. 6

———————————————————————-

***Free training video on how to craft your “elevator pitch”

An “elevator pitch” is a 60-second introduction to who you are,
what you do, and why others might be interested that you give to
strangers in networking and social situations – like riding up
in an elevator together.

Taught to me by my friend, sales trainer Paul Karasik, the
3-step elevator pitch formula is a unique, no-pressure way of
actually getting the other person interested in learning more
about what you do – while eliminating the discomfort of talking
to strangers.

To see a short video in which I explain and demonstrate the
technique to you, click on the link below, scroll down a bit to
see my image, and click on my picture to play the video.

It’s free. And you can watch as many times as you need to get
the technique down:

www.zeropressureselling.com

———————————————————————-

***How to get high-paying speaking gigs***

To make money as a professional speaker, you have to convince
meeting planners to hire you.

According to top speaker Jeff Davidson, today’s meeting planners
are looking for speakers who:

1–Make the meeting planner’s job easier and more enjoyable.

2–Research the audience in advance through interviews.

3–Offer subject matter that directly coincides with audience
needs.

4–Are lively and compelling presenters who engage the audience
the whole way through.

5–Offer value-added services such as posting handouts on a blog
or website, making follow-up calls, or other bonus items or
information.

Source: www.openingkeynote.com

———————————————————————-

***Stock photos for your ads and web sites at no cost***

Most stock photo houses charge $100 to $500 and up for one-time
usage of images.

At sxc.hu, you can get quality photography to use however you
wish – in web sites, to illustrate publications, in ads and
brochures – 100% royalty-free.

Click below to view their vast selection:

www.sxc.hu

———————————————————————-

***Why clients leave you***

According to RainToday.com’s new report and survey “How Clients
Buy,” the most commonly experienced problems clients have with
their service providers is that the vendor:

>> Did not listen to them – 38%.
>> Did not understand their needs – 30%.
>> Did not respond to requests and correspondence in a timely
manner – 30%.

The report found that if you simply listen more closely to what
your clients are asking, 96% of them will be “much more likely”
or “somewhat more likely” to consider continuing to work with
you.

Source: www.raintoday.com

———————————————————————-

***Michael Masterson’s secret to powerful writing***

In a recent AWAI tele-seminar I conducted with Michael
Masterson, he revealed how you can improve your writing by using
the “power of one.”

That means you can make your article or promotion stronger by
focusing it on:

>> One big idea.
>> One appropriate emotion.
>> One purpose.
>>One audience.

The more ideas, emotions, objectives, and different types of
readers you try to cover and reach out to in your copy, the more
watered down and weaker it becomes.

Source: Tele-seminar presented 1/8/08.

———————————————————————-

***Harness the power of one good idea***

Krista Jones and Monica Day over at The Copy Protégé sent me a
review copy of their terrific new e-book on handling information
overload, “Finding the World’s Best Ideas: How to Access More
Than $100,000 Worth of Intelligence for as Little as 55 Cents a
Day.”

In just 75 tightly written, easy-reading pages, the book tells
you how to manage all the messages competing for your attention,
make sense of the massive data flow assaulting you daily, and
sort through all the noise to find the few great ideas hidden in
all that information for products, copy, marketing, and other
areas of your business.

Speaking of information overload, my readers send me way too
many e-books to review, but this one is well worth reading. For
more information, click here:

http://www.copyprotege.com/cart/cmd.php?Clk=2674788

———————————————————————-

***Quotation of the month***

“Great writing is good thinking expressed as cleanly as
possible.”
–Michael Masterson

Source: AWAI 2008 Bootcamp.

———————————————————————-

***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.

———————————————————————-

1/2/2009

How long should a Web page be?

Filed under: Newsletter Archive — site admin @ 9:30 pm

——————————————————————-

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

January 2009

——————————————————————-

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.

——————————————————————-

Discover my “Uncle Milt’s” Lost Marketing Secrets:
www.miltsmarketingsecrets.com

——————————————————————-

***3 ways to flourish in a recession***

Consultant Dr. David Weiman offers these 3 suggestions for
keeping your business booming during the current financial
crisis:

** Reduce your daily news intake … if the headlines make you
anxious or depressed, spend less time reading or watching the
news.

** Focus on what you can control … these are things you can
actually do something about.

** Take action … your own efforts, correctly focused, can lead
to success even in the worst circumstances.

Source: The Weiman Consulting Letter, www.weimanconsulting.com

——————————————————————-

***Your 2009 marketing plan is ready***

No 2009 marketing plan for your business? No problem. That
doesn’t have to hold you back in 2009. Ilise Benun at Marketing
Mentor has already created your complete step-by-step marketing
plan to guide you through the entire year!

You’ll be amazed by what can happen in just 12 months when you
put the “new, improved” “2009 Grow Your Business Marketing Plan
+ Calendar” to work. You’ll know exactly what to do every day.

As a result, your pipeline will be full … you’ll get new clients
… make more money … gain control of your business … and master
valuable marketing strategies that can benefit your business for
years to come. For more information or to order, click here now:

http://www.profcs.com/app/?Clk=2778468

——————————————————————-

***Where to find my information products***

I am often asked, “Bob, where can I find a listing of all the
information products you publish?”

We’ve created a new site and home page for my little online
publishing company, CTC Publishing, so you can find all of our
information products at one location online.

