First you drive Traffic (to your site); then you monetize that traffic; then you re-invest profits (into your business). Those are are three basic steps to building and using a list.

Listen and watch as Clayton goes further into how to achieve these aims.

As the title says, Rich Schefren interviews Clayton Makepeace.

Clayton discusses all aspects of copywriting and direct mail.

———————————–
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———————————–

Featured Article
How to Make a Fortune Promoting Other People’s Products

By Jimmy D. Brown of “Affiliatenaire”

There must be a reason why some affiliates succeed and some
fail, a reason why some affiliates profit moderately and some
affiliates profit substantially.

There must be a reason.

There is.

And that reason is this:  “super” affiliates start, sustain and
strengthen relationships with subscribers.

It begins and ends with a list.  Even a small one can be a
powerful, profitable mechanism if you follow these 7
guidelines…

1. CAPTURE THE OPTIN FIRST.

Instead of sending traffic directly to your affiliate link,
send them to YOUR site where you offer some kind of list for
them to join.  (Hint:  Mini-course works best)  Once you have
them on a list, they become an asset.  If you send them directly
to an affiliate page and they don’t buy,  they’re gone forever.
On your list, you can follow-up  with them
indefinitely.

Note:  You can even redirect them to your affiliate link AFTER
they join your list, effectively getting them where you wanted
them to go in the first place.

2. DIFFERENTIATE THE OFFER.

Instead of sending out the same, tired, lame advertisement that
every other affiliate in the world sends out, write your own.
Trust me when I say that many people find it  OFFENSIVE when
they receive two dozens duplicate emails from two dozen list
owners all promoting the exact same thing in the exact same way.
And even if they don’t find it offensive, it’s not as effective
if you simply rinse and repeat what everyone else is doing.

Hint:  Here’s how you differentiate…

3. SPEAK FROM EXPERIENCE.

Nothing – nothing – nothing speaks louder than RESULTS.  If you
want to lose a few pounds, who do you turn to?  Someone  who is
still struggling with their own weight or someone you’ve seen
drop 35 pounds?  Exactly.

The way you make your mailings / ads different is you speak
from your own personal experience.  This product or service that
you are promoting as an affiliate, how has it been useful to you
personally?  What results have you personally achieved? When you
used it, what happened?

Note:  If you haven’t personally used the product, then shame
on you for trying to make a quick buck from it hocking it to
others!

4. OFFER A COMPELLING INCENTIVE.

Another way to be different – and to dramatically increase your
chances of getting a sale as an affiliate – is to offer some
kind of compelling incentive if someone buys the offer through
YOUR referral link.  Whether it’s a special report or access to
an audio recording, personalized consultation or advertising, a
private training call or existing products and services, this
can be a highly effective method of converting fence-setters
into paying customers.

In order for it to work well, it must be UNIQUE (I.E.  You’re
the only one making the offer) and USEFUL (I.E.  Something of
great perceived value to the reader).

Note:  Don’t have anything to offer?  Don’t worry!  There are
many ways to easily obtain extra incentives:  conduct an
interview, hire a ghostwriter to create articles / reports for
you, buy reprint rights to other products, assemble a bunch of
free articles and other resources into a private access site,
etc.

5. LOOK FOR RESIDUAL OPPORTUNITIES.

Rather than exhaust your efforts on purchases that give you a
one-time commission, why not make the most of your marketing by
looking firstly for offers that pay out ONGOING monthly
commissions for your referred sales?

There are many different residual income generating services
such as membership sites (ranging from PT Cruisers to weight
loss), stock photos and clipart, hosting, autoresponders,
databases (from hiking trails to sermon outlines) online
magazines and a variety of other subscription based
opportunities that reward you with monthly recurring commissions.

While you definitely want a mix of types of affiliate programs
to promote, your priority should be in identifying and promoting
those services and programs that will pay you month after month,
instead of only one time.

6. BUILD A SALES ARMY.

One of the biggest untapped sources of income in any list is
that of “turning subscribers into partners”.  In other words,
find those on your list who are interested in making money and
provide them with training and materials to promote affiliate
programs as well.

