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POP QUIZ... and maybe some useful advice (but, maybe not too)

by gjabiz
9 replies
The Quiz:

Name the marketing company found in the following cities

Burnsville, MN
Thompson, IL
Fulton, TX
Hartville, OH
Vergennes, VT
Mineola, NY
Colonial Hts, VA
Northport, NY
Hampton, NE
Kent, England (Folkestone as a hint)

These 10 Direct Marketers have this in common...they are all CURRENTLY
running full page ads (print) in national (USA) publications. Some of these
ads cost up to $250,000.00 per insertion. You can bet the farm they are
not tests.

These are a few of the scores of companies running direct response ads in print, even though they all have a web address.

Noobs may not get any right, Old Pros (print) should get at least half IMO.

What this tells you, the copywriter, is...there is HUGE opportunity for you.

Would you like a tested and proven fast track to copywriting success?

BUY products from print, SEE what they mail you, study the fulfillment carefully (take pictures as you open the box/envelope).

What are the backends? What other sales material are they including in the fulfillment package?

FAST way, say, less than a year to a dedicated student...to a six figure a year deal...

Create or Acquire the rights to a product which fits in with a direct response companies "family" of products...and

CREATE the promotion to test it.

IF you can bring a new product, especially a back end, and a completed promotion for it...you'll get some interest, IF you can handle the rejection.

Worst case, you won't get tested. Best case, your name gets out there and/or maybe you get a gig with a continuous flow of cash rewards coming your way.

Direct Response is still alive. Print media is still being bought. Companies are still selling the "old fashioned" way via Direct Response either Print or Direct Mail.

Another Opinion... if you are a student you should be able to name at least 50 direct response marketing companies, each with the potential of being a client in your future.

Buy from print, especially magazines, which you read already or on a subject you may have an interest in. Say golf. Buy some golf products from those guys and gals running full page ads in any golf magazine, and keep track of what they do with your name and any follow up sales they may attempt.

USEFUL?? Maybe, maybe not.

gjabiz

PS. From the above list, I'm creating TWO proposals for products and promotions and I'll submit them before the year is out.

I know most of you just want to write, but, if you expand into product development or acquisition... you'll add tremendous value to yourself.

Also, they don't have to be full page ads, look for marketing companies who continuously run ads, be it full, half or quarter page or even smaller display and even classified ads. Fortunes have been made from one inch classified ads.
#advice #pop #quiz
  • Profile picture of the author gjabiz
    Burnsville MN, Stauer stauer.com
    Thompson, IL Solutionsfromscience.com
    Fulton, TX Backwoodsmanmag.com
    Hartville, OH jamesdirect.com
    Vergennes, VT drpower.com
    Mineola, NY rushindustries.com
    Colonial HTS, VA jitterbug.com
    Northport, NY beautifulmusic.com
    Hampton, NE Pleasant hills 4phc.com
    Kent, England finbarrinternationalbooks.com

    There are some 3500+ members of the DMA.

    There are thousands more small direct marketers.

    OPPORTUNITY for copywriters!!!

    Noobs could visit these web sites. They are diverse.

    From upper end costume jewelry (or affordable semi-fine??) like Stauer is selling in scores of publications at a hefty cost of insertion...

    to books, like James Direct) a small little successful publisher who runs full page ads in the Harris Farmers Almanac and thos strip ads in PARADE

    TO a company with many different products (Rush Industries)

    there is a template, a swipe file of successful CURRENT advertising.

    The thinking YOU could do, if so inclined to actually think....

    is look at products being sold and make a list of potential back ends or complimentary products.

    Here is an outside the box, whatever that is, idea.

    A possible back end product for the Tree Stump Removal guy could be a pre seeded flower or vegetable container to put where the stump used to be.

    The PARADE OF LIFE niches are always ripe for the pickin...

    Gardening...largest hobby in world.
    Eating...food, cookbooks, utensils, specialty products
    Diet/Weight loss
    Dating/love
    babies
    jewelry (thrived in the Great Depression and is gangbusters now)
    clothing
    make-up
    self improvement

    IF one were to spend a couple of hours, maybe not be so concerned what Max50 is doing...

    And visit these web sites of successful marketers to see what kind of copy they use... and to know they are collectively spending millions of dollars on print ads run in national publications...

    well, maybe,

    just maybe...

    one would get a better understanding of how copy is used to sell remotely
    how successful companies do it
    what their copywriters have done
    what you might gain from learning from CURRENT ads, as well as studying the classics and so-called masters

    well, maybe, just maybe...

    one would see the opportunity and maybe even seize the opportunity...

    But, this involves dedication and work and does not involve Max and his cars, jets or success.

    I find it interesting what the hot topics on this so-called copywriting forum are.

    Always look forward to at least 5 people posting, but they are apparently busy making money, they don't post as often as I wished they would.