Take a look at:

www.ctcpublishing.net

——————————————————————-

***Make money writing white papers***

I love writing white papers. There’s no hard sell. No
over-the-top marketing hype. Just solid, useful content written
in a clear and engaging style. And the pay ain’t bad: up to
$5,000 or more per assignment.

Now you too can make money writing white papers for your
copywriting clients. At the White Paper Success Summit 2009,
Michael Stelzner … Roger C. Parker … yours truly … and others
show you everything you need to know to make money writing white
papers!

No travel required. This online summit allows you to attend
sessions, meet the experts and network with peers, all from the
comfort of your home or office.

For more information … or to qualify for a $200 “early bird”
savings … and get a free bonus report (value: $39), “Making Your
White Paper Stand Out From the Crowd: Best Practices for
Creating White Papers” … just click below now:

http://www.whitepapersummit.com/bb/

——————————————————————-

***Best length for search-optimized Web pages***

The figure of 300 words is often cited as the optimum length
for Web pages.

SEO guru John Phelps says while there is no “magic number,” Web
pages can be anywhere from 500 to as long as 1,500 words.

Web pages longer than 1,500 words should be divided – to best
serve the reader and the search engines – into two or more
shorter pages by topic.

Source: ETR Internet Marketing Conference 2008.

——————————————————————-

***Free monthly marketing tip from Jay Siff***

Jay Siff is a master direct marketer who is outrageously
successful but keeps a low profile.

Once a month, Jay sends out a very short, but powerful,
marketing tip designed for retail and service businesses – and I
always profit from them.

To get Jay’s free monthly marketing tips, click on the link
below:

http://www.loyalrewards.com/jaysmarketingtip.php

——————————————————————-

***3 problems with your copy you absolutely must fix***

Copywriter Mike Palmer developed the CUB (confusing,
unbelievable, boring) formula for reviewing and rewriting copy.

The CUB formula says when reviewing copy, circle with a pencil
any text that is:

>> Confusing … and then rewrite to make it clearer.

>> Unbelievable … here the solution is to add more facts that
prove your claim.

>> Boring … sharpen, shorten, or reposition any sections that
cause you to lose interest while reading.

Source: AWAI 2008 Bootcamp.

——————————————————————-

***A great online newsletter and special report for copywriters
– yours free***

Monica Day and Krista Jones showed up on the copywriting scene
just 6 years ago – eager and determined beginners. Today, I
consider them colleagues and admire the fast climb they each
made — in their own ways – to success in this field.

Since then, they can count some of the top direct marketers in
the industry as clients — names like Nightingale-Conant and Agora
Publishing – and they each cracked the six-figure income mark
after just two years on the scene.

Of course, other beginners wanted to know how they did it. Heck,
even veterans like me were curious. So they started their
e-letter, The Copy Protégé – and they really tell all, starting
with the free report they give out immediately when you
subscribe – “From Day One to Six Figures: Frequently Asked
Questions about Becoming a Professional Copywriter.”

To subscribe and download your free special report, click below
now:

www.copyprotege.com

——————————————————————-

***The Silver Rules of business success***

From Internet marketing pioneer Yanik Silver come these 3
“Silver Rules” of business success:

>> Focus most of your time on your core strengths and less time
working in areas in which you are weak.

>> Get paid before you deliver your product or service – and when
possible figure how to create recurring revenue from
transactions.

>> Bootstrap – start your business on a shoestring. Reason:
having too much capital leads to incredible waste and doing
things using conventional means.

www.yaniksilver.com

——————————————————————-

***Know the FDA’s rules for dietary supplement advertising***

If you’re a marketer or copywriter, it’s easy to get lost in the
confusing maze of federal regulations controlling the selling of
natural health products.

And now, advertising and marketing agency copywriters are
legally responsible for “illegal” marketing language used to
promote natural products.

Finally, a training manual is available that explains the
complicated, convoluted laws regulating natural products
marketing. This book may save your company — and your future.

“What Can You Say, When You Can’t Say Anything? How to Avoid FDA
Red Flag Claims and Sell Your Natural Products Legally” can help
you understand what the FDA says you can (and cannot) say in
your copy – showing you how to successfully and legally market
natural products.

Learn about this landmark reference manual at:

http://www.1shoppingcart.com/app/?af=864529

——————————————————————-

***Make Web page headlines really pop***

Copywriter Joe Robson gives these tips, all of which I agree
with, for making the headlines on your landing pages stand out:

>> Put the headline in larger type – at least 2X the type size
of the body copy.

>> To emphasize words or phrases within the headline, put them
in red (the other letters in black).

>> Use initial caps in the words within your headline.

>> Put the headline in quotations marks, which draws the
reader’s eyes to it.

Source: Joe Robson, Copywriter Digest Newsletter, 12/12/08.

——————————————————————-

***My favorite online list-building strategy***

In traditional marketing, a “loss leader” is a product you sell
at cost or at a loss to get new customers.

I’ve adapted this strategy to the Internet, and the first time I
used it, I added 946 new customers to my e-list, at zero
marketing cost, within one week.

What’s really great about the Loss Leader Strategy is that very
few people know about it and almost no one is using it online,
so it’s still relatively fresh and new.

