Here's a great article I just read by Dan Kennedy. He's given me permission to reprint it here. I hope you enjoy it.
The fast food industry got the idea for drive-in windows from banks. I guess there was a McDonalds executive sitting at the bank drive-through one day who thought, “I don’t think we can fit the milk¬shakes in these tubes, but...” Netjets, the leader in fractional jet ownership, now owned by Warren Buffet, owes its birth to the vacation time-share industry. The microwave in your kitchen was not originally intended to go there; its original manufacturer, Litton, believed no consumer would buy it and built them only for restaurants. When was the last time you heard of Litton?
What does this tell you? That successful businesses live or die by cross-industry ‘borrowing’ of ideas, that inspiration more often comes from outside the box than from within. Ordinary businesses stay ordinary, their owners eking out only ordinary incomes – and working too hard for them – as long as those owners foolishly and stubbornly, mentally stay in their own tiny backyard. Breakthroughs come from bringing fresh ideas found outside one’s own business in and applying them in new ways. You choose to limit or expand your income by the way you reject or embrace ideas found far afield from your present modus operandi and industry norms.
The vast majority of ordinary businesspeople with ordi¬nary incomes and never-ending ordinary complaints about how hard they work but how little they gain, about being unable to compete with the bigger and cheaper... have this in common: they get their hands on powerful information like that in this very publication and waste their time and energy in the non-creative activity of finding all the ways it can’t and doesn’t apply to them. Some people have such teeny, tiny, calcified, crippled imaginations they can only appreciate an example precisely matched to them – oh, that won’t work for me because her place sells pizza and I sell Chinese food, and hers is in a medium sized city and I’m in a small town, and it rains a lot where she is but it’s sunny here; you have to show me an example from a Chinese restaurant in a small town where it’s hot and dry. Fools stay stuck in the very limiting “But My Business Is Different” box, thereby negating the value of 99% of every successful strategy, example, model they see or are presented with.
My client list is, fortunately, chock full of people who think in very opposite ways. They get rich by finding the non-obvious opportunities. Living creatively. Adapting tried-and-true winning strategies from somewhere else to where they are.
They attack each issue of my newsletter, each book I suggest to them, with yellow hi-liter and bias for action, not closed mind. They are willing, even eager to “re-imagine” their businesses while others have Bilbo Baggins’ (The Hobbit) attitude: not interested in adventures – they make you late for dinner. Space here does not permit telling you such client stories, but I’d invite you to get a peek, viewing the half-hour TV show at http://in12months.com, free of charge.
One of the most successful marketing strategies of all time is called ‘gift with appointment.’ Today, it brings new patients into dentists’ offices, affluent investors to financial advisors’ seminars, new home buyers to developments and resort communities, and is in play in hundreds of fields, helping to create millions of sales appointments every week.
To the best of my knowledge, it came from a woman named Estee Lauder. I wonder how many people from how many different fields ignored it for how long, because: “Nothing having to do with selling lipsticks and perfumes could possibly apply to MY business. MY business is different.”
WE HAVE ARRANGED A SPECIAL FREE GIFT FROM DAN FOR YOU including a 2-Month Free Membership in Glazer-Kennedy Insider’s Circle, newsletters, audio CD’s and more: for information and to register, visit: www.DanKennedy.com
Friday, September 26, 2008
Tuesday, September 23, 2008
Marketing Lessons Learned from Kona
Since this is the first time installment of this monthly article, I’ll explain this section of the blog this month. Next month, we’ll really dive into our Marketing Lesson from Kona.
As most of you know, my wife (Jen) and I got a new Gold Retriever puppy in June. Each month I host a monthly Marketing Power Lunch, and starting in June I showed pictures to start off the meeting. (Hey, I don’t have kids to brag about yet, so I’ve gotta show you someting!).
In August, I figured they were probably sick of just seeing picture of Kona. But I still had to do my bragging for the month. So I decided I could get away with showing Kona’s latest picture if I tied it into direct response marketing.
It was a smash hit! So, stay tuned and starting next week you’ll get a real marketing lesson that my 6 month old puppy has taught me. Until then, you’ll just have to be happy with the picture this month!
www.3DMailResults.com
Friday, September 19, 2008
It is the fourth quarter - are you ready to end the year strong?
