As you know I’ve been using the marketing and sales strategies of, arguably the world’s best direct response marketer, Dan Kennedy.  He recently wrote the article below as a part of his series I subscribe to on “Renegade Millionaires.” 

I went back a few years in my swipe files to show you this example.  It comes from long-time client David Loynd of Grand's Garage in Escondido, CA. 

In fact, I think we met him at one of our first speaking engagements with 3D Mail over six years ago.  He’s been using our items for a few years now and I finally get an opportunity to highlight him.  He’s doing some good stuff. 

This is part of my systematic and automatic approach to follow-up with first time buyers of our products.  I’m a huge fan of these types of systems. They’re what allow a small business owner the freedom to own their business, but still have a life outside of the business

I stepped back a few years to get this month’s S&D example for you.  But it’s a good one.  Have you ever needed to get the attention of a VIP, big-wig, or important decision maker?  It can be brutal.  Gatekeepers, voice mail, unreturned phone calls and emails...  It can get frustrating.   But first, some background on this letter.

I hope you enjoyed Keith’s first installment on Wednesday.  From the feedback I’ve received, a lot of you have.  To see where we’ve been, visit the blog here.  Here’s Keith:

If you read this marketing tip, you know we usually talk about direct response marketing, direct mail, and copywriting.  We’re going to take a little break from that topic over the next couple weeks.  Keith, my dad, and the guy I run 3D Mail Results with, recently published his first book on customer service called, “Out-Nordstrom Nordstrom – Creating the World’s Best Customer Service.”  In honor of that, we’re going to start a series he wrote on just that subject.  I hope you enjoy them over the next few weeks.

If you can get people involved in your copy, it will substantially increase your readership and, more importantly, response.  Busy fingers increases response.

Over the next tips we’re going to explore proven sales letter formulas.  There are many formula’s out there, and we'll cover the most popular one today, the problem,agitate, solve (PAS).

Steve Clark is the CEO and Founder of New School Selling Today (see www.newschoolselling.com) an international business development and marketing firm that consults and coaches thousands of sales executives and business owners annually in Australia, Canada and the US, and after you see what he’s done with his bank bag letter you’ll understand that Steve knows Direct Response Marketing and Copywriting.

In this example, I’m taking you back to one of the first direct mail campaigns I implemented.  It’s for Superior Display, a manufacturing shop we own in Bend, OR.

This month’s direct mail promotion comes from Inner Circle Member Pete Mitchell.  Pete is a master at product launches, and he’s incredible at creating celebrity status, big pay days, and PR awareness.  If you’re interested in a product launch, visit www.BustOutTheBigGuns.com

I had the great fortune about 14 months ago to meet a childhood hero of mine, Cal Ripken, Jr. at a seminar in Baltimore, MD.

As I was watching SportsCenter one evening a few days before the college football national championship game, the same reporter asked both coaches, Les Miles of LSU and Nick Saban of Alabama, in separate interview (and I’m paraphrasing), “What outside criticism has affected you and your team the most.”

It always amazes me at how few people do real, proactive marketing to trade show attendees at the events they attend. 

I catch some flack every now and again that all I show are consumer examples in this newsletter.  Frankly, that’s just not true.  A lot of examples come from my own businesses, all of which are B2B.  Given that this month’s new item is in the B2C world, I thought I’d throw you B2B’ers this one. 

Whenever you make an offer, you want it to be believable.  People are naturally skeptical, especially when it appears that an offer is too good to be true.  You’ll often hear this referred to as “reason why” copy in this newsletter. 

We’re going to talk about double readership path and copy cosmetic together this month, as they go hand-in-hand.  For both items, it doesn’t matter if you’re using a 4” x 6” postcard, a one page sales letter, or a 48 page magalog, these techniques still apply

What you’re about to read was first published in my monthly newsletter, The Copywriter’s Corner, to get more information on it.  Visit this link.

What you’re about to read was first published in my monthly newsletter, The Copywriter’s Corner, to get more information on it, visit this link.

It’s the back to school time around the country.  But school is never NOT in session around here.  What are you going to do this month to improve yourself and your business?

As a culture we’re obsessed with it.  Say the name Chuck Yeager to WWII veterans and most baby-boomers and the name instantly means something.