To get my new Special Report on “The Internet Loss Leader
Strategy,” just click below now; you won’t be required to give
me your e-mail address or any other information about yourself:

http://theinternetlossleaderstrategy.com/LossLeaders_Final.pdf

——————————————————————-

***Quotation of the month***

“Consistently and constantly force yourself to focus on the
critically few proactive activities that produce exponential
results. Don’t get caught up in minutia and B.S.”
–Yanik Silver

——————————————————————-

***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.

——————————————————————-

12/9/2008

Help, my business sucks

Filed under: Newsletter Archive — site admin @ 11:04 am

——————————————————————

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

December, 2008

——————————————————————

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.

——————————————————————

“21 Rules for Freelance Copywriting Success” - Read Them At No Cost on My Blog Now:

http://bly.com/blog/

——————————————————————

***The optimum running time for online videos***

In my October issue, I quoted Marc Harty of StrategicTraffic.com
who said online videos should run 2 minutes or less.

But in an interview with DM News, Alan Feldenkris of Brand New
World gives a contrary view.

“The length of your online video doesn’t matter, as long as it
is interesting,” says Feldenkris. “You should not limit a
compelling story because of length.”

To find out more about how you can increases web site
performance by posting videos online, click below now:

www.addvideo2yoursite.com

Source: DM News, 10/20/08, p. 27.

——————————————————————

***Don Hauptman’s freelance writing wisdom***

When I got started in freelance copywriting in the early 1980s,
I met and became friends with Don Hauptman, who was already one
of the most in-demand and highest paid direct response
copywriters in the country.

Now in his new e-book “The Versatile Freelancer,” Don shares
with you the tips and techniques he learned in 40 years of
freelancing on how to make more money as an independent writer.

This is a terrific, risk-free, proven resource to boost your
income and reap many other benefits.

For more information or to order, click here now:

www.awaionline.com/bly/versatilefreelancer

——————————————————————

***Online marketing with Craig’s List***

Here’s an online marketing method I haven’t tried yet. But it
sounds promising: generating traffic using Craig’s List. The
report, at $7, is inexpensive and the instructions in it are
very simple and clearly illustrated:

www.craigslisttraffic.com

——————————————————————

***The continuing saga of whacky spacky***

I keep recommending the free keyword research tool spacky.com,
and when my readers use the tool, it glitches on them.

Current status: try www.spacky.com for your keyword research,
but don’t be surprised if results for certain terms don’t come
up.

www.spacky.com

——————————————————————

***Cell phone tip for speakers***

You’d think it would go without saying, but just last month, I
was at an Internet marketing conference where, in the middle of
his talk, a speaker’s cell phone rang.

Amazingly, he reached into his pocket and answered it.

This is incredibly rude and disrespectful to the audience.

When you speak, turn off cell phones, Blackberries, and all
other electronic communications devices.

Better yet, leave them in your hotel room or briefcase. Don’t
take them onstage.

For more ways to improve your talks and speeches, see my book
“Persuasive Presentations for Business.”

Published by Entrepreneur Press, it was an Amazon #2 nonfiction
best-seller in October.

For more information or to order, click here:

http://tinyurl.com/64vexx

——————————————————————

***New SEO copywriting guide***

“Content Rich: Writing Your Way to Wealth on the Web” is a
useful and easy-to-understand guide to search engine
optimization (SEO) copywriting. I especially recommend it if SEO
copywriting is new to you.

The book also gives you new ways of looking at online content
and shows how to leverage the combined power of all types of web
copy — including site, landing page, blog, article, e-mail,
newsletter, PPC ads, and press releases — to give your business
a clear competitive advantage. For more information or to order,
click here:

www.customcopywriting.com/products.htm

——————————————————————

***Tips for tele-seminar presenters***

If you are a moderator or guest on a tele-seminar:

>> Make sure you are in a quiet place where background noise is
at a minimum.

>> Use a regular landline telephone handset. They normally have
god quality microphones — unlike headsets, which have poor
quality mikes.

>> Don’t multi-task during your presentation. Focus 100% on the
tele-seminar. Don’t read your e-mail or correspondence at the
same time you are on a tele-seminar discussion.

>> Turn air conditioners and heaters to their lowest setting so
the background noise does not interfere. Unplug fax machines and
turn off phone ringers.

>> If it’s a webcast, log in early to make sure you don’t have
last-minute problems logging on as a speaker or moderator. Test
the system the day before.

>> Hang a sign on your office door that says: “Teleconference in
progress – do not disturb.”

Source: N24, www.on24.com

——————————————————————

***Help, My Business Sucks!***

Andrew Lock has a terrifically entertaining Internet TV show
created to help entrepreneurs get more done and have more fun.

The weekly show “Help My Business Sucks!” provides lots of
practical marketing tips, lessons from well-known brands, and a
humorous take on what marketers are doing right and wrong.

It’s fast-paced and entertaining — unlike so many of the
business videos I see posted online today. Andrew really knows
marketing. And, best of all, you can watch “Help My Business
Sucks!” online for free. For more information visit:

www.HelpMyBusiness.com

——————————————————————

***Marketing Secrets from the “Six Billion Dollar Man”***

There are lots of self-proclaimed “marketing gurus out” there –
but only a handful with the track record to back up their claim.

Ted Nicholas is one of that handful, having generated – in a
career spanning more than five decades – nearly $6 billion in
sales.

It’s for that reason … and the fact that Ted is also a terrific
writer and teacher of marketing … that I give his new book
“Billion Dollar Marketing Secrets” my highest recommendation.

