Dear Biz Wiz
Friend ‘O Mine,
Today I have
a special treat for you . . . sorta like a “getting off to the New Year on the
right foot” prize . . . with no strings attached. But first a quick word from
our sponsors—just KIDDING.
Hey, a
little humor never hurt, right? Hell, who am I kidding anyway . . . I AM the
sponsor and damn proud of it.
Ok on a
slightly more serious note let’s crack open this issue and get to point of why
I’m here . . . Helping you build that bridge taking you where you want to be.
So I’ve been
doing a LOT of thinking about my biz and helping my clients rake in serious dough
and I asked myself, “Am I an innovator or an imitator?”
The proud
truth is that I’m a bit of both! I consider myself steeped in solid principles
of mail order and direct response marketing. I’m been taught by some of the
best of the best direct marketers, copywriters and sales professionals on the
planet. And I’ve single handedly engineered a few hybrid strategies that have
produced serious windfalls for myself and my clients.
But pure
original strategies . . . well, naw not entirely. You see, when I was a youngin
my daddy told me time and time again, “Son if it works, don’t fix it!” But like
most of us at that age, I wanted to know how things worked. I had a really
curious habit of tearing apart curb
treasures like discarded bikes, lawn mowers, even appliances.
Heck, some
of them I could actually put back together without help! And even more amazing
is that I got them to work again. But that’s another story for another day.
Those
lessons from my childhood helped greatly as I began my mail order marketing adventure
some 25 years ago. This ‘tearing stuff’ apart mindset showed up just in time when
I first started learning how to write sales copy. I still do it today.
In fact mail
order legend and owner of Wilshire Book Company Melvin Powers dedicated an
entire chapter of his course, How To Get
Rich In Mail Order on how to copycat
successful mail order operations.
The idea is
to find successful mail order businesses see what they are doing then copy their operation. Dive in and see
how they handle marketing, customer service, how long it takes to receive your
order and of course pay close attention and take notes on your findings. There
are no secrets in the mail order business.
Likewise I
challenge you to grab a sales letter, landing page or your favorite direct
response ad that’s a proven winner and dissect it. Tear it apart and look at all
the constituent parts, headline, body copy, offers, proof elements, guarantees
and the close. Examine it and see why it’s a winner. Then adapt these
principles and elements to your sales copy and promotions.
As far as
being an innovator that’s fine as long as you understand the solid principles
of successful direct response marketing first. And if you are not steeped in
what works then study the marketplace. Imitate and model successful mail order
and direct response companies.
A great way
to locate successful direct marketing firms is to get on the mailing lists of
catalog firms like Duluth Trading Company, Stauer,
and Omaha Steaks. These guys are
online as well so check them out for great ideas (and products). I have ordered
from them and have never been disappointed (no I am NOT an affiliate).
You can also
check out The National Directory of
Catalogs published by Oxbridge Communications. Though no longer available
in print format it is available in electronic form. Check your local public
library for availability or visit http://www.nmoa.org/catalog/mailorderdir.htm
for details. And while I’m thinking about it, consider becoming a member of the
National Mail Order
Association. I’ve been a member for quite some time and found it be very beneficial.
Lots of great paid and free resources. So check ‘em out.
Another
great way of learning the biz of DM is reading good books on the subject. Most
of these books are still available just Google and you’ll easily find them. Here’s a few of
my favorite books on direct marketing:
Successful Direct
Response Marketing Methods
by Bob Stone. Bob is considered one of the founders of modern direct marketing.
A must read for anyone who wants to learn direct response marketing.
Ogilvy on Advertising by David Ogilvy. This is not so much
a nuts and bolts on direct response advertising per se rather it contains lots
of gems on advertising that sells. A nice history of some of advertising’s
greatest practitioners too.
How to Get Rich In Mail
Order by Melvin
Powers. One of the first guides I studied when I started my mail order business
in the early 1980s. This is a great book (and course) on running a successful
mail order business. Lots of helpful examples, illustrations and ads included
in the book.
Tested Advertising Methods by John Caples. This book is chocked
full of ways to write, improve and test your advertising. Caples wrote the
famous “The Laughed When I Sat Down at The Piano . . .” ad.
Scientific Advertising
and My Life in Advertising
by Claude Hopkins. These books were written way back in the 1920s but the ideas
are just as golden today. If you could on read on book, this would be it. Pure
gold!
Ok. That’s
it for today. Already you’re armed and dangerous. So study up and kick some
butt in your marketplace!
Oh, I almost
forgot about your special treat I promised at the beginning of this article. It’s
a special report about power persuasion. And you owe it to yourself to
get this free report as fast as you can . . . IF you have ever struggled to get
total cooperation, influence and respect from your clients (and friends, family
for that matter).
It’s a very
short report but contains some very, very powerful information. If fact if put
into the wrong hands, things could get . . . well, very ugly! But I trust you’ll
handle this life-changing information with the upmost of care and use it to do
good things like increase your business
or persuade something to do the right
thing and so on . . .
It’s your
for the taking by going to my website at http://emettemassey.weebly.com/power-persuasion.html
Happy Hunting!
Emette E. Massey