You may be familiar with George Carlin’s bit on the 7 words you can’t say on television.  It’s a dirty, but classic bit that just about every comedian or aspiring comedian can recite, or, at the very least get close.  In the entrepreneurial world we have something similar.

As I was preparing this tip, an issue of my Dan Kennedy No B.S. Marketing Newsletter arrived.  One of the questions asked of Dan was, “Where you get good ideas.” 

Each month in my printed newsletter, The Copywriter’s Corner, which I product for my 3D Mail Inner Circle Members, I review a fundamental element of copywriting or direct mail which I call Copywriting 101.

I get a lot of requests each month to highlight “case studies” of my client’s successful mailings using 3D Mail. I’ve been doing this for years in my Monthly 3D Mail Inner Circle Newsletter.  You can see more here:

We’ve switched gears here a bit, after earlier this weekdiscussing what business you’re really in.  Now, on to lead generation marketing and what you need to do for it to be effective in your business.

Last week we started a conversation on lead generation marketing vs. one-step sell marketing.  For a review of where we’ve been, see my last couple blog entries below.  I also left off saying I’d tell you what business you’re really in.

Today, we’re going to move on to a new topic,Lead generation vs. one step selling and tie it back to 3D mail as well.  We’ll start off with an explanation of each.

Credibility is essential when trying to drive new clients to your business.  But how do you earn credibility?  Check out this article to find out (hint:  it's more than just using testimonials)

Last week we hit the tip of the iceberg with headlines.  A conversation that, quite frankly, could last a whole year.

After about a week’s hiatus (my apologies for being gone) we're going to pick up our discussion on the most important elements of copywriting.  To review where we left off, check out the blog on copy killers.

...The One Eyed Man is King.”
Erasmus (of Rotterdam)

We know that Erasmus wasn’t talking about copywriting when he spoke those words some 500 years ago, but he may as well have been.

If I asked you who the 3rd easiest client or prospect is to sell to, and I knew of a way to get them to come back to your business, would you be interested?  Would you even know who I was talking about?

The worry doll is quickly becoming one of our bestselling 3D Mail items, and with the success stories I’m hearing from my clients, it’s easy to see why.  The worry doll is designed to be used for lost/inactive client reactivation.
 

We’re picking up our discussion on premiums.  The two-part premium is a great way to increase your response rates, and more importantly, your ROI.  To see where we’ve been on premiums the past couple weeks, see my blog.

If you recall, we're covering the use of premium/free gifts in your marketing.  To catch up where we've been, check out the most recent blog post on premiums and free gifts.

Last week we kick off our discussion on using Premiums and Free Gifts in your marketing, and to catch up where we left off check on my blog on Premiums/Free Gifts.  So why should you be using premiums and free gifts in your marketing?

We're going to start a new series of tips on using premiums and Free Gifts in your marketing.  We briefly went over them a few weeks ago, and based on the responses I got, you guys want more!  So we'll start with a quote from my mentor, Dan Kennedy:

We’re going to put a bow on our discussion on irresistible offers today.  Below you’ll find the final 2 tips for crafting your offers.  To review where we’ve been, visit my blog post on deadlines and offers.

We finished off last week with “reason why” marketing in your offers.  To recap, see the blog post on reason why marketing.  Now we’re on to number 6 in our series of 7 tip for crafting an offer.  This may be the most important of the 7 tips you’ll get, so pay close attention.

We ended last week with a spirited talk on using premiums and discounts in your marketing.  For a review, see my blog.  Now, on to the meat-n-potatoes portion of today’s tip.

Earlier in the week we talked about your clients favorite radio station, W.I.I.F.M., or “What’s in it for Me?”  Today we’ll talk about the third of the 7 tips for crafting a compelling offer.  To review, see my previous blog post here.
 

Last week we talked about your clients favorite radio station, W.I.I.F.M., or “What’s in it for Me?”  Today we’ll talk about the second of the 7 tips for crafting a compelling offer.  To review, see my previous Blog post here.

We’ve been discussing the elements of crafting an irresistible offer for your clients.  So far we’ve discussed what an irresistible offer is and how they must match your prospects or clients interests in terms of Geographic’s, demographics and psycho-graphics. 

Matching your offer to a very segmented portion of your mailing list is critical for success.  See how much of a difference it can make.