Packed with in-depth wisdom and up-to-the-minute winning
strategies and tactics for online and offline, “Billion Dollar
Marketing Secrets” is simply a must-read for every practitioner
and student of marketing.

For more information or to order, click here now:

www.tednicholas.com/bdms2.html

——————————————————————

***Graphic design on a shoestring***

Need great graphic design for online or offline marketing but
can’t afford to pay top dollar. On 99designs.com, you can post
your job online and get graphic designers to do it for you for
free!

That’s right. These graphic artists, for whatever reason, will
literally do the entire job for free and submit it for your
review. You pay a small fee only to the designer whose work you
want to use. You don’t owe the others a dime. If none suits you,
you owe nothing.

Take a look at this incredibly low-cost online resource for
graphic design here:

http://99designs.com

——————————————————————

***Break into writing for the movies***

Whether you are new or a seasoned writer or filmmaker, learn
hands-on how to write, direct, produce, and distribute your own
film.

YouScreenWriter.com is the World’s first fully integrated writer
and filmmaker self-service applications that cover: story idea,
script, film shoot, and self-promotion all online. All you need
is YouScreenWriter, a Web browser, a video cam, a few friends,
and a place to shoot. Click here to get started:

www.YouScreenWriter.com

——————————————————————

***Quotation of the month***

“Disappointments and discouragement await us authors at every
turn. Someone is always ready and willing to tell us how our
books could have been done better. Someone is always close at
hand to point out how we failed. Our self-esteem is closely tied
to our writing, and someone is always ready to step on it.”
–Terry Brooks

Source: Brooks, Terry, “Sometimes the Magic Works” (Ballantine
Books, 2005), p. 37.

——————————————————————

***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.

——————————————————————

11/9/2008

10 words to close any sale

Filed under: Newsletter Archive — site admin @ 11:04 am

——————————————————————

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

November, 2008

——————————————————————-

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.

——————————————————————-

Almost everything I know about writing sales letters
I learned from Sig Rosenblum – and now, you can too:
http://www.sigsmarketingsecrets.com/

——————————————————————-

***Dan Kennedy’s recession-fighting business strategies***

Here are 3 great ideas for keeping your business healthy during
a recession:

1—Redirect your efforts at better, more likely buyers – those
least and last affected by the recession.

2—Quickly modify, repackage, retitle, and rearticulate what you
are offering to harmonize with the dominant desires, fears, and
beliefs of the times.

3—Work harder – certainly more diligently – to optimize the
value of every lead and every customer you get your hands on.

Source: Dan Kennedy e-mail, 10/14/08.

——————————————————————-

***Creating irresistible offers***

On November 5, I’ll be giving a Webinar on “7 Secrets to
Creating Irresistible Offers” with Ethan Boldt, Editor of Inside
Direct Mail. Among the topics we’ll cover:

>> Offers that can increase response rates as much as tenfold.
>> How to double your response rates with premiums.
>> Does “FREE” still work? The answer may surprise you.
>> Where to place your offer copy within your promotion.
>> Graphic design techniques that make your offer stand out.
>> And more….

For more information or to register, click below now:

http://w.on24.com/r.htm?e=103891&s=1&k=D655CDA50D3724B9545823F6DB51BAFA&partnerref=BB
http://tinyurl.com/567oyz

——————————————————————-

***What’s Ray Romano reading now?***

It’s my friend and fellow copywriter Peter Fogel’s book, “If
Not Now… Then When? Stories and Strategies of People Over 40
Who Have Successfully Reinvented Themselves”

Peter was a successful night club comedian who left show
business and reinvented himself into an in-demand
freelance copywriter.

His book tells his story as well as 14 other people who took a
leap of faith and transformed themselves into new careers.

A timely book for anyone going through challenging economic
times… this “self indulgent” help book will not only inspire,
but delivers you loads of common sense wisdom PLUS lots of
humor. (I also contributed a chapter to it)

Order Peter’s book today and receive over $1,800 worth of FREE
bonuses that can make you healthier, wealthier and wiser. For
more info and to learn why Ray Romano loves this book go to:

http://www.reinventyourselfnow.com/oct-bonuses.htm

——————————————————————-

***Meet me this month at AWAI’s 2008 Bootcamp***

I’ll be speaking on “Why Internet Information Marketing Should
be Every Copywriter’s Second Business” … and doing some
additional presentations and small group coaching … at the AWAI
Annual Bootcamp in Delray Beach, FL on November 12-14.

For details or to register, click below now:

http://www.awaionline.com/bly/awaibootcamp/

——————————————————————-

***How I distribute this e-newsletter to you***

I use Constant Contact. They offer e-mail marketing and online
survey services for small business and organizations. But, you
don’t have to be a customer to benefit from their expertise;
anyone can subscribe to their free “Hints & Tips” e-newsletter
on e-mail marketing.

“Hints & Tips” gives you practical, how-to advice on how to
build your e-list, write a compelling subject line, create a
well-designed HTML e-mail, and more. Plus, you’ll get invites to
free online seminars and compelling success stories of companies
who are getting great results. To subscribe, click below now:

http://www.constantcontact.com/learning-center/hints-tips/index.jsp

——————————————————————-

***Which price pulled best?***

Do customers always want the lowest price? Not always, it seems.

