Sometimes you just gotta immerse yourself in a good ol’ rant!

I can’t think of a better place to get your Rant other than John Carlton’s Official Blog, infamously called . . .

 . . . The Rant

Strap in for the ride of your life. Seriously!

Carton unabashedly shares his wisdom from being in the marketing trenches for over 30 years!

From the blog, “Free and damn good insight, advice, cross-talk & muttering from the most respected & ripped-off marketing guru alive . . .”

All I can say is this:

If you have anything to do with marketing, being an entrepreneur, owning/running a business, you NEED to be reading his blog.

Yes, I’m a bit biased as he’s one of my all-time favorite mentors. And I don’t say this lightly as he’s directly responsible for putting my biz on the fast track to success.

Ok. Ok. Enough.

Check it out now:

https://www.john-carlton.com/

They’ll be a treat for you when you get there.

Until next time.

Yours for bigger profits.

Emette

Are you kidding . . . direct mail can be profitable? “I tried it and it tanked as quick as lead sinking to the bottom of the lake.” I hear this from clients initially but soon get them on the right patch to profits.

Fear not my friend. In this short article I’m going to show you five steps you can take to make your direct mail sing like a songbird (and pay some serious dividends).

So, let’s get started, ok?

Step 1. Target your audience. Sounds silly, right? But you’d be surprised how many times this simple step is overlooked. The more you know about your target market, the more profitable your mailing will be. Find how what are their most pressing problems are that your company can solve. Learn all you can about their demographic, their interests, then use this information create your most promising mailing.

Step 2. Get the best mailing list. Remember, in the direct mail biz, the list is your market. So, make sure you’re getting a great mailing list. Ask your list broker. They are key to getting a great list. Make sure the list is updated regularly and are carefully selected based upon your requirements. Again, knowing your target market is helpful here. Don’t be afraid to ask a lot of questions.

Step 3. Make compelling offers. Surprisingly, many businesses don’t even include an offer in their advertising. Wow. Don’t you be one of those businesses. A weak offer is still better than no offer. But you can do better by creating an over-the-top offer. Present your prospects and clients with an offer that’s almost too good to be true. I could write pages on creating offers but here’s a few to get you started: Special offers; two-for-one deals; a bonus gifts; price discounts; and limited time offers. Experiment with your own offers and see profits soar.

Step 4. Your sales piece sucks. Sorry, for being so blunt but it happens . . . a lot. Make sure your sales piece sells by being interesting, irresistible, and motivating. Does the headline catch the prospects attention? Does your sales piece connect with the reader and speak their language? Keep working on the offer, the product benefits and the call to action. And be sure you’re tracking your mail campaign.

Step 5. You’re not testing enough. What? Not testing? This a fatal error. If you don’t test (and track your mailings) how are you going to know if they are successful? Even the most successful mailing will eventually run out of steam. Things change like your competition, the market and times, they be a changin’. That’s why you test, test and test some more to keep on top. Little things can have big impacts like testing a new headline, or a new offer, a different guarantee.

So, the next time you prepare a new mailing, check this list before you send out the campaign.

Until next time.

Yours for bigger profits.

Emette

Emette here. And today I’d like to talk about how to create eye-ball grabbing headlines. You know the kind that sucks in your reader to the page like a F5 tornado.

So, let’s start with the basics. Writing headlines can be fun . . . once you know the secrets.

This may come as a surprise but according to a few top-shelf marketing gurus, your headline is NOT the most crucial part of the ads you write.  “What? Are you kidding me? Headlines are not the most important part of my ad? What, are you crazy?”

Yeah, I maybe a little nuts. But hear me out. I promise you’ll never think about ad writing the same way again.

Before you can create that killer, attention-grabbing headline you got to do a little detective work first. Before writing a single syllable of copy dig in and think about your prospect and the overall big idea or appeal. Your big idea will be the springboard from which your copy will flow from.

Now this may sound obvious but if you select the wrong appeal your promotion is going to bomb . . . no matter how brilliant the copy.

For example, send a letter offering a hi-end investment newsletter subscription to a paycheck to paycheck blue collar worker . . . and watch it get trashed fairly quickly. I’m sure you get the point.

As you can figure it all starts with really knowing your prospect and the market. Learn what the core desires and advantages the prospect wants to gain. I won’t go into a lot details about market research here but you do need to know who you are writing to.

Once you’ve nailed down who you are writing to you are now ready to bounce around some ideas about your prospect, your product and your promotion. All this leads up to creating a killer headline.

