“You know what marketing is like? It’s like teenage sex. Everyone says they’re doing it. Not many are. The ones that do, do it very badly…”
In October 2008 I went to my first ever seminar.
It was Ken McCarthy’s System Intensive which he’d brought over to the U.K. for the first time.
I remember before Ken brought the System Intensive here I kept chasing him about it. I’m not saying it’s because of me he finally acquiesced, but I like to think it is.
There is one thing I do know I definitely had a hand in, however, and that was to introduce Ken McCarthy and Drayton Bird to each other.
As a result of that introduction, Ken asked Drayton to speak at this seminar.
Now picture this:
I never wanted to go to any seminars because I always figured they’d be a waste of time and money.
With Ken’s being the exception at the time.
Now I had the opportunity to attend his System Intensive, and meet my marketing mentor (he didn’t know he was at the time) for the first time.
You see, I’d studied Drayton’s work for the past couple of decades and never thought I’d get to meet him.
But here I was, communicating with him almost daily, via email, and introducing him to the pioneer of internet marketing.
And meeting both in person.
Anyway, after that long intro. I hope I haven’t put you to sleep, because the best is in the videos.
This is the seminar I was at. Check them out and get a small taste of why he’s been called “one of the top 50 individuals who’ve shaped today’s marketing”
Oh, and he’s a really funny guy. You’ll see what I mean.
Once you’ve finished watching them, zoom over to http://directanddigitalmarketing.com/draytonbirdcommonsense/ and get a load more free videos and articles
Best,
Rezbi
Filed under internet business, marketing by on Apr 15th, 2010. Comment. 
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 business, copywriting, marketing by on Mar 30th, 2010. Comment.
- Direct marketing with Drayton Bird
- How to make a small business hugely profitable with Rob Sieracki
- Conversion optimization with David Rothwell
- Affiliate marketing: The real deal with Ben Moskel
- Success is a system: Perry Marshall
- Mobile marketing: realities and opportunities with Kim Dushinski
- The real secret to success in Internet marketing – and any other field with Ben Moskel
- Success is not a mystery – it’s a system with Bob Bly
- Two pros talk about REALITY with Glenn Livingston
- Pay-per-click: The Secret Weapon with Timothy Seward
- CPA Marketing – Fact, fiction and profitable reality with Greg Davis
- Alternatives to advertising with Google with Mike Mindel and Greg Davis
Recognise any of those names?
Some are high profile, others not so high profile.
Whether or not you’ve heard of them, each is a master in his field.
And I just download approximately 15 hours worth of high quality content marketing material from Ken McCarthy’s System Seminar site.
And it’s all free!
You can get them, too. Just click on the link and visit the site: The System Seminar
Oh, I nearly forgot, right this moment I’m listening to a Direct Marketing Master Class with Ken McCarthy, Drayton Bird and Bob Bly, which I also just downloaded from the same site.
Filed under Uncategorized by on Mar 29th, 2010. Comment.
Do you know of a more successful, admired entrepreneur than Richard Branson?
And did you know he started out in direct marketing, selling records?
Wouldn’t you like to know his secrets? What kind of mind he has? How he goes about things? Go here and see one of his former partners tell you. You’ll get an idea of what it takes to turn an idea into a big business… without spending a penny of your own money.
(And there’s a surprise bonus waiting for you if after watching it you’d like to know to know more).
The man in the clip is called Rowan Gormley, and I’m very pleased to say that I saw him last year. He helped Branson set up three successful businesses, and now has his own which is a huge success after less than a year.
When you watch the clip you’ll laugh – and realise that Branson’s key to success is a million miles away from business school theory. But hurry. The clip is only up for 4 days.
It’s a little foretaste of a unique new Commonsense Marketing programme, featuring some of the world’s most talented business people – created by one of the world’s most influential marketers.
I can say this with a straight face because I have all his books on my shelves, I’ve spent a fair amount of time (and money) with him and learned a lot. But I am not alone.
When the Chartered Institute of Marketing wanted to decide which 50 living individuals, worldwide, have shaped modern marketing his name was on the list.
Sir Martin Sorrell, whose WPP business turns over £7.5 billion, was once his boss. He said people all over the world were “lucky enough to learn from” this man.
Ken McCarthy, the “Godfather” of internet marketing (another man I’ve studied with) called him,
“a genius. Really”
and
“the most accomplished living direct marketer”
I actually saw Ken tell how his own success was sparked by this man.
And the legendary David Ogilvy said he,
“knows more about direct marketing than anyone in the world”
You can look at almost every leading marketer today and find they had something in common. Gary Bencivenga, Clayton Makepeace, Yanik Silver – even Joe Sugarman. They all learned from this man – as did David Magliano, the only man ever named Marketing Director of the Year twice – and Ad Age’s Global Marketing Director of the Year for his work on the London Olympics.
His name probably won’t come as any surprise to you: Drayton Bird. By a strange numerical coincidence he’s worked in 50 countries in 50 year career with some of the world’s most famous brands – and many tiny businesses you’ve never heard of.
Every time I see him I pick up business gems worth goodness knows how much. I sat through most of a week last year with him and his faculty of great marketers just taking notes. (Yes, I really do know him, personally. He happensto be my marketing teacher and I can prove it.)
Now he’s done it again. It’s taken him three solid years – and as I say, this little clip is just a taster. Check it out here, while it’s up.
It gives a unique insight into the minds of two entrepreneurs – Branson and Gormley. It’s also very funny … and if you register you’ll discover that the drinks are on Drayton.