A software company selling to both consumers and professionals
priced their software at $79 per seat, which they thought would
appeal to both segments.

But it appealed to neither: consumers found it too high, and it
communicated “not a serious tool” to professionals.

Solution: Focus on the professional market and raise the price
to $129. When the company did so, sales soared.

Lesson: despite your intuition to the contrary, the best price
is often not the lowest price.

Source: Brown, Dennis, “10 Common Pricing Mistakes,” Atenga, p.
3.

——————————————————————-

***Be my guest at the Biz Owner Virtual Super Conference***

I’ll be speaking this month at Wendy Weiss’s Business Owner
Super Conference. It’s virtual. So there’s no travel involved.

You are invited to attend this virtual conference at no cost as
my guest. It runs through November 20th. When you register
you’ll receive an e-mail with the details about when to call in
for each presentation from wherever you are.

To see a list of all the speakers and the topics they’ll be
covering or to register, click here now:

http://www.profcs.com/app/?af=846967

——————————————————————-

***10 words to close any sale***

Next time you are dealing with a sale that seems stalled for a
reason you can’t figure out, ask the prospect this simple
10-word question:

“What can I do to make this work for you?”

Why it works: This simple question eliminates the futile
exercise of you trying to figure out what you need to do or say
to get the order.

Instead, it gets the prospects to tell you exactly what he needs
to hear or get to be convinced to buy.

Source: Charles, Marc, “10 Words to Close Any Sale,” Early to
Rise, 10/1/08.

——————————————————————-

***4 steps to converting more Web site visitors into
customers***

In his new e-book, “CLIC Website Sales Leads System,” copywriter
Gerry Black outlines a sensible 4-step process for writing web
site copy that increases sales, revenues, and profits.

I especially like the bonus sections on SEO copywriting and
using article marketing to generate more site traffic. For more
information, click here now:

www.gerryblackcopywriter.com

——————————————————————-

***Spacky went whacky!***

In last month’s issue, when I wrote about the new free tool for
researching key words and phrases – Spacky – a number of you
complained that it didn’t work.

We wrote the folks at Spacky. They assured me it was a glitch
that was quickly resolved. So I urge you to try Spacky now.

Just type in your key word. In seconds, Spacky tells you the
number of searches performed on that key word – Google,
Yahoo/Overture, and Microsoft Network.

It’s a great way to tell which of several key words you want to
bid on or optimize your site for is actually the one getting the
most activity. And, it’s free:

www.spacky.com

——————————————————————-

***The best of marketing and time management guru Jeff Davidson
– on sale now!***

My long-time friend, professional speaker and
mega-prolific-author Jeff Davidson, is offering an unprecedented
learning resources package for my subscribers.

Only $157 gets you $314 of Jeff’s best resources — including his
books Breathing Space, Getting New Clients, Complete Idiot’s
Guide to Managing Your Time, and The 60-Second Organizer.

You also get 10 terrific audio programs including Surviving
Information Overload, Relaxing at High Speed, Blow Your Own
Horn, and Giving Better Presentations. Click here for details or
to order:

www.communicationoverload.com/index.html

——————————————————————-

***Quotation of the month***

“We all learn expository writing, and if we’re ever to become
anything except scholars, we have to forget it almost
completely. There is no formula to real writing that hits home
at the heart of your audience. The best is almost free-form …
it comes in moments of inspiration that we have to capture. A
marketing piece that brings in tens of millions of dollars can
come from an idea jotted down on a napkin, because the idea
captures the core emotional appeal of the product.”
–Don Mahoney

Source: Personal e-mail, 8/10/08.

——————————————————————-

***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.

——————————————————————-

10/9/2008

How many words in a 16-page magalog?

Filed under: Newsletter Archive — site admin @ 11:03 am

——————————————————————-

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

October, 2008

——————————————————————-

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 www.bly.com, enter
your e-mail address, and hit unsubscribe.

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.

——————————————————————-

“Lost” Copywriting Secrets of a 20th Century Direct Marketing
Living Legend (Who Taught Me Copywriting at New York University
in 1982):
www.miltsmarketingsecrets.com

——————————————————————-

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

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

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

** Sales letter – 300 words per page.

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

** Digest – 200 words per page.

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

——————————————————————-

***Online summit: freelance copywriting success***

Do you want to effortlessly attract more clients, become the
envy of your competitors and earn an executive income as a
no-hype copywriter? The first of its kind, Copywriting Success
Summit 2008 brings Steve Slaunwhite, Michael Stelzner,
Copyblogger’s Brian Clark, yours truly, and other pros together
to share our closely guarded secrets to copywriting success.

No travel required. This online summit allows you to attend
sessions, meet the experts and network with peers, all from the
comfort of your home or office. This event is sure to sell out
quickly. To register or for more information, just click below now:

http://www.copywritingsummit.com/bb

——————————————————————-

***New free keyword discovery tool***

Are people searching the Internet for your key words and
phrases? A new free tool, Spacky, let’s you find out fast.

Just type in your key word. In seconds, Spacky tells you the
number of searches performed on that key word – Google,
Yahoo/Overture, and Microsoft Network.

It’s a great way to tell which of several key words you want to
bid on or optimize your site for is actually the one getting the
most activity.

To use the Spacky keyword research tool free, click here now:

www.spacky.com

——————————————————————-

***Quick and cheap way to distribute press releases***

Can press releases be sent to the media via e-mail instead of
postal mail?