This has a two-fold advantage for YOU:

* First, if you find 2-tier affiliate programs, you can get
your subscribers to join the program through your referral.
Anytime they get a sale, you’ll earn a commission as well.  You
effectively get free commissions from their effort.

* Secondly, you can use their efforts to build your own assets.
For example:  If you provide them with a 10-page report to give
away to promote their affiliate link, you can include a page in
the report promoting YOUR list!  You effectively get free
subscribers from their effort.

7. MONETIZE FOR MULTIPLE STREAMS.

As your own list continues to grow, you certainly want to
diversify in your offerings.  (Not to the point of bombarding
your list with offers every day of course!)

* Promote other affiliate programs.
* Create your own products.
(Even short $10 reports will earn profit!)
* Establish joint ventures.
* Co-author products.
* Cross promote.
* Conduct surveys.

There are MANY ways to make money from you list and keep your
list growing, growing, growing!

Remember, it all comes down to:  starting, sustaining and
strengthening relationships with subscribers.

And that’s how you make a fortune as an affiliate promoting
other people’s products.

Jimmy D. Brown is the author of “Affiliatenaire”, teaching
you how to create big-time affiliate commission checks in
only 1-3 hours each week.  Discover how you can get cash in
the bank without a website, experience or even an idea!
Visit http://directanddigitalmarketing.com/affiliatenaire/
———————————–

Let’s talk about money today.

Specifically, what your marketing costs – and what you get in exchange.

And let’s talk about the meaning of words – because the way we describe things to an extent determines what we do.

Thus, if you talk about junk mail, you’re more likely to produce it.

But first, a little joke provoked by the torrent of e-mails I got in reply to my foolish offer of a video. which I then had to make. AAAAARGH!

“That’s another fine mess you’ve got me in.”

I apologise if you’re familiar with what follows – but I find that many aren’t; and of those who are, a surprising number don’t act upon its important implications.

Some people talk about marketing “spend”. Others talk about marketing “investment”.

You’ll probably agree that those who see it as spend are more likely to make it one of the first things they cut down on when times are hard. Those who see it as investment are less likely to do so.

Well it is an investment – and a wise one. Firms that spend more on marketing are on average more profitable than firms that don’t.

What’s more, firms that keep spending when times are hard tend to emerge even stronger than before – for a simple reason: they have a greater “share of voice” when an industry is spending less as a whole.

Of course, many firms may talk about marketing as an investment – but not mean it. They wish to sound as though they’re thinking intelligently about it, but they don’t really mean it.

In fact most firms manage their marketing to suit their internal needs, which is crazy. Because they should just think in terms of the real commodity in business, which is not actually money, but people.

Take the subject of what you lay out and what you get.

How do people work it out? In many ways.

A firm might take a percentage of turnover or overhead as the right marketing budget.

Many, though are led by expediency. Recognise any of the following?

	“We need more sales volume; let’s spend more money.”
	“We have to send more profit to the US. Spend less on marketing”.
	“Last year we had a good year. Put up the budgets!” – or vice versa.
	Our new CEO wants to change the world. Increase marketing spend.”
	Five years later, “Our big-mouthed CEO hasn’t changed the world. How can we get better figures? Slash marketing budgets.”

Professional direct marketers (many are not, unfortunately) think first about what they are really investing in.

It is not advertising or direct mail: it is gaining and keeping customers.

Remember, the currency of your business is customers – and act accordingly.

So the big marketing question is, “how much is customer worth to you?”

If you’ve been in business for a while you can measure how long customers stay with you, and how much profit they provide in that time.

Then you discount the sum to determine what you can afford to recruit and retain a customer, allowing for a profit.

It is true that some sales are not repetitive, but in those cases you can often, if not always, cross-sell other things.

The importance of customer value came home to a client who sold what they call an fmcg (fast moving consumer goods) product here – and packaged goods in the U.S.

He asked me, “If the gross margin on one sale is 80 pence, how can I afford to send out direct mail at 100 pence a time?”

I asked him if he knew the average value of a customer over time – not just one sale. He said he’d never given it a thought.

And I said, “You can easily afford it if you know your average customer buys 200 packs a year and stays with you for five years – and you think not about making an immediate sale, but making and keeping a customer”.

He became my largest client.