And did you know he started out in direct marketing, selling records?
Wouldn’t you like to know his secrets? What kind of mind he has? How he goes about things? Go here and see one of his former partners tell you. You’ll get an idea of what it takes to turn an idea into a big business … without spending a penny of your own money
(And there’s a surprise bonus waiting for you if after watching it you’d like to know to know more).
The man in the clip is called Rowan Gormley, and I’m very pleased to say that I saw him last year. He helped Branson set up three successful businesses, and now has his own which is a huge success after less than a year.
When you watch the clip you’ll laugh – and realise that Branson’s key to success is a million miles away from business school theory. But hurry. The clip is only up for 4 days.
It’s a little foretaste of a unique new Commonsense Marketing programme, featuring some of the world’s most talented business people – created by one of the world’s most influential marketers.
I can say this with a straight face because I have all his books on my shelves, I’ve spent a fair amount of time (and money) with him and learned a lot. But I am not alone.
When the Chartered Institute of Marketing wanted to decide which 50 living individuals, worldwide, have shaped modern marketing his name was on the list.
Sir Martin Sorrell, whose WPP business turns over £7.5 billion, was once his boss. He said people all over the world were “lucky enough to learn from” this man.
Ken McCarthy, the “Godfather” of internet marketing (another man I’ve studied with) called him “a genius. Really” and “the most accomplished living direct marketer.” I actually saw Ken tell how his own success was sparked by this man.
And the legendary David Ogilvy said he “knows more about direct marketing than anyone in the world.”
You can look at almost every leading marketer today and find they had something in common. Gary Bencivenga, Clayton Makepeace, Yanik Silver – even Joe Sugarman. They all learned from this man – as did David Magliano, the only man ever named Marketing Director of the Year twice – and Ad Age’s Global Marketing Director of the Year for his work on the London Olympics.
His name probably won’t come as any surprise to you: Drayton Bird. By a strange numerical coincidence he’s worked in 50 countries in 50 year career with some of the world’s most famous brands – and many tiny businesses you’ve never heard of.
Every time I see him I pick up business gems worth goodness knows how much. I sat through most of a week last year with him and his faculty of great marketers just taking notes
Now he’s done it again. It’s taken him three solid years – and as I say, this little clip is just a taster. I’m furious to be honest. What I’ve paid tens of thousands for over the years you can get for peanuts.
Check the clip out here, while it’s up. It gives a unique insight into the minds of two entrepreneurs – Branson and Gormley. It’s also very funny … and if you register you’ll discover that the drinks are on Drayton.
Filed under Drayton Bird, copywriting, marketing by on Feb 3rd, 2010. Comment.
Why Would I Make This Up?
In case you thought I was kidding about people coming over from America for this, take a look at an email I received from Ken yesterday.
========================================
Dear fellow marketer,
I never imagined myself saying this, but here goes…
If you want to be on the very cutting edge of Internet marketing – regardless of where you live – you’re going to want to get on a plane and fly to London this November.
Not New London, Connecticut or London, Ontario…I’m talking about London, England.
It doesn’t matter what the air fares are…how long the flight is…or the fact that London is the most expensive city in the world.
If you’re a serious Internet marketer I’m doing something there you can’t afford to miss…
It’s a high level, small group training called the System Intensive (already tested in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, Toronto, San Francisco and Vancouver.)
It’s designed not only to bring you up-to-date on the state-of-the-art in Internet marketing, but also to show you how to use the Internet to build a bullet-proof business.
(As my long time clients know, I saw the current economic crisis coming from a mile away and when I say “bullet-proof” I mean developing a solid business designed to weather anything the market can throw at you.)
What makes this particular Intensive so remarkable are the three experts who’ve agreed to join in:
* Drayton Bird – One of the grand masters of direct marketing (Google him)
* Dr. Karl Banks – A former rocket scientist who is the only non-American that Google has certified to teach its in-house tracking and testing tools and techniques to the public.
* Ben Hunt – If you’re a cutting edge web designer (or if you’re using one), you already know his work. It’s very rare for Ben to come out from behind the screen to share the details of his methods.
In terms of sheer concentrated marketing firepower, I’m not sure this team can be surpassed on either side of the Atlantic.
They all happen to be Brits which means if you live anywhere else, the odds of you catching any one of these three live – let alone all three in one place at the same time – are slim to none.
It’s been a long time since I’ve offered a small group training like this…and when you add these guest experts to the equation, joining us in the UK just makes sense.
If you’ve never been to London, it’s one of the best and most fun cities in the world.
If you want info on the UK Intensive and sign up for the free pre-Intensive training go here:
Ken McCarthy
P.S. I gave my first Internet marketing training in the UK back in 2002.
It’s amazing how much things have changed there in a few short years.
A case can be made that not only has the UK equaled the US in Internet marketing prowess, it might have even exceeded it in certain areas.
One thing is measurable…more money is spent per capita in the UK on Internet advertising in the UK than in the US.
If I had my pick of an all-UK “dream dream,” on that represents the very best of the UK Internet marketing scene, these three would be it.
Will this ever particular event ever be repeated?
If you know my record, you already know the answer. I don’t like repeating myself.
If you miss it, you’ll just have to make do with the stories you’ll hear about it from the people who were smart enough to be there.
Just talking with these guys on the phone has already been a major marketing IQ boosting experience for me…and we haven’t even started the Intensive get
Get the free Pre-Intensive training here and see what I’m talking about:
———————————————————
Filed under internet business by on Oct 19th, 2008. 1 Comment.