Yes, says Eric Yaverbaum, a NYC-based PR consultant who sends
90% of his press releases directly to editors via e-mail.

Best way to do it: cut and paste the press release into the body
of your e-mail.

Warning: do not send press releases as an attached file unless
the editor gives you permission to do so. Editors won’t open an
attached file from a stranger because of computer virus
concerns.

——————————————————————-

***Bob Bly and Fred Gleeck Live this Month!***

My online marketing partner Fred Gleeck talked me into doing a
2-day live weekend seminar with him in NJ on October 25-26.

With Fred and a few special guests, we’ll be talking about all
of the things I believe you are interested in: copywriting,
freelancing, book writing, Internet marketing, direct response.

By the way, a lot of my subscribers ask for advice or to meet me
or for phone consultation. Since I don’t coach or consult with
people personally, this is a rare opportunity to speak with me
one-on-one – if that’s something that interests you.

For more information … or to register … just click below now:

http://www.InfoProductsSeminar.com

——————————————————————-

***Quick tips for online video***

Can putting a video on your landing page increase conversion?
Yes, but not always. Split-test your landing page with and
without the video to make sure it’s boosting orders.

How long should your online video be? Short, says Marc Harty of
StrategicTraffic.com.

“Make your video 2 minutes or less,” Harty advises. “People
don’t have time to sit longer than that.”

Source: SIPA Hotline, 8/25/08, p. 5.

——————————————————————-

***Billionaire University opens for Fall Semester!***

I had a nice e-mail chat with self-made billionaire entrepreneur
Bill Bartmann a few weeks ago, and I have some exciting news to
report.

Bill has opened his new “Billionaire University” online,
offering dozens of videos and tele-seminars in which he reveals
his entrepreneurial success secrets – secrets that have made him
rich beyond the dreams of avarice.

“The business failure rate in America is 90%,” says Bill. “That
is horrendous! Most fail because they simply did not have the
time or money to learn the basics of running a business. By
making my 40 years of experience available on video/audio – and
offering ALL of it at $100 – no one can say ‘I can’t afford
it.’”

For more information on Billionaire University or to enroll,
click here now:

www.billionaireu.com

——————————————————————-

***Show me the money***

Financial copywriting pro Ben West once told me: “No one pays
attention to a number in copy unless there’s a dollar sign in
front of it.”

A company tested two e-mail subject lines: (a) $50-off coupon
vs. (b) 15%-off coupon (equivalent to a $50 discount).

Results: “$50- off” generated nearly 3X more revenue than
“15%-off” – proving Ben’s point that money talks … and people
pay more attention to numbers when there’s a dollar sign in
front of them.

Source: The Marketing Report, 9/8/08.

——————————————————————-

***AWAI Boot Camp in November***

http://www.awaionline.com/bly/awaibootcamp/

——————————————————————-

***Should you offer free shipping?***

Opinions vary, but if you do ship free, here are 3 ways you can
tip the odds of its increasing sales in your favor:

1—Restrict the free shipping & handling offer to higher margin
products or items with low shipping weight and dimensions.

2—Offer free shipping as an affinity program extended to your
best customers.

3—Making shipping free only above a certain minimum threshold
purchase.

Source: eM+C, 10/08, p. 23.

——————————————————————-

***How to write a winning business plan***

Need to write a business plan? Check out the new e-book
“Practical Business Planning” by Behram Dalal. A 40-year veteran
in business consulting, Dalal shows you how to create a dynamic
business plan that blasts past corporate filters, gets funded,
and leads you to greater success. For details or to order, click
here:

http://www.practicalbusinessplanning.com?a_aid=59c78ec5

——————————————————————-

***Recession tips for information marketers***

Buying most information products is a discretionary purchase. So
when the economy is bad, consumers are more resistant to
high-priced info product offers.

Recommendation: right now, while the economy is lousy, devote
more of your marketing to your lower-priced information
products. E-books in the $19 to $59 price range are ideal.

——————————————————————-

***Quotation of the month***

“Today the sight that discourages book people most is to walk
into a public library and see computers where books used to be.
In many cases not even the librarians want the books to be
there. What consumers want now is information, and information
increasingly comes from computers. That is a preference I can’t
grasp, much less share.”
–Larry McMurtry

Source: McMurtry, Larry, “Books: A Memoir” (Simon & Schuster,
2008), p. 221.

——————————————————————-

***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.

——————————————————————-

9/9/2008

Who is the world’s greatest copywriter?

Filed under: Newsletter Archive — site admin @ 10:11 am

——————————————————————-

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

September, 2008

——————————————————————-

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 Paid to Read:
www.bookreviewprofits.com

——————————————————————-

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

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

www.thecopygod.com

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

www.thecopygod.com

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

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

——————————————————————-

***Online summit: freelance copywriting success***

Do you want to effortlessly attract more clients, become the
envy of your competitors and earn an executive income as a
no-hype copywriter? The first its kind, Copywriting Success
Summit 2008 brings Steve Slaunwhite, Michael Stelzner,
Copyblogger’s Brian Clark, yours truly, and other pros together
to share their closely guarded secrets to copywriting success.

No travel required. This online summit allows you to attend
sessions, meet the experts and network with peers, all from the
comfort of your home or office. This event is sure to sell out
quickly.

