I am a reading addict and hooked on books — so I read a LOT of
books in a year.
Here are 5 books I really enjoyed this year and you may too in
2018:
#1–“Battlefield Earth” by L. Ron Hubbard (Galaxy Press) — a
sprawling space opera about humanity’s courageous rebellion
against technologically and physically superior aliens who
enslave Earth. (Disclosure: Galaxy Press is a client of mine, but
did not pay me to write this.)
#2–“Lucky Us” by Amy Bloom (Random House) — two stepsisters make
their way in the world living unconventional lives.
#3–“Horoscopes for the Dead” by Billy Collins (Random House) — if
you enjoy Billy Collins’ poetry as I do, then you will probably enjoy
this quite, contemplative, slim volume as did, too.
#4–“The World of Raymond Chandler” edited by Barry Day (Knopf)
— excerpts from Chandler’s writing, interviews, and correspondence
edited into an autobiography mostly in his own words with some
added commentary by editor Barry Day.
#5–“Charles Bukowski on Writing” edited by Abel Debritto
(HarperCollins) — the novelist and poet gives his thoughts on
writing.
“‘Influencer marketing’ drives me crazy. Many outdoor
businesses are joining the trend to hire athletes to promote
their products.
“At an industry conference, I asked one ad agency rep what the
return on investment was on influencer marketing. His response
was void of examples. He told me it boils down to brand
awareness.
“I think there are better ways to sell because influencers fail
to mention ‘what’s in it’ for consumers who use the products they
are sponsoring.
“I’m an outdoor recreation junkie, so I’ve been using the gear
and clothing these athletes are promoting for decades. But
instead of telling me how to use rock climbing gear more
efficiently so I can climb faster, influencers tell me stories
about their climbing adventures.
“I could be missing something, but I don’t understand the draw to
use this marketing strategy.”
Let me see whether I can give a quick answer here….
To begin with, an “influencer” is a person who can influence the
actions, behaviors, and opinions of others.
Influencers exert their sway online primarily through blogs,
online newsletters, content, and social media including Facebook
posts, Pinterest boards, YouTube videos, Tweets, Instant posts,
Snapchat stories, and more.
Influencer marketing works because, as shown in research from
Nielsen, more than 8 out of 10 people use recommendations they
got online from an influencer to make a purchase decision.
The leverage online is this: If you just tell a neighbor you like
a particular bar in your city, you’ve influenced that one
neighbor.
Back in the day, we called this simply “word of mouth
advertising” … or in business and professional services “referral
marketing.”
But a bar blogger who recommends a pub can influence hundreds of
his readers to give that watering hole a try — so influencer
marketing is often more effective online than offline.
For instance, Ace Hair enlisted actor Josh Peck, who has over 4
million Instagram followers, as an influencer.
The most effective offline influencer marketing is through people
who reach a wide audience in traditional print media — magazines
and newspapers — as reviewers, critics, columnists, or other
trusted resources who recommend products and services.
Why does influencer marketing work? According to the 2016
Influencer Marketing Guide, “Influencers draw passionate audience
that engage with their content and actively take part in the
community conversations that stem from it.”
An article in Forbes reports that 85% of marketing communications
professionals worldwide will launch at least one influencer
marketing campaigns within the next 12 months.
Done right, influencer marketing is like having another team of
sales reps out there selling your product or service for you —
only in most cases they are doing so for free.
And they are often your most effective sales reps, because they
are credible experts or respected celebrities, and their
recommendation of your product more effective because it is an
endorsement.
I wish I could steer you to a report or info product of mine on
influencer marketing, but it is largely outside my wheelhouse and
so I have none.
If you offer or can recommend resources on influencer marketing,
please email me at rwbly@bly.com so I can share them with your
fellow Direct Response Letter Subscribers. Thanks!
But many people say to me, “Yes, I know what a USP — but why
would I need one? What is it good for? If I had a USP, how would
it help my business?”
Well, here are 5 specific areas where having a USP can make your
job easier while improving your business results:
1–Selling.
One of the toughest objections in selling is, “Why should we buy
blue widgets from you instead of our existing supplier or your
other competitors?”
With a USP, you can confidently and immediately respond with a
powerful, well-thought-out presentation of why you are different,
better, and the smart purchase decision.
2–Marketing.
We are taught to stress benefits in marketing, but if every
marketer in the field makes the same benefit claim, how can your
campaign possibly stand out?
The answer: formula a great USP and feature it in your ads,
letters, websites, and newsletters.
3–Content marketing.
We know content marketing is hot right now.
Well, one of the best applications is to create a white paper
clearly articulating the USP, and offer it as a lead magnet.
Doing so takes your USP from a brief differentiating factor to
blowing it out in a more well-reasoned, credible, in-depth
argument for why we are better than the competition.
4–Email marketing.