The same principle applies if you work out how many cars you can sell a customer over a lifetime. You can afford a series of very expensive direct communications – DVDs, books, lavish mailing packs and so forth.

But it all starts by thinking in terms not of expenditure, but return on investment, and taking a lot of trouble to try and assess what a customer is worth.

Best,
Drayton

P.S.  This is number 34 of Drayton Bird’s 101 free helpful marketing ideas.  You can sign up on the link below for the rest.

—————————————–

Website: www.draytonbirdcommonsense.com / www.eadim.com

Click here to get 101 free helpful marketing ideas. Marketers from all over the world think they’re a pot of gold.

The Drayton Bird Blog – please do not visit if you are easily offended.

I read a lot. Books, newspapers, magazines. But
good, really powerful writing is a rare treat for
me. And I’m sure for you as well.

After reading a recent timely but boring and life-
less newspaper article, it suddenly hit me like a
ton of bricks!

The “voice” in which copy is written is crucially
important. Yet, I’ve never seen anyone discuss it.
And that includes me!

But, isn’t this true? As I gain new insights I
share them. And isn’t this part of the reason
you’re a subscriber?

I believe a big part of my success is due to
creating a “voice” that is unique to me. It
differentiates me. And I’ve found an interesting
and persuasive voice for numerous clients and
mentees.

But I never actually thought about actually
teaching anyone else how to do it. Today, dear
reader, that is about to change.

To be a powerful and effective communicator,
whether in print, on the platform, on TV or radio,
you need to communicate in your own special
voice.

You have a bigger challenge than it first appears.
You have to sound like you. Communicate just like
you. Be the authentic you. And no one else. But
like all great accomplishments, it’s easier said than
done.

Let me be crystal clear. I’m not talking about
faking it. Or making up some sort of phony voice.

I am talking about finding that voice already
within you. And simply letting it out.

I submit most people, instead of releasing it,
resist and fight against showing the world that
emotional inner voice. Rather, they try to be
“sophisticated,” whatever that means.

I believe a big reason for stilted writing which
is all too common is how the subject is taught in
school. You can please your English teacher and
get top grades. All you need to is display an
unemotional yet grammatically correct style.

The resultant writing is dull, lifeless, left-brain
copy no one (except your teacher) wants to read.
And even more important to the marketer, no one
will be influenced in any way to buy anything.

I’ve also discovered that nearly everyone has more
than one “voice” buried within them. Some have a
surprisingly large number of authentic voices.
These can be called upon, depending on the
purpose.

If and when you find your strongest, real,
authentic voice, your copy will vastly improve.
And I assure you, so will your sales results!

How would I further define your “voice”?

Nothing less than the sum total of your words,
expressions, personality and mannerisms that make
you–you.

Look around you carefully at all forms of writing
including sales copy. Wouldn’t you agree that most
writers’ work is sadly colorless and devoid of an
individual, unique voice?

Proper grammar (which can get you an A grade in
English) is not what makes copy interesting.
Readable. Persuasive. Compelling.

My job is to help you become a better writer of
sales copy. My goal is to help you get an A not in
English. But in marketing!

I’ve used several voices during my career. In my
first business, Peterson’s House of Fudge, my first
voice was as a gourmet chef. A confectionery and
ice cream maker with several patented recipes to
my name. At first I began speaking and writing the
way the chefs did who worked in my father’s
family restaurant/ice cream parlor business.

Later I started writing books. The first was “How
to Form Your Own Corporation Without a Lawyer
for Under $50.” I then got better and more
comfortable at letting out my second buried voice.

I released a voice that communicated how I felt.
Pro free market. Pro limited government. Anti-
lawyer. Anti-bureaucrat. Aspiring consumer hero.
Contrarian (I concluded that most people were dead
wrong about nearly everything. The truth was the
opposite of what I was taught in school and what
most people believed to be true).

All the copy written to sell my book, my first two
direct response businesses, and 56 books published
for other authors, utilized this new voice.

The first business widely using my contrarian tone
was Enterprise Publishing Company. The second
was The Company Corporation. This business, also
started in my basement, became the largest
incorporating company in the world.

This new contrarian voice from the depths of my
soul has indeed been very, very successful.

One of my major tasks is to actually create a unique
and valuable voice (in the authentic voice of the
client) for those with whom I consult and write
copy.

