I just carried out an interview with Drayton Bird (more on that soon) where I asked him his recommendations for books and authors to study.
One thing Drayton said is that you should not restrict your reading to only business books. You should also read for leisure. (I won’t go too much into this as it’s all on the interview.)
However, very soon afterwards I received an email from Ken McCarthy of the System Seminar.
In this email he said something which really resonated with me, and should with you, too, if you intend doing well in your business: Be all you can be. Read.
He points to a post on his blog entitled: Ten classic direct marketing books, where he lists his ten best books on the subject.
This was fantastic news to me as I’m always on the lookout for more material to sink my teeth into (if I was a vampire I’d be biting into books rather than necks).
Here’s his list:
1. My Life in Advertising – Claude Hopkins
2. Tested Advertising Methods – John Caples (Fourth edition or earlier)
3. How I Raised Myself from Failure to Success in Selling – Frank Bettger
4. Scientific Advertising – Claude Hopkins
5. How to Write a Good Advertisement – Victor Schwab
6. My First Sixty Years in Advertising – Maxwell Sackheim
7. Secrets of Successful Direct Mail – Richard Benson
8. Breakthrough Advertising – Eugene Schwartz
9. The Robert Collier Letter Book – Robert Collier
10. Common Sense Direct and Digital Marketing – Drayton Bird
That’s a good list. I already have seven of them.
However, I think he missed one: How to write sales letters that sell by Drayton Bird which, in my opinion, is even better than The Robert Collier Letter Book.
Going too far, did you say?
Woah, give me a break and check it out yourself before getting the whip out.
Anyway, that is quite a comprehensive list and one you’d do well to take note of.
Filed under Advertising Methods, business, Claude Hopkins, copywriting, direct marketing, Frank Bettger, John Caples, Ken McCarthy, marketing, Marketing Books, Richard Benson, Robert Collier Letter Book, Sales Letters, Scientific Advertising, Secrets Of Successful Direct Mail, system seminar, Victor Schwab by on Mar 30th, 2010. Comment. 
We’re buried in e-mails! All due to an
unprecedented number of Success Margin
subscribers from around the world overwhelmingly
wanting more Headline Shortcuts!
Apparently my dear subscribers recognize the
enormous and irreplaceable importance of the
headline.
I’m very pleased! I love it when my readers “get it”!
Please understand this key point. Without a great
headline your promotion is doomed.
“75% of the buying decisions are made at the
headline alone.” Who said so? The late, great, John
Caples, author of the wonderful book, Testing
Advertising Methods.
Today we’ll cover the amazing sales power of what
I call the “Visualize It” headline technique.
Here are some headline examples which illustrate
this powerful technique:
*******
Imagine…You a Millionaire Publisher!
*******
Imagine…You on Top of the Best-Seller List!
*******
Imagine… You a Millionaire Real Estate
Developer!
*******
Picture This… You Open Your Mail Box and Find
it Stuffed with Hundreds of Orders! Welcome to the
World of Mail Order Marketing!
*******
Imagine… Sipping Pina Coladas on the Sun
Drenched Beaches of Beautiful St. Barts Where
There’s Always a Gentle Breeze and the Most
Difficult Decision You Face All Day is Which 5-
Star Restaurant You’ll Choose for Dinner!
*******
Picture Yourself in a Committed, Loving
Relationship with the Partner of your Dreams!
*******
Picture Yourself at the End of Your Speech
Experiencing the Entire Audience Spontaneously
Giving you a Standing Ovation!
*******
The key to a successful “Visualize It” headline is
this. Your particular niche audience must closely
identify with and relate to what you present.
Here is the question I strive to answer before I start
writing a word. What’s the biggest dream (or one of
the biggest dreams) the majority share within my
niche audience?
Every person, of course, has dreams. Whether they
are entrepreneurs, doctors, professionals, artists,
speakers, writers, or technical people, such as
computer technicians.
Your job is to discover what your audience
dreams about in the vivid fantasy life we all have.
Once you have struck the right emotional chord
with your audience that resonates, you are 90% of
the way to a huge multi-million dollar success. The
other 10% is to prepare body copy that amplifies the
promise within the headline.
Are you getting this headline stuff? Is it clear to
you?
Please let me know how you are getting on with this
topic. Trust me. Every minute you spend
developing your headline skills will pay off for you
big time!
Watch for the next issue of The Success Margin. I’ll
cover another powerful Headline Shortcuts (Part
III). This has made many of my clients very wealthy
indeed. And if you apply it, it will do the same for you.
I call it Ways To/Reasons Why…
Your correspondent,
Ted Nicholas
—————
“This article appears courtesy of THE SUCCESS
MARGIN, the Internet’s most valuable success and
marketing e-zine. For a complimentary
subscription, visit http://www.tednicholas.com/
Filed under Advertising Methods, copywriting, John Caples, Mail Order Marketing, Niche Audience, Ted Nicholas by on Mar 15th, 2010. Comment.