Offer an e-class — an auto-responder series of content-rich
emails educating your prospects on the details of your USP.
If your USP is strong, true, and sincere, it should go a long way
toward moving prospects on your e-list further along the sales
cycle.
5–Telemarketing
Your telemarketing reps face a tough, uphill battle on a long
road fraught with difficulty and disappointment.
But a well-crafted USP can help them turn things about — by
saying right up front something different and important that
catches prospects off guard and gets them to listen a bit more.
This simple 5-point checklist is just the tip of the iceberg. But
it should be a sufficient idea-starter list on the road to
maximizing ROI from your existing or new USP.
By the way, here’s an article I wrote explaining how to create a winning
USP:
Recently subscriber SP wrote to me and said:
“Bob, I purchased your e-book 3 days ago, and the status of the
order is pending. Would you please tell me when I will receive
my purchase?”
The day before, another subscriber and customer, SH, also emailed
to ask me where was the e-book he had ordered a couple of days
prior.
This happens all the time. Why?
Not because we didn’t send the e-book the customer ordered
promptly.
We did.
In fact, a link to download is automatically sent via
auto-responder to everyone within minutes of their purchase — no
exceptions.
What SP, SH, and so many others don’t get is that the reason they
didn’t get the e-books they order is on their end — typically, an
overzealous spam filter, Internet Services Provider (ISP),
corporate firewall, or other technical barrier to delivery.
Yet, I know from numerous email exchanges that, even if
customers are polite in their inquiries … and they almost always
are … when I ask them — well yes, they really did assume, though
they are not irritated, that for some reason we did not send the
product they asked for.
Makes no sense, but in cases of non-receipt of product in every
business, the customer always assumes the fault is that of the
seller — though it is virtually always one of the reasons I just
stated.
So I am reaching out to all of you info marketers who subscribe
to my emails to ask one simple question:
If you also have this “where’s the info product I ordered”
problem, how do you handle it?
Now, you may be wondering how I respond to SP, SH, and others who
ask, “Where’s my info product?”
Simple. I don’t.
I forward their complaint to my customer service manager JV.
Here’s how she responded to SH:
“I’m sorry that you had trouble receiving your e-book and also in
leaving voice mail for me.
“In fact I had received your email. I responded to that yesterday
morning and sent you a new download link along with the PDF for
your purchase. My apologies if you are not receiving these
messages from me.
“I’m attaching the PDF for your e-book to this email and if you
could, please confirm once you have received it. I’ll also
resend the download link again as well.
“Please let me know if you need anything else.”
And that’s it. Easy peasy. As the kids say, “No biggish.”
…a “guru” was someone who wore a robe, had long hair, lived on a
commune, and was followed by people who wanted to hear his
message of peace, love, and being one with the universe.
In the 70s, 80s, and 90s, a guru was someone like Tom Peters who
wrote best-selling business books and earned $30,000 an hour
speaking on the corporate lecture circuit.
Today a guru seems to be someone who curses like a sailor … goes
to any extreme to seem edgy and cool … has an ego the size of a
humpback whale … and wants to extract thousands of dollars from
you …
… by getting your credit card number so they can sell you an
outrageously expensive course, “training,” or mastermind group
membership — teaching how to make a million dollars a week in
info marketing, copywriting, coaching, consulting, small
business, or maybe option trading.
So — am I the only one tiring of this new generation of brash,
loud, conceited, egomaniacal gurus?
I asked a few of my Facebook friends, and apparently, I am not:
“I’ve been tired of it for a long time,” writes DP. “That’s why
I’m no longer buying these courses that teach nothing so you keep
coming back.
“I’m doing my own study and research. Much of what I need has
been found in cheap Kindle books. But much I also found just
searching google and reading blog posts of these supposed gurus.
“You see, they all believe in re-purposing content. So, if
they’re selling an expensive course, then this same information
is [more than likely available] somewhere else, much more
cheaply.”
SH writes, “I have been somewhat amused to meet several
self-styled marketing gurus who seemed to have close to zero
disposable income.” (In Texas they call that having “big hat, no
cattle.”)
“It’s scandalous,” proclaims SR. “I feel so sorry for the people
who get ensnared in the empty promises. Plus is it my imagination
or is the ‘guru din’ just getting louder and louder? My theory is
the really successful people are quiet about it.”
“I suspect 90% of us are disgusted with such dishonesty,” says
SN. “I think it makes everyone suspicious and unwilling to buy
even from the honest teachers.
“It causes confusion as we try to discern who we can trust. It
causes hesitation and no improvement for the student, his
business, or the customer whom he wants to reach. That sort of
dishonesty hurts everyone.”
Next, EG chimes in: “I hate the word guru because of how it’s
been used and abused over the past few years. It also makes it
hard for the good guys, because in the eyes of many, all teachers
and coaches are lumped together into this scammy business
category.”