OK everyone, summer is over, Labor Day has passed, and the fourth quarter is now here. The question is, are you where you wanted to be at this point when you were planning 2007? Are you ready to finish strong or will it be a sprint just to stay even with last year? I don't know about you, but for me this year has absolutely flown by and there is still so much that I want to accomplish.
I often get questions from 3d mail clients and others about about information marketing. Many of you who are readers and followers of Dan Kennedy and Bill Glazer know what the term means and have read many stories about people who have created enormous piles of money by selling what they know. The actual products or the methods of distributing information include CDs, books (printed and e-books), special reports, coaching groups and more. The opportunity to make money is limited usually only by your imagination!
There are some good books and CDs that you can read to learn more about information marketing, but if you listen to me on anything this year, hear me on this - you need to attend the GKIC Info-SUMMIT. In addition to the great speakers that Dan and Bill have lined up, the bigger and more important reason (in my opinion) to attend is that you will get a chance to rub elbows with and talk to other people who are in the business, at all levels. I attend many seminars and events and I always come home brimming, not only with enthusiasm but also with ideas and concrete ways that I can take immediate action.
I read a couple of good books that I want to recommend. The first one is Online Marketing Success Stories by Rene V. Richards and the second one is The E-Code by Joe Vitale and Jo Han Mok. Online Marketing Success Stories is not only a collection of stories from experts who are already making millions using the Internet, but also has some great advice and suggestions. The other book, The E-Code, is another compilation (see a pattern?) that includes 43 ways to make money online, as told by 33 Internet superstars. They are both quick reads and I encourage you to a have a note pad and highlighter handy when you read them.
I know I ventured off the 3D mail trail here a bit, but that's ok. I recently wrote this article for my newsletter, and I just it was so good I'd share it with you, too.
www.3DMailResults.com
I often get questions from 3d mail clients and others about about information marketing. Many of you who are readers and followers of Dan Kennedy and Bill Glazer know what the term means and have read many stories about people who have created enormous piles of money by selling what they know. The actual products or the methods of distributing information include CDs, books (printed and e-books), special reports, coaching groups and more. The opportunity to make money is limited usually only by your imagination!
There are some good books and CDs that you can read to learn more about information marketing, but if you listen to me on anything this year, hear me on this - you need to attend the GKIC Info-SUMMIT. In addition to the great speakers that Dan and Bill have lined up, the bigger and more important reason (in my opinion) to attend is that you will get a chance to rub elbows with and talk to other people who are in the business, at all levels. I attend many seminars and events and I always come home brimming, not only with enthusiasm but also with ideas and concrete ways that I can take immediate action.
I read a couple of good books that I want to recommend. The first one is Online Marketing Success Stories by Rene V. Richards and the second one is The E-Code by Joe Vitale and Jo Han Mok. Online Marketing Success Stories is not only a collection of stories from experts who are already making millions using the Internet, but also has some great advice and suggestions. The other book, The E-Code, is another compilation (see a pattern?) that includes 43 ways to make money online, as told by 33 Internet superstars. They are both quick reads and I encourage you to a have a note pad and highlighter handy when you read them.
I know I ventured off the 3D mail trail here a bit, but that's ok. I recently wrote this article for my newsletter, and I just it was so good I'd share it with you, too.
www.3DMailResults.com
Monday, September 15, 2008
3D Mail Making the Internet Rounds
I just came across a great topic at a internet forum I frequent, Michel Fortin's Copywriter's Board. This is a great website that I visit often and it has some great discussions on copywriting and direct response marketing in general.
There's a thread going on right now on 3D mail. See it right here. Of course, being the The 3D Mail expert I had to weigh in my thoughts. The question was raised, "At what point do you send the 3D mail item in your mailing sequence? The beginning? The end? Somewhere in between? You'll have to click over to the thread to get my thoughts on the subject.
As a side note, one other blog I read daily and try to never miss is Clayton Makepeace's Total Package Blog. Just a couple resources for you all today!
www.3DMailresults.com
There's a thread going on right now on 3D mail. See it right here. Of course, being the The 3D Mail expert I had to weigh in my thoughts. The question was raised, "At what point do you send the 3D mail item in your mailing sequence? The beginning? The end? Somewhere in between? You'll have to click over to the thread to get my thoughts on the subject.