    What used to be a daily look see...has, for me, become a weekly drop in to see who is posting ten times a day to get their post count up...

    it is what is

    But, maybe...and I know of two...

    there are serious students who would rather learn what works than what
    any one "character" is doing today

    TIME is the one limited commodity you can't ever replace.

    thanks to those who emailed me...hopefully, at least you have seen the opportunity that is out there

    gjabiz
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    • Profile picture of the author Pusateri
      Originally Posted by gjabiz View Post

      Burnsville MN, Stauer stauer.com
      Thompson, IL Solutionsfromscience.com
      Fulton, TX Backwoodsmanmag.com
      You can learn a hell of a lot from Stauer about marketing to the mass affluent.

      Not that they invented anything they are doing (at least on the front end). Just took Ogilvy's magazine format and combined it with J. Peterman's copy.

      But Backwoodsman...jeez!

      The guy runs a mag with a paid circulation of 200k out of a PO Box in one of the smallest post offices in Texas. His box is less than five feet from mine. And I never knew he was there. Man keeps a low profile. And I need to get out more.
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      • Profile picture of the author Mark Andrews
        Banned
        Thanks Gordon, you Sir are a treasure trove of new information and fresh ideas. Every single one of your threads is just a pure unadulterated pleasure to read.

        Thanks again.

        Kindest regards,


        Mark Andrews
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  • Profile picture of the author Thomas Michal
    Stauer is owned by asset marketing - Asset Marketing Services, Inc.*-*Homepage, they bought the rare coin shop I use to work for back in 08 NewYorkMint.com
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    • Profile picture of the author gjabiz
      To me, it was unbelievable how many businesses were in the numimatic field and when I wrote in that field I felt like it was selling to kids who collected...

      Adult kids love shiny and "valuable" trinkets. And two dollar bills too.

      Selling money is much easier than Forex. Many lists of buyers.

      Asset Marketing is one of the big players in this field. Imagine creating a promotion for their house list of at least 330,000 BUYERS (per their website).

      It would be like shooting pickles in a barrel.

      Also note...they sell by the STORY. Can anyone tell a good story? Thomas Michal has just delivered another opportunity for you.

      Thanks Thomas.

      gjabiz

      PS. I've got my colorized LeBron James quarter...maybe I'll ask LeBron to autograph it too.

      Originally Posted by Thomas Michal View Post

      Stauer is owned by asset marketing - Asset Marketing Services, Inc.NO--NO-Homepage, they bought the rare coin shop I use to work for back in 08 NewYorkMint.com
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  • Profile picture of the author Steve Hill
    Thanks, Gordon - your insights are always useful, informative, and appreciated. Direct mail experience like yours is getting rarer by the day.

    A lot of direct marketing flies under the radar, as Pusateri discovered, but it's still profitable. I've read about many small teams that are making a good living using direct mail.

    At the same time, new marketing models are emerging, perhaps equally profitable, but they work by selling less quantity of more items. This is only possible because of the economics of internet marketing as opposed to direct mail. It is intriguing to consider how to combine the two models, taking the best of both.

    A good book about the newer trend is "The Long Tail" by Chris Anderson. Combine that with the directions that Gordon has pointed out, and some very interesting outcomes could happen.

    As Gordon points out, it's about focus, not soap opera.
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    • Profile picture of the author gjabiz
      I have spies (ok, maybe they're friends?) in at least 5 major marketing companies, would you consider 100M a year major?

      And several more friends in small remote direct marketing companies.

      The best of the best are into multi-channel marketing and have been for years.

      Speaking of post office boxes, mine used to be close to Rev. Earnest Angley, and his huge box was emptied 3 times a day. At the time it was right across from his church, the former Cathedral of Tomorrow and there was an armed guard with the mail person...once in a while the Rev himself would come over...and as a side note, the man healed me when I was 10...explains why I'm so fk*&d up??? Maybe.

      Anyhow, every mega church in the country is getting envelopes full of cash in their PO Boxes...and most use copywriters and writers for collateral material. TV is the media of choice for many, but they all have urls and do a lot of direct mail too, maybe not ALL, but certainly many.

      In the last decade I've witnessed 5 big project tests, none of which are still around. These marketing companies spent upwards of 500000 bux to "test" their ideas. Most were INTERNET RELATED projects.

      The successful companies consider the Internet to be ONE of the channels they use. Actually, TV is, for the ones I know and have reliable info on, is the big winner for both customer acquisition and sales. Get them on the phone, upsell, cross sell, downsell if need be or simply fulfill the order.

      TV, internet, print, direct mail (wish I had a post card printing business this election year, YIKES, someone made money?...and RETAIL and emerging push marketing with mobile apps and telephone auto dialers..

      are channels which are used, and every channel of marketing needs copywriting. Scripts for 2 minute and 30 minute infomercials need copywriters. Fulfillment collateral sales material is written by copywriters.
      Web sites with intent to sell are copywriter generated.