How do I find this new voice?

By intently listening to them. And understanding
what really makes them tick. And what keeps them
awake at night. I see this research as part of my
marketing challenge.

** Here are a few client examples **

– William Fischer, author of the book “How to
Fight Cancer and Win.” His inner voice–a caring,
outspoken researcher intent on seeking and
publishing the truth about alternative cancer
treatments as opposed to conventional approaches.

– The “Hugging Butcher.” His voice–a lovable
Minnesota butcher who the women customers in
particular love. Because of this tendency, I got him
to guarantee every customer a free hug. This simple
strategy turned his business, just two weeks away
from bankruptcy, into a roaring success. He is now
a retired former butcher.

– Dr. Reinhard Hittich came to my Bermuda
seminar in 1998. He is the founder of a fast-
growing direct response supplement company
headquartered in the Netherlands. His hidden
voice–a professional, caring nutritional
researcher fed up and angry with his former
employer, a pharmaceutical company which just
to make profits exploits the consumers with
harmful chemicals. His solution is natural vitamin
supplements as an alternative. The result of this
voice? This business has gone from a mid six-
figure turnover up to a high eight-figure enterprise
and one of the fastest growing direct response
companies in Europe.

Let’s look at a few more of the wonderful and
successful voices used by other well-known
entrepreneurs.

– Gary Halbert, my late friend and world-class
copywriter. His “voice” exemplified a profane,
crazy, lovable, irreverent person almost
irresistible to his particular audience. He had
this unique ability to communicate as though he
were in a locker room or bar having a few beers
with his best buddies. His words alone were able
to transport you right to that setting.

It’s important, of course, to realize every voice is
not for every audience. Many niche audiences
would undoubtedly be turned off by Gary, while
his fans loved him.

That’s why every entrepreneur has to seek and find
their own niche. And the voice you use helps you
do it very effectively. In fact, you usually can’t
do it at all without it.

– Bill Gore. This is another friend of mine who is
no longer with us. But his voice is. He actually
invented the revolutionary material now called
Gore-Tex. But DuPont, the parent company where
he worked, wasn’t interested in it. They couldn’t
see any future! So in his basement he started the
now iconic company, Gore-Tex in Wilmington,
Delaware, where I used to live. His “voice” always
used in his communications and advertising was a
caring, brilliant, informal, uncle-like figure. Today,
even after employing thousands with factories
around the world, the company has never given a
single employee a title, even to this day.

– Haband Pants. A mail order marketer. The
brilliant voice of this company used in their copy
is in the personal style of a father and his son.
They gossip. They complain about each other.
They bitch. They tell corny jokes. They even get
away with commenting about life all the while
they extol the virtues of their clothing.

Even the very largest corporations often assure
their advertising consistently reflects one
individual’s voice.

Most of the time the “voice” is the founder’s.

Years ago I had occasion to meet Sam Walton,
founder of Wal-Mart, in Washington, D.C. He was
the richest man in the U.S. at the time.

Mr. Walton was fascinating. He was a humble,
plainspoken man. He drove a 25-year-old pickup
truck and lived in a house he purchased 30 years
before for $24,000. He wore a $10 red and white
checked wool shirt. His advertising and also
employee communications were just like him.
Plain, simple, and direct. This style continues
today.

– Another good example of a strong, unique
“voice” responsible for a huge part of its
incredible success is the case of Perdue Chicken.

This 750 million dollar Delaware company was
founded by Frank Perdue. In his inimitable voice,
Frank produced radio and TV commercials
advertising his chicken. The U.S.P. he developed
and is still being used today is: “It takes a tough
man to grow a tender chicken.”

I recommend you find and develop a unique
“voice” in which to write copy and express
yourself. A good place to first start is to practice
writing some headlines and copy with that voice
within you that is undoubtedly yearning to be
released. Work on expressing yourself freely.
Emotionally. With abandon.

Try writing copy as though you were answering
this question. “If I had the guts to write about the
virtues of my product and my company without
worrying what anyone, especially my peers,
relatives and even my English teacher thought,
what would I say?”

Once you answer this question, I’d wager a lot of
money that your performance, response and success
level will vastly improve once you find and release
that magical inner voice within you and which is
unique in all the world.

