Whoever thought it would be so easy to
get people to write nice things about you, even if they don't mean
it. Just kidding, of course. I'm sure they mean
it… Anyhow… it really is this easy. Dobkin, in a
more sober moment, or is that somber moment, writes the entire plan in
his own exquisite clarity of style in just under a thousand words.
Postcards are easy to mail and can have
high readership if created correctly. They can be very effective marketing tools if
written and designed well. This is a three part article series on
writing and designing postcards to achieve maximum readership and response. This article sheds some light on a defining moment - when the reader first picks up your postcard. You have 2 seconds - this better be good.? Here's how.
Does Dobkin ever cross that fine line
between what's really funny and what's really offensive? You're
damn right he does. But does that make him bad person?
Yea. Yes it does. So if you're that kind of sniveling
little girly-type of person who always is the first to complain about
everything then hey - don't read his stuff.
You're probably the
type that can't stand the typos and misspellings in his work,
either. But Jeff leaves them in for the picky people who need
something to point at and have the compulsion to tell others where
they're so wrong. Jeff's philosophy is, you're not really a man
if you have only one way to spell a word. Last week he said to
me, while writing his 6th book, "I have ADD. But at least I don't have
ADD." Carry on, Jeff, carry on. There's still a few good
people who read your babbling. This article is really, really,
pretty funny.
How's your marketing? Probably
very good. If you do have any questions, this article shows what
it takes to create the best marketing program. Also noted: some
of the marketing services that are available from Jeff Dobkin and the
team at the Danielle Adams Publishing Company.
It took me two years of research and
writing to develop "The Intelligent Testing System." The hard copy of this
exhaustive study on how to market with classified ads and direct mail
comes in 2 big binders and runs well over 400 pages, with 10
double-sided audio cassettes of completely new material; and ships at
11 pounds with a bonus disk on mailing lists.
There are over 15
letters and 5 pages of ad slicks to resell this program (good for any
business opportunity program, really) if you want to, with $100
commission on each sale. This article is a very, very short
version and does not include the 100 pages of reference data or the audio, but is is a good article and makes for good reading.
In this fun yet pointed and direct
three-article set Jeff takes potshots at the phone companies, banks,
charge cards firms while presenting an easy way for you to not run your
firm like those bastards. If you are thinking, "How can I keep a
customer for life?" even when your prices are not the lowest in town,
these articles may raise some eyebrows with a few easy to follow
methods. Check it out - this is absolutely great bathroom reading
material.
No, this is not some fluffy stuff that I
can make into a book. These are real lessons you should know
about. And you should thank me that I didn't make you read a
whole book based on these seven simple principals.
Retail marketing II: Finding your best prospects and attracting them, then getting them into your store. Then getting them back into your store. Ugh. Hey, you wanted to open a store — I warned you. Oh well, here's what you can do now. I mean, besides just sitting around wondering where everyone is…
Free Direct Marketing Articles by Author Jeffrey Dobkin
Is it really a survey when you don't care what your customers think, but use this survey format to cleverly seduce your reader to learn about your new products and to call you. Sure it is. More or less. Read this fun but accurate article to learn out how to create "Hidden-Objective Surveys" and "Key Question Surveys."
The campaign, the follow up, letters,
newsletters, testimonials - it's all here. Brief and to the point
how to get and keep customers. It doesn't get any better than
this... Oh wait — yea, yes it does. Bring on the beer,
uncork the champaign, put the top down and drive around in that new
sports car, and have a chance meeting with that (now recently divorced)
cute little red haired girl you liked so much in 9th grade, while
you're away in Las Vegas attending an insurance sales seminar.
Now, it doesn't get any better than that.
The pros and cons about different
marketing methods. A more serious look at marketing. Ugh.
But, if you need this, it may save you a ton of money and a lot of
aggravation rather trying to figure all this out and do it by yourself.
Third article in a series (Building
Loyalty and Customer Retention for $1.23; and The Strategic Use of
Letters) on building customer loyalty and increasing customer
retention. A good read, and you should read it
The second article in a series (Building
Loyalty and Customer Retention for $1.23) of keeping customers. A good
read about and easy to follow effective marketing strategy.
Lots of people ask me "How do I market
something?" So I simply write a marketing plan without knowing what
they are selling, their budget, or the basis or bother of any facts or
figures at all. Simple. OK. So... here it is.
Compared to most other types of
mailings, post cards are easy, fast and cheap. That doesn't mean
they can't be effective. Here's how to create a successful
campaign using post cards by coupling them wiht FREE booklets.
OK, so I gave away the secret... but the article is still very specific
in how to receive the maxium response from a post card mailing.
Jump right in - this short article is a great bathroom read.
Response can be increased by giving away
a FREE Booklet. It is the title of the booklet that can both
limit response from unqualified readers and increase response from real
prospects. Here's how. Marketing with free booklets is one
of my favorite - and most effective - low cost marketing methods.
Probably the toughest decision you
will need to make in direct marketing is the selection of a mailing
list. It's also one of the most important, because to a great
degree your list determines your response rate. Here are some
resources, and this is a full course in mailing lists 101, 102 and 103.