      As far as economics of the Internet, it is true for the small guy, a guy with a few employees...however, at bigger levels, it is NOT true that it is cheaper to sell on the Internet due to overhead required.

      A 10 million a year small company with 6 -10 employees is one thing, but when you get up to the 100 million PLUS guys, with scores of employees, the cost of selling on the Internet, in many cases, exceeds the cost of outsourcing a direct mail campaign for example.

      For most, in my opinion, small businesses, I feel you must have an Internet presence and actually be selling something, which is where you come in...but in some cases, launching a new division on the Internet to take advantage of the so-called costs has in several instances been costly. Heck, even giant Google has had it's share of losers.

      Anyhow, the point is.

      COPYWRITERS are needed. IF you can sell.

      If you can write scripts.
      If you can write postcards.
      If you can write web sites.

      Which SELL...something...

      If you are a salesperson who can create sales material and generate sales for one of the thousands of marketing companies out there...

      there is more opportunity today than ever before for COPYWRITERS.

      This should be great news for the 7 real copywriters who visit this board.

      gjabiz

      Originally Posted by Steve Hill View Post

      Thanks, Gordon - your insights are always useful, informative, and appreciated. Direct mail experience like yours is getting rarer by the day.

      A lot of direct marketing flies under the radar, as Pusateri discovered, but it's still profitable. I've read about many small teams that are making a good living using direct mail.

      At the same time, new marketing models are emerging, perhaps equally profitable, but they work by selling less quantity of more items. This is only possible because of the economics of internet marketing as opposed to direct mail. It is intriguing to consider how to combine the two models, taking the best of both.

      A good book about the newer trend is "The Long Tail" by Chris Anderson. Combine that with the directions that Gordon has pointed out, and some very interesting outcomes could happen.

      As Gordon points out, it's about focus, not soap opera.
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      • Profile picture of the author Steve Hill
        You've made some excellent points, Gordon - thanks for the insights.

        Originally Posted by gjabiz View Post

        As far as economics of the Internet, it is true for the small guy, a guy with a few employees...however, at bigger levels, it is NOT true that it is cheaper to sell on the Internet due to overhead required.

        A 10 million a year small company with 6 -10 employees is one thing, but when you get up to the 100 million PLUS guys, with scores of employees, the cost of selling on the Internet, in many cases, exceeds the cost of outsourcing a direct mail campaign for example.

        For most, in my opinion, small businesses, I feel you must have an Internet presence and actually be selling something, which is where you come in...but in some cases, launching a new division on the Internet to take advantage of the so-called costs has in several instances been costly. Heck, even giant Google has had it's share of losers.
        That makes sense, and it would be interesting to find some case studies on the economics. Cloud computing, for example, has lowered the cost of entry for some businesses. With no need to have data centers and IT departments in-house, and with scalable resources as needed, it has potential for savings. It would be useful to know how cost-effective it is for the really big companies, however.

        But you're right - setting up a new sales channel for Internet marketing (and all that it entails) doesn't come cheap. Now you've got me curious as to how well that channel compares (in various major industries) to the other channels you mentioned, and why. Setup costs could exceed direct mail campaign costs, as you mentioned, but perhaps result in larger returns over time.

        One consideration is many or most companies are still finding out how to use the Internet successfully. Some are doing a great job of integrating the technologies, while others are not. On the Internet, everybody has an opinion and a voice. Unlike direct mail, people can instantly find out what others think about a product or company, so managing public feedback becomes a necessary marketing task too.

        Originally Posted by gjabiz View Post

        Anyhow, the point is.

        COPYWRITERS are needed. IF you can sell.

        If you can write scripts.
        If you can write postcards.
        If you can write web sites.

        Which SELL...something...

        If you are a salesperson who can create sales material and generate sales for one of the thousands of marketing companies out there...

        there is more opportunity today than ever before for COPYWRITERS.
        Good share. It's interesting how some only see copywriting opportunities in Internet marketing, or see few opportunities at all, when clearly opportunity is everywhere if they look for it.
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  • Profile picture of the author Thomas Michal
    Originally Posted by gjabiz View Post

    Also note...they sell by the STORY. Can anyone tell a good story?
    Not only that, it was the enthusiasm and description we sold too.

    You need to get them excited.

    Talking about about how the strike on that 1848 Seated Liberty was so deep and crisp it's still sharp enough to cut your fingers and looks like it was minted yesterday - almost proof-like.

    But yes it was mostly the story and scarcity/rarity

    We were pushing $15,000 ancient coins that looked like rocks but because of our stories and the fact they were from the biblical era there was a good chance these coins were in the hands of people in the Bible, possibly even Jesus himself, people would whip out the credit card.

    Then we send a nice hard cover book called Coins of the Bible and call them back (over and over) and fill their collection with those coins.

    Just think of an infomercial on the phone, that's what we did.

    Every person had a plaque on there desk that said...

    On the Next Call Remember:

    "It's Showtime, Give the Performance of Your Life"
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