Let’s look at a few effective headline appeals.

Before I get into this here, keep in mind most writers do not spend enough time fleshing out a killer headline. They simply slap one together and call it a day. Please don’t let this be you (or your copywriter, or ad agency).

The main purpose of the headline is to do two jobs and do it quickly. It’s a noisy world out there and your headline must cut through the noise, grab the attention of your audience and pull them into the ad.

Grabbing your reader’s attention through all the noise is easy. Just shout out their name. You know something like, “Hey Jimmy Rae! Over here!”

BAM! Your headline just cut though all of that noise and clutter and you, my friend just got Jimmy’s attention.
So using a person’s name in your headline is one of the strongest appeal your sales letter could ever possess. In some cases response can go up as much as 30% . . . just by personalizing your letter.

But what if you can’t use personalization like in newspaper or magazine ads? Not to worry. You can use . . . drum roll please . . .

“Trigger Words”

Yes, trigger words to the job nearly as effectively. What the heck are trigger words? Trigger words are direct, shorthand like words that naturally flag your attention and describe the very thing you’re interested in.

For example let’s say you’re needing a crackerjack business consultant to pull you out of a tight spot . . . the words “skilled”, “professional”, or “pioneers in . . .” will likely gain your attention.

Likewise if you’ve taken a new job out of state and you need to sell your home quickly then you’ll most likely respond to words like “insider home seller secrets” and “Sell Your Home Quickly Without Giving Away Equity”.

The name of the game here is Targets! You shouldn’t care if anyone outside your prime prospects see your ad. It matters not! Again, learn what’s important to your prime targets and appeal to them.

Here’s A Few Examples:

One of my fav mentors, John Carlton is a master at incorporating hooks within the headline. Check out these examples:

“Put me in a tee box with Tiger Woods and I’ll outdrive him every time!” 

How A Skinny Little Gold Genius From California Accidentally Started Hitting 425-Yard Tee Shots!
                                            
Free Stock Trading Secrets of A Filthy-Rich Wall Street Outlaw!

World Famous Street-Fighter Will Give You A FREE GUN . . . Just to Prove He Can Take It Away From You Bare-Handed As Easy As Candy From A Baby!

Want more headline ideas?

Many of the top-shelf copywriters and marketers have praised COSMO for great headline and copy ideas. Keep in mind Cosmopolitan Magazine is not just a shelf magazine but also a checkout magazine. So the cover blubs have to grab readers’ attention in the grocery store checkout line.

Here’s a tiny sample . . .

Get Rid of Muffin Top. 7 Belly Blasting Tricks

Killer Cocktail. How a popular drink could kill you in your sleep.

HIS #1 SEX WISH. 71 Guys Crave This Move. You’re Gonna Want to Drop the Magazine and Do It On The Spot.

Gut Feelings You Should Never Ignore.

Lose Weight While You Eat – 9 Belly Shrinking Foods.

What You Should Never Let Your Gyno Do.

5 Things That Can Blow A Job Interview.

That’s just a teeny, tiny list.

Want more? Well all righty then. I’ve put together a “Headline Starter Kit” just for you. And here’s the best part . . . It’s completely FREEEEEE! No strings attached! Just email me at emette@masseydirect.com and ask for it! Be sure to put the words "Headline Starter Kit in the subject line so I'll know what you want.

Till next time.

Peace,

Emette Massey

You pound the pavement each and every day and I know you’re hurting. You’re hurting real bad. The sole of your business has got no soul. And that’s what I’m going to help you fix today.

I remember the lesson like it was yesterday though it was well over a decade ago. As usual I was pouring over a few select marketing books that I’d stumbled upon. Then all of the sudden the light clicked on and hit me like a ton of bricks.

The question of “why do some businesses struggle and some seem to prosper almost effortlessly?” tormented me for quite some time. I knew the answer was there somewhere but just couldn’t seem to latch on to it . . . until that fateful day.

A good buddy told me, “Em, you need to adjust your altitude.” It’s true. We as mere mortals oftentimes fly low, do the minimum and just scrape by. Likewise we get minimum rewards and  . . . just scrape by.

And in my humble opinion your attitude sets your altitude. To take it a bit further your attitude towards your prospects can be the fine line between just scraping by to flying high in the lap of prosperity.

Take a serious look at your competitors and peers. Are they really 100 times smarter than everyone else? Probably not. And if you really check the stats, most businesses do not possess any significant technical advantages, or special connections nor any other real advantages.