I’d love to hear from you about your new “voice”
and what it has meant to you.

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/

Out of all the 101 helpful ideas I send out, one gets the biggest reaction – by far.

Yet it is the easiest to follow, and every single person who reads it has the same reaction. “I know that – but I’m not doing it”.

The idea says, in effect, “Don’t just sit there thinking about it, get on with it.”

When I gave introductory talks to my agency trainees I used to say the world is divided into two types of people. Those who make things happen, and those to whom things happen.

When David Ogilvy wanted to get the Shell account, he didn’t just sit there thinking. He got on a plane.

I know you want to do better because so many of you open my emails.

Why not start by giving yourself a 28-day free trial of one of my programmes?

Frankly, I’m a bit puzzled that you haven’t – because if you decide to go ahead at the end of the 28 days, the worse that can happen under the terms of my guarantee is that you will double your money.

But why am I criticising you when I can’t even count properly. That was pointed out to me by Al, who sends my emails out.

I told you I was stopping registration today – because I was counting 5 days from Monday – but all my emails this week went out a day late because Al had man-flu.

So you have over the weekend, till the next working day, to decide whether you prefer thinking about things to doing them.

The Gold group has only one place left, and the others are filling up.

Until then, if you missed it yesterday, here’s me taking apart a mailing that was hugely successful.

Best,
Drayton

—————————————–

Website: www.draytonbirdcommonsense.com / www.eadim.com

Click here to get 101 free helpful marketing ideas. Marketers from all over the world think they’re a pot of gold.

The Drayton Bird Blog – please do not visit if you are easily offended.

Let me ask you a question: Why would you pay an arm and a leg paying for adwords when there’s an alternative? A much cheaper alternative, which also just happens to be a much more efficient way of marketing.

Compared to adwords, the price is ridiculously low – and the traffic is potentially much higher.  In fact, the cost is almost next to nothing.

And what if I said you could improve your conversions by three to four times as much? (That’s 200 – 300% higher).

And what if I said it would cost about one tenth (1/10) of the price?

Does that sound ridiculously low?

Well it’s a fact.

Now, I don’t know about you, but the open rates for my emails vary between 1.8% and around 10% – depending on how long I take to write them and how good they are.

And my conversions are anywhere between 1-2%, with some around the 10% mark – but those are exceptions – again, depending on how much time I take on writing the emails.

I think those figures are pretty much average.

Now imagine an opt-in rate of over 90%.

And potential markets of three billion plus people (3,000,000,000.00).  At around two cents per click.

How does that grab you?

Of course, you know the medium of advertising I’m referring to (it’s in the headline). I’m sure you must have seen some of the latest launches promoting mobile marketing – there’s been a couple.

Those little text messages you send and receive every day are a literal goldmine, and anyone who’s anyone is singing its praises – from the wannabe gurus, to the real genuine 24 carat ones.

Can you imagine how easy it would be to target niches with this form of marketing?

Everyone who has a contract with their mobile phone has to give out almost all their personal information.

You could have their names, addresses, age, date of birth, and sex.  Literally everything you need to split them up into particular demographics.

Perfect for marketing to any group of people you want to target – without the hassle of contacting them via their home address, their emails, or their voice phones.

And let’s face it, the vast majority of people check their text messages – within a few minutes of it arriving.  How often do you get that happening with email?  Or ordinary paper mail?

And how often have you slammed down the phone on anyone you perceive to be trying to sell you something?

Now, I don’t know about you, but I know where I’ll be concentrating my marketing efforts for the foreseeable future.

Don’t get me wrong: I’m not abandoning everything else.  But you have to also get in with the times.

See you there.

Mobile Marketing

A dear friend of my family, Andonis Getsos, was a
huge influence in my life.

Mr. Getsos gave me some invaluable advice.

I’ll share it with you in a moment. Allow me to tell
you a brief story.

I was a teenager when I became very close with
Andonis Getsos.

A good friend of my parents, for some reason he
took a great interest in me. We spent quite a lot of
time together. He asked me to call him Uncle Tony.

He was an outstanding amateur wrestler in his
youth. I also love wrestling. He used to enjoy
wrestling on the beach with me.

