Are there certain industries whose business model is dependent on not helping customers – businesses designed to actually be more profitable when not giving customers the best advice, products, and service? Here are some that have been suggested to me … Continue reading →

Since time immemorial – or at least for the quarter century I’ve been in direct marketing – people have vigorously debated the merits of long vs. short copy. “If you are selling something worth more than $20, I’ll put my … Continue reading →

I have dealt with this complaint before, but it comes up every now and then, and recently, I heard it from a new client who wanted to sell Web services to marketing managers at Fortune 500 and middle market corporations. … Continue reading →

The standard #10 direct mail package is the workhorse of direct marketing, but since 9/11 and the anthrax scare, self-mailers have seen a resurgence — most notably the magalog for long copy and the standard postcard for short copy. Because … Continue reading →

Short letters — one or two pages — usually work best.  Executives don’t have time to wade through a lengthy sales pitch.  Exceptions: subscriptions, seminars, and some other mail-order offers. If you can personalize, great!  But form letters addressed to … Continue reading →

For dentists, consultants, attorneys, accountants, advertising agencies, public relation firms, and other organizations and individuals offering professional services, direct mail can be an effective means of generating a controlled quantity of highly qualified leads quickly and at low cost.  However, … Continue reading →

What kind of respond can I expect  from my lead-generating mailing and what percentage is considered good for business-to-business direct mail?”   This is one of the most frequently asked questions inbusiness-to-business marketing. Let’s see if we can shed some … Continue reading →

“People buy from people they like and trust” is an established sales truism, but how many people receiving your DM package have even heard of your publication or editor or you, much less like and trust you?   Your DM … Continue reading →

When creating a DM package selling a newsletter subscription, you know you’re going to have an outer envelope, a sales letter, an order form, and a business reply envelope. But what else? Should you use a sample issue or specimen … Continue reading →

Mistake No. 1: Ignoring the most important factor in direct mail success. Do you know what the most important part of your direct mail campaign is? It’s not the copy. It’s not the art work. It’s not even the format … Continue reading →