“Making it worse, many of these gurus have never actually done
what they are offering to teach you how to do,” notes HC.
And as DB notes, “It’s easy to call yourself a guru and rake in
tons of money while giving peanuts in return.”
That being said, becoming a ***legitimate*** guru — a
recognized industry expert who in fact DOES have real experience,
credentials, and in-depth subject knowledge — can be the
fast-track to greater success as a consultant, coach, speaker,
copywriter, info marketer, or business owner.
Recently, I wrote an essay on why I am firmly against writing
on spec.
My subscriber KR, an experienced and successful freelance
copywriter, responded:
“Bob, regarding spec work: Yes, if someone asked me to write
something on spec, I would run away.
“But sometimes if I’m pitching a very profitable-looking project,
and I see that I can add a lot of value, I’ll tell them that I’ll
write a few paragraphs to give them a feel for what they’ll get.
“In other words, I VOLUNTEER to spec a little bit — and I can
honestly say, I don’t remember anybody ever turning me down after
they get a look at what I can do for them.
“It only takes me a couple of minutes to do a little writing, and
it pays off. I think the key is that I am confidently suggesting it; not
proving myself to a doubting Thomas.
“Of course, I would not recommend this to novices, but it works
for me.”
Well, as much as I like and respect KR, I am totally opposed to
what he suggests here — which is essentially “auditioning” for a
copywriting project by doing some spec writing — for 3 reasons.
>> First, there is a rule in selling that says, “Never be the
dancing monkey.”
The dancing monkey is desperate.
He needs or wants the work.
So to get it, he will do or say whatever the prospect asks him to
do or say.
The problem is, some prospects lose respect for dancing monkeys;
they feel the monkey is perhaps a tad TOO eager — and therefore
turn away and do not hire him.
>> Second, despite KR’s insistence that “it only takes a couple
of minutes,” my experience is that almost NOTHING takes “only a
couple of minutes.”
Let me ask you: How often have you estimated a certain number of
hours to do a project … and then, well into that allotted time and not
nearly done, realize you have once again badly underestimated how
long it will really take?
We usually underestimate the numbers of hours a given task will
take and only rarely overestimate the time required.
Also, let’s say KR delivers his spec work in a flash.
That’s also a problem, because many people believe that it is
axiomatic that the quality of a piece of writing is directly
proportional to the amount of time it took to write … even though
that is often NOT the case.
Therefore, if you deliver your little spec audition pronto, the
prospect will either think it can’t be any good, because you did
it so fast.
Or, he will believe that your price for his project is too high,
because after all, look how little time it took for you to write
the first part of it, right?
>> Third, when you dash off a quick spec writing sample as your
“audition,” you are not doing the extensive groundwork and
research required to write great copy.
For me, that research usually accounts for 25% to 40% of the
total labor involved in a copywriting project.
And that research is all done before I write word one of the
copy.
So to write and submit headlines and leads before doing my due
diligence is shortchanging the client and delivering copy to him that
is not half as good as it could be — which in turn makes you look
half as good as you are.
Also, offering to write a free sample on spec says to the client
that you are not busy, and you need the job.
And clients prefer hiring vendors who seem in-demand and
successful, and not so desperate or needy that they work on spec.
After all, if you already have a full dance card, why would you
give away what you sell?
That being said, KR insists that spec auditions work for him.
And since I know him to be an honest man, it therefore must work
for him.
But it would never work for me.
I doubt it would work for most people.
And if anything, it has the potential to unsell you more than
sell you, for the 3 reasons just given.
So I adamantly advise against auditioning for a copywriting
client with even a short spec submission — despite KR’s advice to
the contrary.
Recently, my friends at AWAI asked me to participate in a small
panel discussion about writing copy on spec.
Spec work means no money up front, no obligation on the part of
the client to use or even read your copy, and no obligation to
pay you a cent.
Because I am militantly anti-spec work, and not just for
copywriters, I had to prepare for the discussion with a quick
outline of my anti-spec arguments — and here they are:
#1–No skin in the game.
The potential client who asks you to work on spec has no “skin in
the game.”
Without a financial commitment, he can abandon the project at any
time — no skin off his nose.
If he does so, you, by comparison, have just wasted your valuable
time.
#2–No respect.
If a prospect thinks you are worth your salt, is serious, and can
afford you, she will hire you.
Asking you to work on spec means she isn’t convinced you can do
the job or are worth the fee you want to charge.
Who would want to work for such a client?
#3–Whim.
Because spec assignments are so ephemeral and iffy, many editors
and marketing managers will hire you on a whim, some without even
having a real assignment or, if they have one, with no intent on
giving it to you.
#4–Vanishing royalties.
One form of spec work is, “We will pay you nothing now, but if
your copy works, we’ll pay you a royalty or percentage of sales.”