So what’s the difference? What makes some businesses flourish and others flounder?

It’s a small but powerful strategy that’s practically hidden by most business. It involves a simple twist in attitude. It’s what marketing mastermind Jay Abraham calls the “Strategy of Preeminence.” It’s the difference between a customer and a client.

Let’s look at how “customer” and “client” are defined.

Checking in with old man Webster (you know the word guru dude that started the whole definition thang) you’ll find this:

Client: “one that is under the protection of another”

Customer: “someone who buys goods or services from a business”

Can you see the difference?
 
Pay particular attention to how client is defined. What does under the protection of another mean, anyway?
For our purposes here it means to act in your client’s best interest. You learn exactly what her needs, problems, and struggles are and you find the right solution. And if you’re as savvy as I think you are, YOUR business will offer that right solution.
 
You don’t sell them stuff just to fill up your coffers. Yes, I understand we as biz owners are in business to make a profit. I’m totally cool with that. But in this client relationship our goal is to become their go-to source.
 
On the other hand, it’s your duty; it’s your obligation to provide your clients with the proper solutions . . . and nothing less to cure their pain. Even if on rare occasions you are not the right solution, you will refer them to someone who is the right solution. You want to be their trusted advisor.
 
But in order to do this you must be tuned in to their needs and wants. Top shelf marketers make it a point to find out all they can about their prospects, patients and clients. They look deep for this information out and use it to provide excellent service to their clients.
 
Get on the phone, go out in the field and talk to your prospects, customers and clients. Get to really know your clients and ask them about their business, their operation and their life.
 
Act like you really give a damn about your client’s well-being and you’ll soon see a huge shift in your business relationships. This leads to huge profit breakthroughs as well.
 
Be Different . . . It Pays
 
I’m fairly certain that I’ve talked about how you can separate your biz from all your competitors (if not, the shame on me).
 
But part of bringing your A game to the plate is figuring out what unique advantages or benefits you provide your customers. These should be things that no old else can provide.
 
What I’m hinting at here is called a unique selling proposition affectionately referred to as a “USP”.
 
You must figure out what the most powerful benefit or advantage you can offer your clients. A great way to do this is simply finding out what benefit or advantage your clients want most. Then position your product or service as having a unique benefit that they are not getting from your competitors.
 
Once you nailed your USP down make sure you incorporate into all of your marketing messages so your prospects will know the advantages of doing business with you.
 
These are just a couple subtle tweaks to ramp up sales and create massive amounts of goodwill. Your clients will love it and you’ll reap the rewards.

Till next time . . .
 
Keep on Truckin’

Emette

Confession time. I used to think marketing research was a total waste of time. Focus groups, panels and surveys . . . who the hell takes time to do these things? But I found out some fascinating facts. Would you like to hear about them?
 
Before you start to roll your eyes or break out in hives, think of research as your “silent business partner. Even if you have no interest in research and how it applies to your business, think again. Even if you ‘half-ass’ it, you’ll be leaps ahead of the competition.
 
Hint: Most business have no idea how use the facts they find . . . if they (or hire someone) do any competitive research at all . . . BUT
 
When you finish reading this article you’ll soon understand the importance of researching ‘stuff’, how to use it to gain a serious, competitive edge and put more dough in your company coffers.
 
Ready? Ok, let’s roll . . .
 
To begin, let me use another word to replace ‘research.’ After all, research’ is a smelly, dirty word to most entrepreneurs.  It implies skull work.
 
Merriam-Webster defines it this way . . .
 
re-search:
 
“Careful study that is done to find and report new knowledge about something”
“The activity of getting information about a subject”
 
So let’s use the word ‘homework’ instead . . . well, hell that isn’t much better, is it? Hey, I know . . . let’s call it ‘profit search.’ Sounds a whole lot better, doesn’t it? And that’s exactly what it is, a profit search.
 
Years ago, before I finally grew up, I used to think advertising was all about writing cute words that sounded cool and showcasing the words around fancy artwork or pictures.
 
Fortunately I got over it very quickly and found a several teachers who taught me a few basic, timeless principles. It was the ‘when the student is ready, the teacher will appear’ thing.
 
It was during this same time that I caught the research ‘bug’ numerous years back when I stumbled upon the wisdom an ‘old-timer’ named David Ogilvy.
 