Earlier this week I introduced the idea of an irresistible offer to you.  To review where we’ve been, check out my blog post from Tuesday.  We’re going to pick up where we left off here. 

Over the next several weeks we're going to talk about creating irresistible offers.  This is a vitally important element that must be a part of all your marketing and advertising endeavors. 

Last week we introduced the idea of testing your sales letters.  We'll pick up that conversation with 2 ways you can and should test your sales letters for maximum profits.
 

We've been talking about the importance of testing your direct mail the past two weeks.  Here are 7 specific variable that I consider If I’m trying to beat a control.

I have been talking recently about testing, and how and what you should be testing with all your direct mail.  You can catch up on those topics here at my blog posts below.

I'm going to start a new topic for the next several tips.  that is CRITICAL to any successful marketing campaign, but is of utmost importance when it comes to 3D mail.

Last week I started a discussion on increasing the 3 R's of sales; Retention, Referrals and repeat sales. I'm going to wrap it up below, plus 4 ways to implement them into your marketing campaigns.

There has never been any argument in advertising circles that the most effective business advertising is word-of-mouth advertising

We're going to touch on the 3 R's of salesmanship here: Retention, referrals and repeat sales.  We'll be covering these 3 topics for the next couple weeks.  Enjoy!

Your core values, your vision, your mission statement – whatever is at the heart of your company – needs to put a huge emphasis on the Customer.

The title of my book is Out-Nordstrom Nordstrom, Creating the World’s Best Customer Service, 57 Secrets to Make-You-Happy Client Service.  My guess is some of you are thinking, “Keith is pretty darned arrogant saying they have the World’s Best Customer Service and that would be right.

For that last two and a half weeks I’ve been saying that I was going to tell you how to get my 5 favorite customer service books for free.  Here it is.

The Simple Truths of Service, by Ken Blanchard & Barbara Glanz is the true story of Johnny the Bagger. In the book you’ll read about a 19 year old youngster with Down Syndrome.

How does Disney get so good at what they do? One of their secrets is that, for Disney, the competition is anyone the customer compares you with.

Over the past few weeks we’ve been talking about niche marketing, and how a narrow focused, laser targeting marketing effort gives you a huge advantage over your competition.

Last week we started talking about ‘riches in niches - and subcultures.’  I told you that when you do target specific niches, you’ll have a distinct marketing advantage,

We wrapped up last week with a few thoughts on branding, and specifically the way small business owners should think about branding (hint:  it’s NOT like big, nameless, faceless corporations).

Last week we started a discussion on a topic I normally don’t talk too much about, branding.  But there are ways to use branding effectively while still adhering to our direct response marketing rules.

Last we started on a topic that I’m sure surprised a few of you.  We talked about branding.  No, not like golden arches, or swooshes, but in ways most small businesses can actually accomplish it.  To review, see the blog post.

Earlier in the week we wrapping up our series on the 7 most powerful words and phrases you can use in your marketing.  See all 7 at the blog posts below.

Let’s face it, busting through the clutter and getting your marketing piece opened, let alone read, is tougher than ever... but you’re reading this right?  When you learn the secrets of using 3D Mail your marketing results will explode.

Today we’ll wind down on conversation on the 7 most power words and phrases you can use in your marketing.  To review the two most powerful, visit this blog post.

Earlier this week we started a discussion on the 7 most powerful words you can use in you marketing, and we hit on the two most powerful you can use.  To review, check out the blog.

As any good copywriter will tell you, all words are not created equal.  This should come as no shock to anybody who’s been marketing their business for any length of time.  But which words are better than others?

So where did we leave off last week?  That’s right; we left off with one of our 7 ad essentials, the use of premiums/free gifts in your business.  To see the post, click on over to that post.

We’re continuing our segment on the 7 ad essentials you must include in your marketing.  Last week we hit the topic of a deadlines and how vital they are to success in direct mail marketing.  To review, visit the blog.

Free webinar Reveals The Insider’s Secrets of 3D Direct Mail Success.

We’re continuing our segment on 7 ad essentials you must include in your marketing.  Last week we talked about your basic business info, maps and directions and offers. 

I hope you had a fun and safe 4th of July celebration over the weekend.  I certainly did, even if it did rain a little (only in Seattle!).  So last week we briefly spoke about one of my favorite topics, the Robert Collier principle.

