Afraid the recession is here to stay a bit longer? If so, you’re not alone. Many economists are predicting doom and gloom. And, even if the economy hasn’t hit rock bottom in your part of the country, it has slowed … Continue reading →

Coming up with good story ideas is one of the toughest tasks in publishing a company newsletter. Here’s a checklist of story sources to stimulate editorial thinking and help identify topics with high reader interest that help to promote the … Continue reading →

What should you know when planning a lead-generating direct mail program?  Here are a few pointers to guide you in the right direction: How many steps are there in the buying process for this product?  Where in this process does … Continue reading →

An interview with Mark Ford (aka Michael Masterson) by Bob Bly Q: When did you decide to become an entrepreneur? I think it was when I was 12 because that was the year that one was legally allowed to work … Continue reading →

Is there any married person reading this who has not, at one time or another, had a huge fight with his or her spouse? Of course not. And with half of all marriages ending in divorce, the market for the … Continue reading →

For decades, direct marketers have been using personalization to increase direct mail response rates. When you send out a laser-printed sales letter with the prospect’s name in it, you gain his or her attention. Personalization works equally well online. Yet … Continue reading →

One of the most fun – and frustrating – things about Internet marketing is that the rules and best practices are constantly changing, based on innovation and discovery of new methods that work better than the old. I say “fun” … Continue reading →

The Internet is a competitive marketplace, and the late Corey Rudl, founder of the Internet Marketing Center, once told me the most important strategy for Internet marketing success is to find a niche market that you are passionate about. Since … Continue reading →

Paul McManus, operator of www.prayerpower.com, has an edge over other Internet marketers: he can pray for success, and if his product, “Prayer Power,” does what he promises in his copy, his prayers will be answered. Prayer Power is a $19.95 … Continue reading →

The Mequoda Library recently did an Internet Case Study on America’s Test Kitchen. A brief recap: the company takes the 2.9 million viewers from their TV show, America’s Test Kitchen, and pushes them to the Web site where they can … Continue reading →