Bob Bly’s Direct Response Letter:
Resources, ideas, and tips for improving response to
business-to-business, high-tech, Internet, and direct marketing.
January 2, 2020
5 SIMPLE STEPS TO MARKETING SUCCESS
#1–Identify a hungry, buying audience.
#2–Create an irresistible offer. [Like a money-back, no-obligation guarantee]
#3–Get your story in front of them consistently and affordably.
#4–Follow-up relentlessly.
#5–Create or source additional offers.
Source: Terry Dean email, 12/19/19.
NEW YEAR RESOLUTIONS AND THE SUNDAY TIMES
As a former Manhattanite, I learned that if you don’t read the
Sunday New York Times by Tuesday, you’ll never read it.
New Year’s resolutions are like that. If you haven’t taken
significant first steps to implement your New Year’s resolution
within a week or two after January 1, you’ll never achieve it
and most likely will abandon it.
BEST DAYS & TIMES TO SEND EMAIL MARKETING MESSAGES
According to studies by CoSchedule, Tuesday is the best day of the week to send email marketing messages, followed by Wednesday and Thursday. The best times to send out your email during the day are:
10am: This is one of the most popular late-morning email-sending times when we’re taking a short break from work.
8pm-midnight: We also check our email before going to bed.
2pm: This is another popular time to send emails when most people are taking their mid-afternoon break.
6am: The reason to do this is because the first thing we usually do when we wake up is check our emails.
Source: The CEO’s Edge, 12/11/19.
THE POWER OF “THANK YOU” AT WORK
When Doug Conant was the CEO of Campbell Soup, he wrote
approximately 30,000 thank-you notes to his employees–and
energized the company in the process.
You too can energize and engage your co-workers and team by
letting them know you are grateful for them and their work.
Organizations spend billions of dollars collectively on
recognition programs, but the best and cheapest recognition
program of all consists of a sincere “thank you.” And of
course don’t forget to say thank you to your clients and
customers too.
Source: Jon Gordon Newsletter, 11/25/19. Check out his “20 Ways to Get Mentally Tough at Work, Sports, and Life.”
HOW TO GET PAST MISTAKES AND FAILURES
No one is perfect. Your past mistakes and failures don’t have
to define your future. They can refine you and help you become
all that you were created to be. There is a plan for you. You
have a purpose. Don’t give up. Have faith and continue to get
better.
Source: Jon Gordon Weekly Newsletter, 12/2/19. Find Jon’s list of blog posts here.
STEP OUTSIDE YOUR COMFORT ZONE MORE OFTEN
“The truth is, most people have trouble stepping outside their
comfort zone. When we hit a roadblock or an obstacle, we assume
that we’re doing something wrong. But nothing could be further
from the truth,” writes T. Harv Eker.
In fact, when you are feeling uncomfortable, challenged, or
discouraged–that means you’re growing. So instead of
retreating back to old, familiar territory, continue moving
deeper into your “discomfort zone.” Reason: moving outside
your comfort zone means you’re moving forward.
Source: The CEO’s Edge, 12/4/19.
YES, IT STILL PAYS TO REACH BOOMERS WITH NEWSPAPER ADS
According to the Pew Research Center, print newspapers are still
the second most popular way for adults 65-plus to consume their
news, and research from Kantar indicates that skeptical adults
tend to trust print more than other news sources.
And baby boomers are worth reaching: Boomers account for 54% of
American wealth by household. As a group, boomers spend over $548
billion a year — about $200 billion more than Generation X.
Source: Today@TargetMarketing, 12/9/19. Maybe this helps too.
TRIM YOUR PRODUCT LINE
Chances are you probably have a few products that offer high
returns and great value to your customers. Investing in these can
bring higher profits.
On the flip side, you’ve probably got other products that
aren’t performing to expectations. It can be a hard call to
retire those, but once you realize you’re spending far more on
development, production, and marketing than you’re receiving in
revenue, it’s much easier to do.
Source: Liquid Capital, 12/12/19.
San Gabriel Tutor 