As a side note, one other blog I read daily and try to never miss is Clayton Makepeace's Total Package Blog. Just a couple resources for you all today!
www.3DMailresults.com
Friday, September 12, 2008
Our Custom Service Promise
I just got off the phone today with a potential new client. He had been working with one of our competitors on the mini trash can mailing. After about 4 weeks of getting the run-around, the competitor finally said, "Sorry, can fulfill." and left him hanging. (Tory White had a similar posting over on Clayton Makepeace's Total Package Blog about crummy customer service as well)
Thankfully, he was able to find us on via a search engine and he gave me a call today. By Monday we'll have his order processed and the trash cans will be in his hands by Friday.
I don't mean to toot my own horn, but we are fanatical about customer service. If we say something going to happen, we move hell and earth to make sure what we promise happens.
I know some of you may not be too familiar with our new division, 3D Mail Results, but the core company (American Retail Supply) has been in business for nearly 40 years. In fact, we were ranked best small business to work for in the State of Washington.
So this division's name may be different, but you'll still get the Make-You-Happy service that is the trade-mark of American Retail Supply.
That's all for this Friday afternoon rant. We'll pick up next week with some great 3D mail examples!
Thankfully, he was able to find us on via a search engine and he gave me a call today. By Monday we'll have his order processed and the trash cans will be in his hands by Friday.
I don't mean to toot my own horn, but we are fanatical about customer service. If we say something going to happen, we move hell and earth to make sure what we promise happens.
I know some of you may not be too familiar with our new division, 3D Mail Results, but the core company (American Retail Supply) has been in business for nearly 40 years. In fact, we were ranked best small business to work for in the State of Washington.
So this division's name may be different, but you'll still get the Make-You-Happy service that is the trade-mark of American Retail Supply.
That's all for this Friday afternoon rant. We'll pick up next week with some great 3D mail examples!
Monday, September 8, 2008
4 Tips for Creating a Successful 3D Mail Program
There are 8 great questions you must ask yourself before implementing 3D mail in your business. Here are the first 4. The next 4 will be posted later this week.
1. Does 3D mail work for your business?
3Dmail has many uses in both consumer and B2B businesses. However you do need to ask yourself if this is the right promotion to use. If you are in the B2B marketing with products/services that sell for a few thousands dollars (or totaling that after one year) or in an affluent type of consumer product/service, then 3D mail is for you.
If you have a product or service that sells for a lower dollar value, then the incremental cost of running a 3D mail program may not be the right fit. However, if that product or service is consumable (like bags that retailers use for us at American Retail Supply), and being sold over and over again to the same client (in either B2B or consumer marketplace), then it is appropriate for you.
2. What are your goals for your 3D mail campaign?
What do you want to achieve with this 3D direct mail campaign? Is this a one-step sale or lead generation? Do you want to set up a phone call, face-to-face meeting, a website visit etc?
What are you monetary goals? What kind of sales and responses do you need to make the mailing successful? Have you put yourself in a situation where an average response will reap huge rewards? You never want to put yourself in a situation where amazing results are required for you to make a good return on your investment.
3. It’s about ROI, not cost, or even response rates!
It is very important to think of 3D mail sequence and campaigns in terms of ROI and not cost or even response rate. 3D mail can cost more than regular flat mail packages. But it’s not a standard style package that gets regular results. Some will base their budgets on the cost to acquire a new customer.
Do the math to see if you feel you can hit the optimal ROI for your business. Remember, we put money in the bank, not response rates. The slightly higher cost of 3D mail almost always warrants the use of it when measuring ROI.
4. Targeting and segmenting your list.
This is a key aspect of any marketing effort, especially 3D mail. Average copywriting sent to an extremely targeted, well picked list can get your incredible results. Superior copywriting to an inferior list, with little or no targeting will get you inferior results. This is true whether you use 3D mail or flat mail. Segment your list to find biases, either demographically or psycho-graphically. Know your targets and know them well!
Stay tuned later this week and we'll discuss 4 other tips you must consider before doing your first (or 100th) 3D mailing.
www.3DMailResults.com
1. Does 3D mail work for your business?
3Dmail has many uses in both consumer and B2B businesses. However you do need to ask yourself if this is the right promotion to use. If you are in the B2B marketing with products/services that sell for a few thousands dollars (or totaling that after one year) or in an affluent type of consumer product/service, then 3D mail is for you.