Learn how to qualify for a $200 savings and free bonus gift.
Just click below now:

www.copywritingsummit.com/bb

——————————————————————-

***A simple rule of thumb for copy length***

When deciding whether you need long copy or short – whether in a
landing page, e-mail, or sales letter – follow this simple rule:
short copy for generating leads, longer copy for generating
orders.

“As a general proposition, an ad in which you are seeking only
inquiries should be short, merely leading the reader down to the
free booklet and the coupon,” writes copywriter Robert Collier,
“whereas an ad in which you are attempting to make the actual
sale should be long enough to tell all about your offer.

“Some authorities will tell you to write only short, crisp ads,
with plenty of white space – others to crowd in every word you
can get. Both are wrong. There is no hard and fast rule as to
how long an ad should be, except that it should be long enough
to tell your story, but short enough to hold your reader’s
interest.”

Source: Collier, Robert, “How to Make Money at Home in Spare
Time by Mail,” p. 154.

——————————————————————-

***New Bob Bly tele-seminar on writing kick-butt landing
pages***

I’ll be the featured expert guest for Progressive Business Audio
Conferences 9/4 tele-seminar, “Skyrocket Conversion Rates with
Landing Pages That Sell.”

Join us and you will learn how I write and design landing pages
that generate conversion rates (for paid product orders, not
leads or free offers), ranging from 4% to 32%.

Including:

>> A “paint by the numbers” template for writing landing pages
that increase your online sales.

>> How to increase your click-through rates (CTR) with “online
freemiums” and “content sidebars.”

>> Find the right balance between content and sales pitch in
your online marketing campaigns.

>> How to instantly establish credibility in your landing page
copy and design.

>> The 7 most important factors affecting conversion rates in
your landing pages.

>> And so much more….

For more information or to register, click here now:

www.pbconferences.com/landpg

——————————————————————-

***Viral marketing on overdrive***

According to David Meerman Scott, author of the “New Rules of
Marketing and PR,” the number of people who download free
content is 50X greater when you ask nothing in exchange for it.

He cites as an example an e-book he offered free, with no
registration required, that has been downloaded 250,000 times.

Therefore, Scott advises you to drive traffic to an “ungated”
landing page (no form to complete and submit before you can
download the content) instead of a “gated” landing page where
they must fill out a form first and submit their e-mail address
before gaining access to your content.

“So many companies create great content and then put a gate on
it and restrict the number of people who read it,” he says.
“It’s sad, really. Yeah, they build 500 people in a list, but
they could have had 10,000 people exposed to their ideas.”

An even better idea: include a strong “bounce back” offer (e.g.,
another valuable free report) in your free viral content and put
it on a gated landing page.

If 10% of the 250,000 people who downloaded Scott’s offer had
registered for such a bounce-back, he would have added 25,000
names to his e-list at zero cost.

——————————————————————-

***Bob Bly and Fred Gleeck Live!***

My online marketing partner Fred Gleeck talked me into doing a
2-day live weekend seminar with him in NJ on October 25-26.

With Fred and a few special guests, we’ll be talking about all
of the things I believe you are interested in: copywriting,
freelancing, book writing, Internet marketing, direct response.

For more information … or to register … just click below now

www.InfoProductsSeminar.com

——————————————————————-

***3 ways to optimize HTML e-mail for image blocking***

If you send HTML e-mail marketing messages, your recipient’s
e-mail reader may be blocking the images. So take these 3 simple
steps to make sure your HTML e-mail message still makes
sense even if the images are stripped away:

1—Add alt tags (descriptors) to images in the e-mail, so when
images are blocked, the recipient can read a description of the
image.

2—Add a “click to view” link on the pre-header text.

3—Minimize images above the fold (in the first screen of the
e-mail).

Source: SIPA Hotline, 7/28/08, p. 3.

——————————————————————-

***Special offer from a “living legend” of mail order
marketing***

One of the living legends in direct marketing is J.F. (Jim)
Straw — Dan Kennedy called Jim “… one of the ‘quiet giants,’
a fellow I’ve watched and learned from since I was in short
pants …”

After making a fortune in mail order, about 10 years ago, Jim
wandered onto the Internet and began making another fortune …
using much the same methods he used in amassing his mail order
fortune.

Based upon his over 30 years of successful experience as a mail
order marketer, Jim wrote … “Own Your Own MAILORDER BUSINESS”
which he sells for $49.95. Then, when he was making a new
fortune on the Internet, Jim wrote … “How You Really Can …
Make Your Internet Fortune As an Affiliate Marketer!” which he
sells for $99.95

Over 15,000 copies of these reports have been sold at those
prices. But, I have just made a deal with Jim that will allow
you to get BOTH of those reports for 50% of their combined
price. I do not think you will be disappointed. But don’t wait
too long. Jim has reserved the right to withdraw or limit this
offer at any time:

https://paydotcom.com/r/44966/BobBly/19478447/

——————————————————————-

***Does your web site URL trigger spam filters?***

“I recently ordered a product online and the merchant’s URL
triggered a spam alert,” a reader writes. “Is there a way to
check if a given domain name or URL link has been blacklisted as
spam?”

Answer: yes. You can use the SpamAssassin software that is built
into Web Marketing Magic — or use the link below:

http://www.rulesemporium.com/cgi-bin/uribl.cgi

——————————————————————-

***”Cold Calling College” is now in session***

For all of you who were interested in “Cold Calling College,”
our apologies, we made a mistake. We sent out the wrong link.