We’re going to briefly going to talk about one of my favorite topics and strategies in marketing.  In fact, we teach it and talk about it often in my monthly newsletter, The Copywriter’s Corner.

How to Explode Your Advertising Results & Skyrocket Your Profits Using 3D Mail

I hope you’re enjoying our ongoing discussion on message to market match and the marketing triangle.  So far we talk about the markets you choose and the message (what you say).  You can click on those links to review at my blog. 

Last week we started our discussion on “Message to Market Match” and I introduced you to Dan Kennedy’s famous marketing triangle.  Last week we had a great discussion on the Market (who) side of the triangle.

Last week we started our discussion on “Message to Market Match” and I introduced you to Dan Kennedy’s famous marketing triangle.  We briefly touch on the Media portion.

Message to Market Match means you’re matching what you’re selling, the media you’re selling it through, and the words you write to very precise and targeted prospects

So last week I left you with the basics on getting commercially available lists for your business.  As usual I posted that last conversation on my blog below.

Earlier in the week we discussed the lists you should be using in your business.  If you missed that discussion or want to review, go see the blog post below to see where we've been.

So where’d we leave off… That’s right, using direct mail and lists.  To see where we started off last week, see my first blog post on the subject below.

So, did I do a good enough job of teasing you and leaving you hanging with my last email?  To review our conversation from earlier on the benefits of direct mail, see my blog post directly below.
 

 It’s no secret that I’m a big believer in using direct mail.  Why else would I be in the 3D Mail business!  However there are a lot of great reasons to use it.  

Last week we picked up our discussion on getting past the gatekeeper when using direct mail.  The first thing I suggested is you may want to enlist the help of the gatekeeper, a novel idea

Last week we started a discussion on getting your direct mail past the gatekeeper.  We'll pick up where we left off here.

In speaking with clients each day, one of their biggest frustrations is getting past the gatekeeper, which is often why they get help from me using 3D Mail!

We’re in the middle of our discussion on marketing to affluent clients.  Last week we talked about two growing trends with boomers that are completely different than the previous generation of those at or nearing retirement.

We’re in the middle of our discussion on marketing to affluent clients.  Last Friday we hit on what the rich really want to buy, and what you need to do to attract them. 

I hope you received my email yesterday about the Boomer special which aired on CNBC.  See my blog post below.

BOOMER$, a report by Tom Brokaw on CNBC tonght.  It will be a must see.

Today we’re really going to dive into marketing to and attracting more affluent customers to your business.

OK, so you probably realized that I haven’t posted a blog entry in the past week.  Well, I’ve got a good reason for that... 

On Tuesday we spoke briefly about always asking for the order in your direct mail, a place where many marketers wimp out.  To review, see the blog post below.  Today we’ll talk about getting your reader involved

Today we’re going to briefly go over a part of most sales letters, postcards, really any kind of direct mail advertising, where marketers really wimp out, the close.

Did you know that the P.S. is the second most read part of any letter?  So it must be a pretty important part, don’t you think?

Bullet points in your copy can be one of the most influential parts of your sales letters.

We’re going to wrap up our nearly two week long discussion on deadlines and offers.  Who knew there could be so much!

We left off on Tuesday talking about deadlines and offers and I gave you four ways you can use deadlines to help spice up your offers.

Happy New!  Can you believe it’s already 2010?!  Weren’t we supposed to be in flying cars by now like George Jetson?

Let’s face it, busting through the clutter and getting your marketing piece opened, let alone read, is tougher than ever... but you’re reading this right?  When you learn the secrets of using 3D Mail your marketing results will explode.

I’m going take a quick break from our discussion on copywriting today to answer a question from a client.

Last week we started our discussion on copywriting that’s going to take us through the next few weeks.  To see where we started, visit that blog post below.

On Wednesday we started a discussion on sequential marketing and how 2 + 3 = 1.  If you didn’t read it, check out the blog and that will make sense.

I know you may not be a math major, and I certainly wasn’t, but stay with me on this one as we start a discussion on sequential marketing.

As you know we’ve been talking about getting new, fresh clients to your business using referrals.  Last week we talked about the psychological reasons your clients refer, and how to tap into those.

Last week we stated a topic on getting more referrals in your business, and who doesn’t want that!?!  To see where we’ve been, visit my blog below.