If you have a product or service that sells for a lower dollar value, then the incremental cost of running a 3D mail program may not be the right fit. However, if that product or service is consumable (like bags that retailers use for us at American Retail Supply), and being sold over and over again to the same client (in either B2B or consumer marketplace), then it is appropriate for you.
2. What are your goals for your 3D mail campaign?
What do you want to achieve with this 3D direct mail campaign? Is this a one-step sale or lead generation? Do you want to set up a phone call, face-to-face meeting, a website visit etc?
What are you monetary goals? What kind of sales and responses do you need to make the mailing successful? Have you put yourself in a situation where an average response will reap huge rewards? You never want to put yourself in a situation where amazing results are required for you to make a good return on your investment.
3. It’s about ROI, not cost, or even response rates!
It is very important to think of 3D mail sequence and campaigns in terms of ROI and not cost or even response rate. 3D mail can cost more than regular flat mail packages. But it’s not a standard style package that gets regular results. Some will base their budgets on the cost to acquire a new customer.
Do the math to see if you feel you can hit the optimal ROI for your business. Remember, we put money in the bank, not response rates. The slightly higher cost of 3D mail almost always warrants the use of it when measuring ROI.
4. Targeting and segmenting your list.
This is a key aspect of any marketing effort, especially 3D mail. Average copywriting sent to an extremely targeted, well picked list can get your incredible results. Superior copywriting to an inferior list, with little or no targeting will get you inferior results. This is true whether you use 3D mail or flat mail. Segment your list to find biases, either demographically or psycho-graphically. Know your targets and know them well!
Stay tuned later this week and we'll discuss 4 other tips you must consider before doing your first (or 100th) 3D mailing.
www.3DMailResults.com
Thursday, September 4, 2008
3 More Ways to Use 3D Mail
For the past couple weeks we've been counting down just 8 of the unique ways that 3D mail can be used in your marketing. Here are the final three.
Stimulate referrals
Remember when we talked about 3D mail having sticking power? Meaning that people who receive unique 3D mail usually show others the cool mailing they received. Before you know it, you’re getting leads and sales from people you never even sent the mailing to!
Another great way to stimulate referrals with 3D mailing is to your current clients. One that I really like is a small boomerang inside an envelope with the headline, “Most of Our Business Comes Back to Us From Great Customers like You.” You may want to consider offering a premium (free gift) for those clients who do refer new clients.
Get more business with current clients
There is one big problem all businesses face when trying to get more business from existing clients. Even though they (ought to) know you and trust you, it’s very hard to get their attention and get them to act, even though they’ve ordered from you in the past.
You need to use 3D mail that demands attention. It must cut the clutter and get though to the client. A bank bag, message-in-a-bottle, or small item stuffed in an envelope all invoke curiosity that will get your client’s attention. It gets them involved and interacting with the mailing. This gives you a much better opportunity to sell to them again.
Find qualified prospects at a trade show
Trade show attendees are often bombarded with pre and post show advertising. It comes from the show organizers themselves, your company, and your competitors. It can get downright overwhelming for some prospects.
This is a time when you have to be out-of-the-box, unique and be willing to stand out from the crowd. A simple, standard size postcard probably won’t cut it. Be daring and stand out.
For pre-show advertising, be creative. Use 3D mail to cut the clutter and give them a reason to stop by your booth, like a free gift or show specials. If you’re doing either, try to tie the promotion in with your 3D grabber.
For instance, if you’re doing a drawing for a free trip, try sending a small toy airplane with the headline, “We’ll send you anywhere in North America just for stopping by and saying ‘Hi.”
The puzzle piece mailer and treasure chest key discussed above is another great way to drive traffic to your booth for pre-show advertising.
For post-show advertising, it’s just as important to stand out. Again, you may want to tie in your promotion from the show. But most importantly, you want to remind that they had stopped by your booth, and now it’s time to get the sale.
We've wrapped up our segment on 8 ways to use 3D mail in your marketing. Starting next week we'll review some tips you can use today for your next 3D mailing.