We talked a lot. Uncle Tony was easy for me to
communicate with. I felt he understood me better
than anyone. He was a terrific active listener. A
quality all too rare in most people.

Uncle Tony was a multi-millionaire in the fur
business in New York City.

But before he achieved his remarkable success, he
had many setbacks, as do most entrepreneurs. But
unlike others who give up, he kept trying after he
experienced three business failures.

One day, Uncle Tony asked me what exactly I
wanted to do with my life. I was 16 years old. I
answered this way.

“I want to start and build my own successful
business. But I know there are no guarantees. I
may or may not be successful as you first time
around. So, it’s very important for me to possess
fantastic survival skills. Then I’ll be able to start
over if I have to.

“Of course, I also know my father is not in any
position to help me start over if I were to
experience a business failure. Nor do I want to
expect anyone else to help me.

“In fact, Uncle Tony, I want to be so good at
something that even if I were to wash up on Miami
Beach naked without contacts and without a penny
to my name, I’d still become a millionaire like you
in 5 years or less. To become expert in the most
important wealth-building skill would make me feel
financially secure.

“I’m willing to apply myself and learn whatever it
takes. What’s best for me? Accounting? Manage-
ment? Law? Sales? Finance? What? I really could
use some guidance.

“Is this an impossible dream? What is your advice
for me?”

Uncle Tony smiled and said, “Ted, it’s not
impossible at all. The solution is quite simple.
There is just one skill you need to develop to
accomplish your goals. All the other areas you
mentioned are costs to any business. And you can
easily hire talented people for these functions.

“You must become really good at what few ever
master–sales and marketing! It’s the only business
skill that brings in cash flow and funds all other
departments and talents the business may require.
That’s why it’s appropriately the highest paid
skill.

“But there is one big catch. You must learn to
ignore the many critics you will inevitably come
across. You need to learn how to think and act
independently.

“Most people never begin to understand or relate
to what it takes to become wealthy.

“What you need to discover is how to successfully
market your product or service. You can become
fabulously rich, have a lot of fun, and have a great
life along the way.”

This was the best advice I ever got.

Uncle Tony went on to say, “But I must warn you.
Don’t be surprised by lots of negative comments
and unsolicited advice.

“Many people, including your friends and family,
will try to discourage you from becoming a great
salesman and marketer. So will your teachers and
professors. Foolishly, most view sales and
marketing as a low-class career.

“They will instead encourage you to get a ‘good
education’ and later a ‘good job.’

“But while a paycheck-to-paycheck existence, even
as an executive or professional, may suit some
people, it doesn’t sound like what’s best for you.
And, in my opinion, is not nearly as satisfying as
having your own successful business either.

“And what would surprise the average Joe, it’s not
tougher to be a successful entrepreneur. In fact, you
will not have to be politically correct with so many
people, including incompetent bosses. And,
contrary to commonly held views, entrepreneurship
may be an even easier route than what a successful
executive or professional must take.

“Even books, movies, and plays are extremely
unflattering to sales people and business owners.
For example, the famous ‘Death of a Salesman’
written by Arthur Miller. The lead role is depicted
as an unhappy, money grubbing, dishonest person
without morals. Such a view of nearly all
salespeople and entrepreneurs is completely
erroneous.

“While there are some crooks in the business
world, they are the exception.

“You can’t succeed in a business in a big way for
long unless you are persuading many people to
voluntarily trade with you.

“Listen to those who criticize. Understand their
views, but pay them no heed.

“While they may or may not mean well, here is the
point. Their advice is meaningless. Don’t be
influenced by anyone else except highly successful
entrepreneurs.

“Instead of being a villain, the entrepreneur is
really the unsung hero of any society. For it is the
entrepreneur owners of small businesses, not big
business, who create over 75% of all new jobs.
And, of course, the majority of the wealth.

“In fact, 99% of all the world’s self-made
millionaires and billionaires are entrepreneurs.
And they all started with a small business.”

Uncle Tony was a very wise man. By age 18, I
became an independent salesman with Kirby
Vacuum Cleaner Company. I was fortunate to be
trained by an outstanding sales manager.

Within a few weeks, as a young kid I was earning
more in a week than most top executives earn in a
month. (The best sales and marketing training in
the world may well be door-to-door sales.)