If there’s one thing every business could use, it’s a fresh batch of new, ready-to-buy referral clients lining up each day.

When I’m speaking with 3D Mail clients on implementing 3D Mail, almost always the envelope question comes up (assuming we’re using an envelope and not something like the bank bag or trash).  What should I put on the outside, should it be mailed ‘blind,’ live stamp or not??  There are lot of questions.  Here’s a quick read on my thoughts on your envelope when using direct mail,either 3D or ‘flat.’

Earlier in the week we talked about all the great reason you should be doing a newsletter.  To see where we’ve been, check out the blog below.  Today, we’ll cover the $10 Million question that I know is on your mind, and that’s content!

Last week we started a new segment on finding the hidden money in your business, and we started talking about monthly newsletters.  To see where we’ve been check out this post.  Today we’re going to cover 3 more advantages of using your newsletter, and why it should be seen as an income producing asset, and NOT an expense.

On Tuesday we started a new segment on finding the hidden money in your business.  I said it all started with the right list.  See that article here on my blog.  Today we’ll talk about a marketing idea that will help uncover more hidden money; it’s something lots of people know they should do, but rare do it…  That’s right, a monthly newsletter!

Today we’re going to start a new series on finding the hidden money in your business.  This will take a couple weeks, so strap in, ‘cause here we go.

Last week we started talking about using a marketing calendar.  We talked about why it was critical that you have one, and a couple things to consider when you’re creating your calendar.  To review, see the blog post from last week below.

Last week we started talking about using a marketing calendar.  We talked about why it was critical that you have one, and a couple things to consider when you’re creating your calendar.  To review, see the blog post below.

On Wednesday we started talking about using a marketing calendar.  We talked about why it was critical that you have one, and a couple things to consider when you’re creating your calendar.  To review, see the blog post below.

Creating a marketing calendar is perhaps the single most valuable time you spend “on” your business each year.  But why should you have a marketing calendar?

Last week I gave you three questions you should consider when you craft your own unique selling proposition.  I also told you I’d dissect two “real world” USP’s that I use in two businesses that I’m involved with.  To see where we’ve been, see my blog below.  For the 2 real world examples, read on.

On Tuesday we talked about the ways you can find your own, unique USP.  Some of those included product or price advantage, or a process advantage, plus a few others.  To review see that blog post below.  We’re going to go over some other methods you can use to create and craft a winning USP for your business.

We kick off a new segment last week on Unique selling propositions, or a USP.  To review click over to me blog below and see what you may have missed on Friday.  Today, we’ll discuss a few different ways to find your USP.

We’re going to start down a new road today.  We’re going to be starting on the topic of a USP, your unique selling proposition.  This may be opening up a BIG can or worms, and it can be one of the hardest things you do with your business.  But it’s well worth read.

Over the past several weeks, we’ve been talking about lead generation marketing, how to use it, and how to integrate it into your marketing funnel.  To see where we’ve been, see my blog posts from the past couple weeks below.  Today we’re going to wrap up our discussion on these two topics.

We’ve been discussing lead generation the past two weeks, and earlier this week I introduced you to the idea of a marketing funnel and using it when you use lead generation marketing.  To see that post just scroll to the posts below.

Last week I left you off with the virtues of lead generation marketing.  To review, see my blog post below.  Now we’re going to move on to using lead generation in your marketing funnel.  There are tons great reasons to use lead generation marketing.  We’ll cover a couple here.

I had a tip for today lined up, as we just finished up our last series on copywriting mistakes (see past posts below).  However, I received this tip from my friend Zach Entwistle, who got it from Mike Brooks.

For the last three weeks I’ve been discussing the 13 big mistakes I often see when critiquing sales letters.  Below are the final two BIG mistakes I see every day.  To review the previous 11, see my blog posts below.

For the last two weeks I’ve been discussing the 13 big mistakes I often see when critiquing sales letters.  To review where we left off, see the blog posts below from earlier this week.  Below are the next two mistakes copywriters often make.

“Too many marketers deal with premiums almost as an afterthought. This is a huge mistake. I know for a fact that premiums can and do drive sales, and that a change of premium, with no other changes, can dramatically alter the results of a promotion. For this reason, just as much careful thought should be given to the premium as to the main offer.” – Dan Kennedy, Power Points #34