See you then!
www.3DMailResults.com
Stimulate referrals
Remember when we talked about 3D mail having sticking power? Meaning that people who receive unique 3D mail usually show others the cool mailing they received. Before you know it, you’re getting leads and sales from people you never even sent the mailing to!
Another great way to stimulate referrals with 3D mailing is to your current clients. One that I really like is a small boomerang inside an envelope with the headline, “Most of Our Business Comes Back to Us From Great Customers like You.” You may want to consider offering a premium (free gift) for those clients who do refer new clients.
Get more business with current clients
There is one big problem all businesses face when trying to get more business from existing clients. Even though they (ought to) know you and trust you, it’s very hard to get their attention and get them to act, even though they’ve ordered from you in the past.
You need to use 3D mail that demands attention. It must cut the clutter and get though to the client. A bank bag, message-in-a-bottle, or small item stuffed in an envelope all invoke curiosity that will get your client’s attention. It gets them involved and interacting with the mailing. This gives you a much better opportunity to sell to them again.
Find qualified prospects at a trade show
Trade show attendees are often bombarded with pre and post show advertising. It comes from the show organizers themselves, your company, and your competitors. It can get downright overwhelming for some prospects.
This is a time when you have to be out-of-the-box, unique and be willing to stand out from the crowd. A simple, standard size postcard probably won’t cut it. Be daring and stand out.
For pre-show advertising, be creative. Use 3D mail to cut the clutter and give them a reason to stop by your booth, like a free gift or show specials. If you’re doing either, try to tie the promotion in with your 3D grabber.
For instance, if you’re doing a drawing for a free trip, try sending a small toy airplane with the headline, “We’ll send you anywhere in North America just for stopping by and saying ‘Hi.”
The puzzle piece mailer and treasure chest key discussed above is another great way to drive traffic to your booth for pre-show advertising.
For post-show advertising, it’s just as important to stand out. Again, you may want to tie in your promotion from the show. But most importantly, you want to remind that they had stopped by your booth, and now it’s time to get the sale.
We've wrapped up our segment on 8 ways to use 3D mail in your marketing. Starting next week we'll review some tips you can use today for your next 3D mailing.
See you then!
www.3DMailResults.com
Tuesday, September 2, 2008
Drive Traffic to a Location
Here's one of my favorite ways to use 3D mail in really ANY business.
3D mail can be very effective is getting your clients or prospects to come to your store, restaurant or other retail location. One of the best ones we’ve seen in driving traffic to your location is what we call a “puzzle piece mailer.”
In this mailing, you attach a puzzle piece to the top of your letter to your clients or prospects with the headline, “Is This the Winning Piece.” In the letter, its tells the client to bring this puzzle piece in to your location to see if it is the missing piece to complete the puzzle you’ve assembled in your business. If the piece matches, they win!
In restaurants the winner often receives a free meal for that visit, or in a retail store they’ll receive some type of Gift Certificate to redeem in the store.
Here’s another hint. Make sure everyone is a winner, even if their piece doesn’t fit. Have some inexpensive free gifts to give anyone with a puzzle piece who visits your location. We’ve also seen this work well when you send a key in the mailing. They bring in their key to see if it unlocks the treasure chest. If it does, they win again!
Next post I'll discuss 3 other ways to use 3D mail in your business. Be sure to check back in a couple days!
www.3DMailResuls.com
3D mail can be very effective is getting your clients or prospects to come to your store, restaurant or other retail location. One of the best ones we’ve seen in driving traffic to your location is what we call a “puzzle piece mailer.”
In this mailing, you attach a puzzle piece to the top of your letter to your clients or prospects with the headline, “Is This the Winning Piece.” In the letter, its tells the client to bring this puzzle piece in to your location to see if it is the missing piece to complete the puzzle you’ve assembled in your business. If the piece matches, they win!
In restaurants the winner often receives a free meal for that visit, or in a retail store they’ll receive some type of Gift Certificate to redeem in the store.
Here’s another hint. Make sure everyone is a winner, even if their piece doesn’t fit. Have some inexpensive free gifts to give anyone with a puzzle piece who visits your location. We’ve also seen this work well when you send a key in the mailing. They bring in their key to see if it unlocks the treasure chest. If it does, they win again!
Next post I'll discuss 3 other ways to use 3D mail in your business. Be sure to check back in a couple days!
www.3DMailResuls.com
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