Yes, but if the client decides not to go ahead and run the promotion, my
royalty will be zero.
#5–Audition.
Asking someone to do spec work is in essence asking them to
audition.
Can you imagine asking your local pizza place to make and deliver
a pizza to you, without charging you, with the promise that if you
like it, they will become your regular pizza restaurant?
#6–Not vetted.
Not all, but the vast majority of companies that ask freelancers
to work on spec are small ad agencies or business — little
operators you never heard of and know nothing about. Meaning they
are not vetted.
Why would you trust such a stranger, already making a
questionable request, to be good for the money?
#7–Promises, promises.
A common enticement is, “If this spec project works out, we’ll
have a ton of work to give you.”
Why would you want to work for a client who starts with you by
saying they have so little confidence in you they will only hire
you without pay or commitment?
#8–“We’re testing several writers and the winner gets hired and
some money.”
If I wanted to enter a contest, I’d enter a beauty contest —
though obviously, I’d lose.
I’m not here to enter contests. I’m here to work with clients who
hire me with a contract, an agreed-upon fee, and a retainer for
half up front.
#9–It’s no way to run a business.
This short video makes a compelling case for why it is neither
appropriate to ask vendors to supply service or goods on spec,
nor a good idea for vendors to provide services and goods on
spec:
Vince Lombardi famously said, “It’s not whether you get knocked
down; it’s whether you get back up.”
Rocky Balboa elaborated on this idea a bit more eloquently here:
As I look back on my decades as a writer, I can tell you I got
knocked down plenty of times … and had many bad things happen
that made me feel I was a failure.
Just 3 quick examples (and I could give you many more):
#1–Failed newspaper career.
Even though I majored in engineering, I wrote every day for the
college daily newspaper, and got it into my head that I might
like to be a newspaper reporter.
I sent out many resumes. The only interview I had, which a friend
from the college paper who had graduated ahead of me helped me
get, was with the Buffalo bureau of the Associated Press.
I went, had the interview, and took 3 tests — writing,
intelligence, and spelling.
And they didn’t hire me.
#2–Failed short story writer.
When I was a teenager, I submitted a short story to Galaxy
science fiction magazine — and they bought it. I was ecstatic!
But then the magazine folded. My story was never published, and
the promised check never came.
After that, I continued to submit my short stories to the science
fiction and literary magazines, and could have papered my bedroom
with all the rejections. And made no more sales.
#3–Failed science writer.
My junior year at the University of Rochester I wrote an article
on the school’s laser fusion research laboratory:
The lab’s communications and PR director liked it so much he
offered me a summer job as a science writer under him.
I was thrilled beyond words. But then he called me shortly before
the beginning of the summer break with some bad news: the
funding got cut and he couldn’t hire me.
I was crushed.
***However, for all 3 of the above failures, all was not lost…***
Without having heard Lombardi’s advice or being told it by anyone
else, it turns out that I kind of did get back up from these
knockouts, albeit on a small scale.
#1–Writing for newspapers.
In the late 1970s, right out of college, I moved to Maryland and
went to work as a technical marketing writer for Westinghouse — a
job I loved so much I am still good friends with the guy who was
my boss there today.
I then called the editor of Baltimore’s then-alternative
newspaper, City Paper, and asked if I could meet with him.
He agreed. We talked. And I started freelancing for — my dream
come true — a real newspaper … and even got paid.
#2–Getting my short stories published.
My dry spell in short stories continued on and off over the
ensuing decades, though I wrote very few additional stories
during that time.
But out of the blue a couple of years ago, an editor at Quill
Driver, a California book publisher, read some of my stories
posted online.
“If you’ve got a dozen more, we’ll put out a collection in
paperback,” he said.
I did, and in 2016 they published my first fiction book, titled
“Freak Show of the Gods and Other Tales of the Bizarre.”
#3–Becoming a published science writer.
I did not give up on science writing, either.
I reviewed science books for a small magazine “Science Books and
Films.”
Then had my first hardcover science book, “The Science in Science
Fiction,” published by Benbella in 2005.
Now I will have my second science book published by Quill Driver
later this year.
So what is my point in telling you all this?
Simply that Lombardi and Balboa are right.
Getting knocked down isn’t failure, only a setback.
It’s temporary failure unless you give up for good. Then it
becomes permanent.
Yoda said, “There is no try, there is only do or not do.”
Not to argue with a Jedi master, but I think he greatly
underestimates the value of trying.
As billionaire Mark Cuban once said: it’s okay to fail many
times, because you only have to succeed once to make it.
Or as the motivational speakers are fond of telling us: “There is
no failure, only feedback.”
Chumbawamba sang in Tubthumping: “I get knocked down, but I get
up again.”
I have. Plenty of times. But I am still alive and kicking.