In case you’ve never heard of David Ogilvy, he founded Ogilvy & Mather in 1949 and built his company to one of the eight largest advertising companies in the world. Yes, you read that correctly—in the world.
Ogilvy is widely considered “The Father of Advertising.” In 1962, Time magazine called him “the most sough-after wizard in today’s advertising industry.”
 
Though Ogilvy checked out nearly 15 years ago, the ad agency he built still is a major force amongst ad agencies today with offices 450 worldwide in 169 cities.
 
You may find it interesting that he was a researcher before he become an ad exec.
 
In his book Ogilvy on Advertising said “Advertising people who ignore research are as dangerous as generals who ignore decodes of enemy signals.”
 
That sentence caught fire with me and prompted me to dig deeper about how research could help making my ads (and the ads I write for clients) more powerful and persuasive.
 
I strongly suggest that you employ at least some form of research in your marketing and see how it could increase your sales.
 
Here’s five ways you may research to make your ads sizzle and sell more . . .
 

• Research can help you estimate the sales of new products and how much it’s going to cost to get these sales. You can gage prospect interest with mathematical models to see whether your new product warrants testing or not.

 

• Along these same lines, you can use research to get customer reactions to new products before you go ‘whole hog’ with production. Better to get a “thumbs up or down” while your new product idea is still in the conceptual stage—else you could be in for a serious loss.

 

• Let research guide you in how your product or service stack up again other products in the marketplace. Once the data’s in, you can make tweaks to make it more appealing. It’s all about what your marketing wants . . . again, research will be your silent partner.

 

• Research can help you define your target market. Who are they . . . Men or women? Old or young. Rich or not so rich.

 

• Research can find out what jargon folks are using when talking about your type of product and what factors are important in the buying process.

 
So there you have it . . . a few good ideas on how your newest ‘silent’ partner . . . aka Research can save the day by uncovering details about your customers and prospects that lead them down the purchasing path and earning your more money!
 
Till next time . . . I bid you peace and prosperity!
Warmly,
 
Emette E. Massey

If you been around advertising and marketing any time at all, you’ve probably at least heard the name Claude Hopkins. If you’ve haven’t then . . .

You’re In for a Real Treat!

I like to travel back in time and read some of the old advertising classics. Many of the old gems contain little nuggets of pure gold. Now sometimes you gotta dig for them, overlook the dated language and think about the lesson imparted, but it’s well worth the time and effort.

And one of my favorite classics is Scientific Advertising . . . bar none! This small guide is filled with timeless advertising and marketing wisdom that can be applied today. And can you guess who wrote this timeless masterpiece? YES . . . you’re right—it was written by none other than . . .

Claude Hopkins!

Many top marketing masters like Jay Abraham, Dan Kennedy, and Clayton Makepeace recommend this book often! Many consider this book one of the best advertising books ever written.

In fact Jay Abraham and many other top marketers considers this a “must read” book.

David Ogilvy wrote that “Nobody should be allowed to have anything to do with advertising until he has read this book seven times. It changed the course of my life.”

Now wouldn’t you think if one of the most successful ad men in the world considers this book so important and valuable, that you should at least take a look?

A Complete Advertising Education In Under 40 Pages

Yes, I realize this is a bold statement to make and I’m going to prove that it’s true. Think about most ‘advertising’ text books on the market today. These tombs are like encyclopedia sized books.

But here’s the thing . . . they are filled with theory and industry-advertising fluff. Not anything really useful for the business owner who needs to make their ad dollar pay.

Just as the title implies, Scientific Advertising outlines a unique advertising approach based on testing and measuring. This book contains information on how to write advertising that sells.
 
On the other hand, most traditional advertising relies on catch phrases and fancy graphics and artwork to sell . . . and none of it is tracked. I don’t know about you but unlike Coke or Budweiser I don’t have millions to spend on advertising . . . especially advertising that can’t be tested or tracked. Yea, I’m all about building a favorable image but I want sales!

So, why am I “talking up” this book?

Simple!

You know we live in in a world filled with hype and distrust and skepticism.  I want to break that tradition and give you something of real value. I want you to have something that will lead you to advertising breakthroughs and kick your sales up a notch or two. I want you to have a guide that will improve all of your marketing and advertising efforts. Best of all . . . I want you to get it without risk or cost!

A Gift For You . . .

Here’s the deal. If you feel like your business could use some more sales, more leads or more store or web traffic, I’ll send you a PDF copy of Scientific Advertising. It will not cost you a single dime. Heck, you don’t even have to ‘opt-in or subscribe to a mailing list.’ No tricks or strings attached. None of that rubbish!