Cold Calling College is a step-by-step program that will help
you master the art of cold calling, overcome fear and develop
tons of new business. “My new sales were up 23% this past year,
and you have made me feel more confident about myself and my
ability to sell,” says Kathleen Henry, a graduate of the
program.

This is the correct link. Order today:

www.profcs.com/app/?Clk=2544377

——————————————————————-

***Quotation of the month***

“I used to be so convinced that happiness was the goal, yet all
those years I was chasing it, I was unhappy in the pursuit.
Maybe the goal really should be a life that values honor, duty,
good work, friends, and family.”
–Vince Vaughn

Source: Parade, 4/20/08, p. 7.

——————————————————————-

***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.

——————————————————————-

8/5/2008

Do you measure this important e-mail metric?

Filed under: Newsletter Archive — site admin @ 9:10 am

——————————————————————-

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

August, 2008

——————————————————————-

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 Yourself Listed in “Who’s Who” This Year:

www.getlistedinwhoswho.com

——————————————————————-

***My only live event of 2008***

My partner Fred Gleeck talked me into doing a 2-day live weekend
seminar with him in NJ on October 25-26. And now that I’m
committed, I’ve become extremely enthusiastic about the idea.

Why? Well, for one thing, I LIKE giving talks – I just don’t
like travel. But this one’s practically in my back yard. So I
don’t have to get on a plane.

Second, I’ve developed and given a bunch of new presentations
recently. And now I get to give them all in one place. They
cover the things I know best: copywriting, freelancing, book
writing, Internet marketing, direct response.

Third, a lot of my subscribers ask for advice or to meet me or
for phone consultation. Since I don’t coach or consult with
people personally, this is a rare opportunity to speak with me
one-on-one – if that’s something that interests you.

For more information … or to register as an Early Bird and save
at least $500 … click below. But I urge you to hurry. The Early
Bird discount offer expires this week:

http://www.InfoProductsSeminar.com

——————————————————————-

***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.

——————————————————————-

***Are you over or under-staffed?***

According to consultant Don Libey, multi-channel merchants
(catalogers, e-commerce businesses, retailers, direct marketers)
should generate at least $375,000 in annual sales per employee
(that includes the business owner).

If you’re a small SOHO or mom-and-pop with low overhead and a
lean operation, I think even $200,000 per employee is
acceptable.

That means if you are a solopreneur earning $75,000 a year, you
haven’t reached the level of revenues where you can justify
hiring an employee.

A SOHO with sales of $300,000 a year, by contrast, can afford to
hire a part-time worker (say 20 hours a week).

I’m all for delegating and outsourcing, which can increase your
own productivity and earning potential.

But based on Libey’s ratio, don’t overhire – like a local
company I read about with half a million in gross annual sales
and 17 employees.

If the worker-to-sales ratio is too high, all your profits will
go to others – in the form of paychecks – and not enough to you,
the business owner.

You’ll essentially be working, operating a business, and taking
risk just to give your employees a job.

Source: Libey Economic Outlook, 7/08, p. 4.

——————————————————————-

***Best-selling author reveals publishing secrets***

Writing a nonfiction book can help you attract more business
than you can handle — and turn you into an information machine
generating multiple streams of income.

“How to Become Both Published and Profitable” is a program that
consists of a 172-page book supported by an on-going series of
one-hour teleconferences. You get a step-by-step framework for
planning, writing, promoting, and marketing your book and
follow-up information products.

Best-selling author Roger Parker strips away the mystery of the
writer’s craft and gives inexperienced writers the lessons
professional writers have learned only after long
apprenticeship. For more information or to order, click below
now:

http://www.1shoppingcart.com/app/?Clk=2480587

——————————————————————-

***Writing is good for the soul – and your immune system***

Improving your writing skills can make you money. Now a study at
Tufts-New England Medical Center says it may also improve your
health.

Of 234 cancer patients monitored in the study, those who did
narrative writing about how the cancer affected them showed less
pain and greater well-being than those who did not.

Source: Daily News, 7/19/08, p.17.

——————————————————————-

***The “Bible” of writing for the Web***

Too many copywriting courses are focused on writing hard-sell,
hype-filled long-copy landing pages to sell e-books and other
information products, as if that’s the only thing being
advertised on the Web today. But the vast majority of Web copy
being written today is for conventional multi-page corporate
websites.

Few copywriters are as experienced in Web copy as my friend Nick
Usborne, and certainly no one teaches how to write for business
Web sites better. If you want to write Web copy for conventional
companies like IBM and Verizon, and not people selling ‘get rich
quick’ and business success courses, you should study Nick’s
AWAI Web copywriting program as if it were the ‘Bible’ of Web
site copywriting … which it is. For more information, click
below:

http://www.awaionline.com/bly/webcopy/

——————————————————————-

***Quotation of the month***

“There’s too much information in today’s world, and our defense
mechanism to sort through it all is to vote with our gut, to
vote what we feel. We look for shortcuts, and those shortcuts
are called brands. The reason you buy Tide detergent at the
grocery store is that you don’t want to read fifty labels. You
trust Tide because you already know it works.”
–Tim Sanders

Source: “The Likeability Factor” (Crown Publishers, 2005, p.
40).

——————————————————————-

***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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