At age 21, I began a business of my own -
Peterson’s House of Fudge. I was a millionaire at
age 23. The business grew to 31 successful stores
of my own in six U.S. states.

Later I wrote my first book and began my
information publishing empire including books,
home study courses, and seminars, etc.

I won’t go into all the details here as I’ve
written about it elsewhere.

This early sales and marketing training was a
great foundation for my direct marketing
activities. It enabled me to eventually
successfully market all of my own products and
those of clients around the world. I’ve achieved
sales exceeding 4.9 billion dollars in 49
industries. And the revenues continue to increase
each day.

I became what I advise anyone who seeks to
become a wealthy and successful entrepreneur -
an effective salesman and communicator. The key
skill is to be able to position products effectively.
Then to express persuasive ideas either personally,
one on one, or in writing, online and offline. And
also from the public speaking platform.

Uncle Tony’s recommendation given me as a young
teenager was by far the best advice I ever got from
anyone. Because it’s a universal truth in this
changing world, it’s just as valid today as it was
then. And you can rest assured it will continue to
be 50 or 100 years from now.

Professional sales and later direct marketing
taught me the fundamentals. I continue to employ
and refine these skills today.

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/

The Leo Burnett Agency produced this compilation of commercials for Marlboro with the Marlboro Country theme.

Enjoy.

Please note: I am not endorsing the smoking of cigarettes in any way. I believe it is a dangerous and socially unacceptable habit, and a very expensive one.

In fact it is my opinion you would be better off saving the money you spend on cigarettes, and use some of it to enrol on Drayton Bird’s world-class Commonsense Marketing Course and become a world-class marketer yourself.

Here’s the link: Drayton Bird Commonsense Marketing

1.

If you were to visit the woods sometime this week, or maybe even today,
Chances are you’ll be surprised by something very unusual.
And it would be advisable you don a costume, so you’re not recognised.
You see, sometimes all the these bears decide they want to have a picnic.

2.

If you go down to the woods today,
You’re sure of a big surprise.
If you go down to the woods today,
You’d better go in disguise.
For every bear that ever there was
Will gather there for certain because
Today’s the day the teddy bears have their picnic.

Which sounds better? The second one, right?

Of course it does. There’s a reason for that.

Let’s go on and I’ll explain.

If you want to write great copy, don’t do what I did yesterday.

I got taken to task for it by Drayton Bird – not a pleasant experience to be told off by someone who really knows what he does.

Here’s what happened…

I wrote a so-called sales letter.  And because I was posting it on my blog, I assumed I could stick any old rubbish on there.

Wrong.

The fact is, my blog may not be a sales letter in the strictest sense, but it’s still selling me.

Long story short, I’ve taken it down and will put it back up once it merits space on my blog.

Onto the title of today’s post.

The fact is, a lot of writing is poor because people do what I did yesterday:  I slapped something together haphazardly, and stuck it up… without editing it.

Too much writing is just plain ridiculous because people like me can’t be bothered to go back and edit.

(I don’t do that with clients’ copy, though.)

If you want to write great copy, the secret is simple: After you’ve finished writing, go back and edit it.

Even re-write the whole thing if you have to.

Do it as many times as is necessary, but just do it.

You might even pick up mistakes you don’t see at first – see the last line on example 1. (And mistakes your spellchecker missed).

I’ve written copy in the past where the first copy and last copy were completely different, simply because of the amount of times I re-wrote it.  A little like the difference in the two examples above.

When I get an assignment (after the initial research) I’ll sit down with some pen and paper and just write. There’s no sense in editing while you write – there has to be something there to edit first.

Once it’s done, I’ll read it and re-read it. If anything needs changing, I’ll change it.

Then I’ll put it aside for a while. Maybe a couple of days.

When I read it again, I’ll make whatever other changes it needs… or I’ll completely re-write it… depends what I think then.

Usually I don’t need to re-write the whole thing if I’ve done my research.

That’s another thing – do the research and the work comes together easier.

Anyway, I won’t go on for too long today. What I will say is this: If the work is done right, the final copy should be compact, tight, and much easier to read.

Not the long-winded sentences I used in yesterday’s post.

Best,

Rezbi