Newsletter publishers have been taking a beating in the marketplace as of late, with failed launches and weak tests outnumbering the success stories. Direct mail isn’t working as well as it used to, and most publishers have not figured out … Continue reading →

When creating a direct mail promotion, the closing copy, especially the offer, often gets short shrift. The marketer simply picks up the boilerplate from previous promotions, without thinking through whether the offer and its wording make sense. And often, they … Continue reading →

We publishing types don’t give up. When the Internet sprung into life, we said, “Direct mail works offline to sell subscriptions; why not online, too?” So we rented e-mail lists and sent them e-mails asking them to subscribe. It bombed. … Continue reading →

With response rates to traditional number ten packages and other DM formats in decline, newsletter publishers are once again turning to a proven marketing method that periodically comes in and out of favor: forced free trials. In a recent survey, … Continue reading →

Despite declining response rates, direct mail is still the most profitable and effective method of generating subscriptions for newsletters. Four major factors affect the performance of your direct mail package:             1. The list. 2. The offer. 3. The format. … Continue reading →

Advance renewals, also called blanket renewals, often generate the highest response rates and profits of any direct-mail piece a newsletter publisher can mail, yet many publishers don’t use them effectively or at all. They are called “advance” because the goal … Continue reading →

One of the toughest questions beginning and experienced service providers wrestle with is: “How much should I charge?” You probably have a standard fee, or range of fees, you want to charge (or have been charging) your clients. But is … Continue reading →

“Advance renewals often generate the highest response rates and profits of any direct-mail piece a newsletter publisher can mail, yet many publishers don’t use them effectively or at all,” said Copywriter/Consultant Bob Bly. Following are five advance-renewal tips and strategies: … Continue reading →

News releases about your products can give you results-to-expenditures unmatched by any other promotion or marketing tool. By investing a few days’ work and often less than $500 you can achieve results comparable to those produced by and ad or … Continue reading →

Getting a company’s message into print isn’t as hard as it seems—as long as you do your homework and follow the publicity business’s recognized procedures.     Just one article in a trade journal can bring a company hundreds of leads … Continue reading →