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Bob Bly’s Direct Response Letter

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

Vol. I. No. 1

$5

WELCOME TO THE PREMIERE ISSUE…

… of Bob Bly’s Direct Response Letter—Bob Bly, publisher; Ilise Benun, Editor.

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WHY “BOB BLY’S DIRECT RESPONSE LETTER”?

Many of our clients, prospects, colleagues, readers, and friends complain that we don’t keep them up-to-date on Bob’s latest books, articles, publications, direct mail tips, marketing techniques, clients, projects, and controls. This short newsletter is designed to fill that gap. The retail price is $5 per issue, but you have been chosen to receive a subscription absolutely FREE. If you’d rather not receive it, just let us know (contact information appears at the bottom of the reverse side of this sheet).

Right now, Bly’s Direct Response Letter is available only as a hard copy publication. In the future, we plan to offer an e-mail version. We will also post past issues on Bob’s new Web site (see below). Any suggestions you have for improvement—or articles you want to contribute—are welcome.

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VISIT BOB’S NEW COPYWRITING WEB SITE

Samples of direct mail packages, brochures, and other marketing materials written by Bob Bly can now be viewed at Bob’s new copywriting Web site, www.bly.com. You’ll also find a ton of useful information including a library of downloadable how-to articles on direct marketing. (You may reprint these in any of your publications as long as you credit Bob as the author and include his Web site address, www.bly.com.)

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BECOME A PUBLISHED MARKETING AUTHOR!

Prentice Hall has selected Bob as the editor of its forthcoming reference manual, The Marketing Manager’s Handbook. If you’ve written how-to articles on marketing and would like to see them considered for inclusion in the book, please send them along. We’ll acknowledge every article received and, if it’s selected, let you know when the book (and your article) is published.

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BOB APPOINTED EDITOR OF “BITS & PIECES FOR SALESPEOPLE”

Economics Press, publishers of Bits & Pieces, has appointed Bob editor of their latest publication, Bits & Pieces for Salespeople. This monthly pocket-size mini-magazine provides tips, techniques, and inspiration to salespeople, sales managers, and other sales and marketing professionals. For a FREE sample issue, call Economics Press at (800) 526-2554. Or visit their Web site www.epinc.com.

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BOB’S LATEST BOOK!

Bob’s latest book, The Encyclopedia of Business Letters, Fax Memos, and E-Mail, has just been released by Career Press. According to the cover blurb, the book “features hundreds of model letters, faxes, and e-mails you can pick up and adapt to give your business writing the attention it deserves.” The book can be ordered online at www.amazon.com or by calling Career Press at 1-(800)-CAREER-1 (227-3371). Trade paperback, 286 pages, $18.99 plus shipping.

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“HOW TO INCREASE DM RESPONSE” PRESENTED AT DMAW

On July 13, 1999, Bob will give a presentation, “How to Increase Your Direct Mail Response Rates,” for the Direct Marketing Association of Washington, DC (DMAW). To order an audio cassette of Bob’s talk, call DMAW at (703) 821-DMAW (3629).

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AWARD NEWS

Bob never enters awards contests, but occasionally clients enter something he’s written for them. A Web site Bob helped produce for Edith Roman Associates, a major mailing list and Internet marketing company, recently won a Standard of Excellence Award from the Web Marketing Association. You can check out the site at www.edithroman.com. And if you need mailing lists, Bob recommends Edith Roman highly; call (800) 223-2194 for list recommendations or a list catalog.

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BOB FOR HIRE

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

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THE VIRTUAL OFFICE BECOMES A REALITY

Lots of articles herald the coming of the “virtual office,” but we’ve been doing it for years. Bob works out of Dumont, NJ—phone (201) 385-1220. Fern, who is Bob’s project manager for copywriting and consulting services, is based in Fair Lawn—phone (201) 797-8105. Carolyn Mazza, administrative assistant, is also in Fair Lawn—phone (201) 703-8860. We’re in constant touch, so you can reach any of us, at any time, by calling any location; if one of us is out, one of the others will respond right away. This way you don’t have to wait to get your need addressed.