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------------------------------------ Bob Bly's Direct Response Letter:Resources, ideas, and tips for improving response to business-to-business, high-tech, industrial, Internet, and direct marketing. February, 2004 ------------------------------------ You are getting this e-mail because you subscribed to it on www.bly.com or because you are one ofBob's clients, prospects, seminar attendees, or book buyers. If you would prefer not to receive further e-mails of this type, go to www.bly.com, enter your e-mail address, and hit Unsubscribe. ------------------------------------ WORLD'S GREATEST LIVING COPYWRITER REVEALS HIS SECRETS – YOURSFREE! If Gary Bencivenga is not the world's greatest living copywriter (and I suspect he may be, at times!), he's certainly among the top five. Anything Gary says about sales or marketing is worth paying attention to. And now you can profit from his wisdom and experience at no charge, How? By subscribing to his new FREE e-zine, Bencivenga Bullets. Just click on the link below: www.AccountableAdvertising.com I know you are overloaded with e-zines and other online marketing material, but this is one you MUST read – a real diamond among the lumps of coal in your e-mail in-box. Every piece of advice is a gem! Take a second to subscribe now so you don't miss even a single issue. You will thank me later. ------------------------------------ A TOOL FOR CALCULATING ONLINE CONVERSION RATES Online Conversion Teleseminar (for Excel Beginners!): February 5, 10 AMPacific; 1 PM Eastern; 6 PM London Using a simple spreadsheet, learn to measure how small changes in the headlines or copy on your Web sales page can yield big results in increased sales revenue (i.e. conversion from visitor to customer). Step-by-step, Deb Weil and Excel expert Richard Kraneis walk you through a sample "online conversion" spreadsheet. Says Deb, "We guarantee that *bingo* moment when you understand how this powerful spreadsheet works!" Registration fee includes: 1-hour teleseminar, e-book, sample spreadsheets you can customize and a free audio CD of this live event. http://www.wordbizstore.com/excelsecrets.html or call +1 919.975.1705 to register by phone. ------------------------------------ A UNIQUE IDEA FOR MORE EFFECTIVE NETWORKING If you want to leave an indelible impression on somebody, ask for two business cards – one for yourself, and one to pass on to somebody else.You'll always be remembered as the person who asked for an extra business card to pass along. Also, wear a sports jacket with two pockets: one for the business cards that you collect, and one to hold your business cards to hand out to others. Source: Words from Woody, Winter 2004, p. 2 ------------------------------------ UPCOMING SPEAKING ENGAGEMENT I will be giving a talk on "10 Ways to Make Your Newsletter or E-Zine Indispensable" at a special meeting of the NYC chapter of NEPA (Newsletter & Electronics Publishers Association) on 2/11. Meeting location is Abigael's, 1407 Broadway, between 38th and 39th Streets. Your customer/reader is bombarded with information overload. How do you create a publication he or she will want to read and (if you are a newsletter publisher) even pay for? You'll get 10 solid ideas for doing just that. To register, call NEPA at 800-356-9302 or 703-527-2333, or visit http://www.newsletters.org ------------------------------------ TO BOOST RETAIL SALES, CHANGE YOUR TUNE Want to get your retail customers to spend more? Play classical music in your store. A recent study found that when restaurants play classical music, customers order more expensive dishes. Reason: People associate classical music with affluence, sophistication, and wealth. Source: BottomLine Personal, 2/1/04, p. 13. ------------------------------------ A FOOLPROOF WAY TO EVALUATE MARKETING ADVICE There's a ton of seminars, conferences, books, Web sites, articles, and e-zines being published today about all facets of marketing, both online or offline. But it's not easy to determine which are worthwhile. Solution: When you read the material or listen to the program, watch for certain buzzwords. If material repeats these over and over again – "branding," "image," "planning," "strategy," "vision," "touch,""creative," "customer experience," and "awareness" – the speaker or author has likely not generated direct sales for any product or service through advertising, and his or her advice may be suspect. On the other hand, if you hear terms like "response," "ROI," "break-even," "cost per acquisition," and "dollars per name," the speaker or author is probably a direct marketer who actually knows how to create advertising that sells, and may be worth listening to. Do you agree? Disagree? I'd like to hear your opinion. E-mail me at rwbly@bly.com ------------------------------------ CAN YOU HELP ME? I am going to take one just ONE new business-to-business marcom client this year. If you are looking to get clear, persuasive copywriting ... and increased response ... to direct mail, e-mail marketing, landing pages, Web sites, sales brochures, data sheets, and other marketing communications, and want to explore how we might work together to achieve this goal, just e-mail me at rwbly@bly.com. Or call Fern Dickey at 201-797-8105 today. This offer is only open to you if you are a business-to-business marketer – that is, you have a product or service you want to sell to business customers, and not consumers. ------------------------------------ 4 WAYS TO INCREASE RESPONSE TO MARKET RESEARCH SURVEYS 1. When conducting lengthy surveys, send them via certified mail. This can increase response rates by almost 100%. 2. Notify respondents about a week in advance by postcard or e-mail that they will be receiving the survey. Such notification increases the likelihood of response. 3. Surveys sent in the mail should not exceed four pages for most audiences. Keep questions under 25 words each so they remain short and easy to understand. 4. Send a reminder by postcard or e-mail approximately one or two weeks after the initial survey mailing. Thank people who have completed the survey and remind those who have not to do it now. This will prompt additional recipients to respond. Source: These tips are reprinted from the booklet "SPSS Survey Tips" by SSPS, Inc., http://www.spss.com ------------------------------------ MY NEW BOOK IS OUT; TELLS HOW TO CRAFT THE PERFECT LETTER My latest book, "Webster's New World Letter Writing Handbook," has just been published by John Wiley & Sons. Advertised by the publisher as "your guide to crafting the perfect letter," it is available at a hefty discount on Amazon.com. Just click on the link below to order: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/search-handle-form/ref=s_sf_b_as/104-7066355-6691929 ------------------------------------ QUOTATION OF THE MONTH "Good judgment comes from experience; experience comes from bad judgment."--Mark Twain ------------------------------------ A SMART TIP FOR BUSINESS-TO-BUSINESS MARKETERS If you are a business-to-business marketing or sales professional, you should immediately click on the link below and consider joiningthe Business Marketing Association (BMA): http://www.marketing.org Even if you never attend a single meeting (and you should), the BMA is a treasure trove of white papers, books, experts, resources, suppliers, publications, and other information on business-to-business sales and marketing. Having been a member since 1980, I recommend BMA unconditionally. Membership is ridiculously under-priced in relation to the benefits you receive. ------------------------------------ 60-SECOND COMMERCIAL FROM FERN DICKEY, OFFICE MANAGER: Bob is available on a limited basis for copywriting of direct mail packages, sales letters, brochures, white papers, ads, e-mail marketing campaigns, PR materials, and Web pages. We recommend you call for a FREE copy of our updated Copywriting Information Kit. Just let us know your industry and the type of copy you're interested in seeing (ads, mailings, etc.), and if Bob is available to take your assignment, we'll tailor a package of recent samples to fit your requirements. Call Fern Dickey at 201-797-8105 or e-mail fern1128@optonline.net ------------------------------------ Bob Bly Copywriter/Consultant 22 E. Quackenbush Ave. Dumont, NJ 07628rwbly@bly.com www.bly.com phone 201-385-1220 fax 201-385-1138
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