In fact, if you’ll let me know where to send it and I’ll be gladly email you a fresh copy. Again, it’s presented in PDF so you can read it practically anywhere, study it or print it out. Oh, another thing . . . this is a special illustrated edition containing numerous ads written by Hopkins. It’s a book with a built in swipe file!

Here’s how to get your free copy of Scientific Advertising.

Email me at emette@masseydirect.com  with the words “Claude Hopkins” in the subject line. This way I’ll know it’s not spam. I’ll reply back with your book attached within 24 hours.

Pretty simple, huh?

Ok, that’s it for today!

Warmly,

Emette Massey

Yeah, I know the drill all too well. “I tried direct mail and it don’t work and it’s expensive.”

To be honest, I bombed and hit hard the first time I used direct mail too! It was ugly.

But I stayed with it and learned how to make it work from a select few pros in the direct mail industry. And it paid off in spades.

In this short article I’m going to give you some reasons why you should put direct mail to work in your business. If you don’t, you’re leaving money on the table.

In another article I’ll show you how to make it profitable. But for now, I’m suggesting that you to at least consider using direct mail to grow your business.

I believe that you’ll soon be surprised at how efficient and profitable direct mail really is.

Let’s get to it.

Some of the largest and most profitable companies use Direct Mail to sustain and grow their business. It’s true, Apple, AT&T, Wells Fargo, Pfizer and Wal-Mart and numerous business use direct mail to get fresh leads and increase their sales.

And in case you’re wondering, internet companies such as Google rely on Direct Mail to get businesses to advertise with them.

Sending out direct mail works like crazy for nearly any type of business . . . medical clinics, plumbers, auto repair shops, publishers, sales organizations . . . and nearly any other business you can think of. And it will work for your business too!

Here’s Just A Few Reasons To Use Direct Mail

First, you won’t find a more reliable and robust system to get your message out to your clients and prospects.
While there’s no perfect methodology, the US Postal Service is hard to beat.

The Postal Service delivers to 146 million households and business each day, six days a week. Sure, UPS and FedEx compete but UPS delivers only 8 million and FedEx less.

Rest assured, the Postal Service is NOT Going Away! So, you have extremely reliable system right at your fingertips to get the word out affordably.

According to DM News, a recent study showed that 98% of consumers get their mail from the mailbox the day it’s delivered, and 77% go through it immediately.

Now, think about YOUR email. Do you think it’s treated with as much urgency?

According the DMA Statistical Fact Book, 12 Billion (with a B) Catalogs were mailed last year. Do you really think catalog companies go to the trouble and expense to send out 12 BILLION catalogs if they weren’t successful?

What’s more is that Direct Mail advertising in the US is expected to rise to over $48 Billion
.
So, what this all adds up to is a dependable, economical and profitable system to sustain and grow your business.

Stay tuned. Next, I’ll be talking about how to make your mailing profitable.

Yours for bigger profits.

Emette E. Massey

One of favorite Doors songs is “Riders On The Storm.” The lyrics while short and deep and full of meaning.

This was the last song Jim Morrison recorded before his death. Morrison is regarded by music critics and fans as one of the most iconic and influential front men in rock music history.

Must like the Door’s song “Riders On The Storm” is about life and we only get out of life what we take, this short article is about taking our thoughts and putting them down on paper.

And this brings me to writer’s block.

Is Writer’s Block Real?

There’s been lots of debate about writer’s block. You pull out pen and paper or open a new word file and it begins . . .
Nothing! You stare at the paper or screen as if somehow magically the paper or screen will actually give you ideas.

Yeah, right!

I learned this many, many years ago from John Carlton, “All writer’s block is, is not being prepared on what you need to do.”

And what you should be doing before you write a single word is getting prepared to write.

You get prepared by reading and studying your product, service, competitors and so on. Most of this requires reading and asking questions.

It also involves shaking the cobwebs out of your brain. So, “priming” your body with good fuel and rest is very helpful to get clear, primed and ready to write.

Think about this. Your body host your brain where all thought occurs.  Exercising and eating right stimulates your brain, get the electrons flowing and popping with great ideas.

So, is writer’s block real? Nah, not at all. It’s just a sign your not truly prepared to write.

Now you have a few tools to prevent writing block and prepare yourself to write.

Until next time.

Yours for bigger profits.

Emette