Here's Where I Stole Lots Of "My" Ideas From ... Now It's Your Turn

If you read these serpentine ramblings you know I greatly admire the Venerable Denny Hatch.

Denny, with almost demented dedication, has over the last 26 years created the world's largest organised direct mail library - over 200,000 samples.

But what is more important, he knows what worked - and what didn't, and can tell you why, because he knows more than anyone about the subject.

18 years ago I rang his wife, Peggy (who is as able as he is!) to ask how many mailings he read a month.

"Between one and two thousand," she replied. "Mind you, he doesn't read all of them all through."

"I should bloody well hope not," I thought. "The poor man would end up in a loony bin if he did."

Anyhow, since that time, Denny's mammoth compendium of the best mailings ever - Million $$$ Mailings, created with Axel Andersson - has been my secret weapon.

I use it to cheat.

I thumb through it for inspiration - and for ideas to steal, adapt and use in seminars. It contains 71 of the most successful mailings ever written. Only last month I wrote something that pulled like an express train based on one line I spotted and “improved”.

I refer to it more than Caples, more than Hopkins, more than Ogilvy.

The only problem is, it is a WHACKING GREAT TOME, 477 pages long - I yearn to beat up recalcitrant clients with it. I can't find the ideas I want quickly. And it is 18 years old, so some important new stuff is not in it.

Now, praise the Lord, Denny has come up with something that's bang up-to-date, and a lot shorter. So I can find tested ideas to steal in minutes.

It’s a report called The Secrets of Emotional Hot-ButtonCopywriting. You can get it at http://hotbuttoncopywriting.com/.

But to call it a report does it too little justice. It is atreasure trove. I flipped it open just now and immediately saw an extraordinary opening line "I'm sitting in my wheelchair today, mad as hell" ... imagine what that could do for your e-mail opening rates!

(Do not think for a second that what applies in direct mail does not apply online. It is pretty much all relevant - and the examples you see are from the best of the best in a business that has been around for centuries, not decades).

As the title says, the report is based on the turbulent, gnawing human emotions - the hot buttons - that make your customers buy. And it features the best mailings of the last 20 years. Only Denny could have put it together, because only Denny has this astonishing archive of material.

And Denny does something so many fail to do: he tells you WHY things work. You will never get this from some of the hyped-up piffle that sails into your inbox every day.

A friend just forwarded me (as a joke) one of those emails that say “all you need is this set of DVDs and booklets and your copy will “write itself” automatically.

What drivel!

Here, for $89, you can get what you really need – theCopy Thieves’ Almanac. I may use one of the mailings in a speech I make in a week's time. I will certainly adapt another for some work I have to do for an investment client.

Here again is where to order: http://hotbuttoncopywriting.com/.

Why not make it the next thing you do? Just one idea could double the response from your next effort. I have seen it happen. I know.

Best,
Drayton
http://directmarketingcourse.com/
www.commonsensedirectmarketing.com

How Powerful Are Surveys For Increasing Response?

When I last ran a one day seminar in London, I used a simple weapon to get attendees. It was not direct mail. Not advertising. Not PR. Not a clever promotion.

It was an e-mailed survey, it got 16% response, and I made a few thousand quid.

That was partly because of the list and partly because of the person who signed it (not me). So this video is all about why surveys are such a deceptively powerful weapon. See what you think.



Would you like an example of how I use surveys?

I have a client who is setting up a business overseas. I suggested his launch could be based on a survey. So now he is writing some copy which I will edit/revise/trample all over.

We will get the survey results published in a newspaper (they're always gagging for stuff to run). That will establish his name and give him credibility among his prospects. And that will lead to a series of other things I won't bore you with.

The best survey format is anonymous, so people are happier to respond. I hope that is true of you, because I have stuck a survey in here – and I'd really appreciate your reply.

Two weeks ago so many of you said you'd like a writing webinar that I wondered what else would interest you.

So in the survey I’ve listed some - but not all - the topics I have bored the opants off people about in sundry places from Dubai to Sydney. Let me know which interest you and I will try to set something up. It takes no time at all to complete.

Oh, and I've also asked about something entirely different that I am running. It has limited numbers, so I want to know what the likely take up is.

I will tell you what results the survey comes up with, so you will know what interests other people

Best,
Drayton
www.eadim.com
www.commonsensedirectmarketing.com


P. S. The writing webinars will will start in about a week. The delay is because we have spent a ludicrous amount of time looking at the various options. None is perfect, but I think we have arrived at the best.

Also how we take your money is a pain to arrange. Don’t worry. I have a deal for you!

Actually I have two deals for you - but that's for another day.

But first, please fill in the survey, which takes about 30 seconds. Only you can tell me what you want. I do appreciate it!

The best survey format is anonymous, so people are happier to respond. I hope that is true of you, because I have stuck a survey in here – and I'd really appreciate your reply.

Two weeks ago so many of you said you'd like a writing webinar that I wondered what else would interest you.

So in the survey I’ve listed some - but not all - the topics I have bored the opants off people about in sundry places from Dubai to Sydney. Let me know which interest you and I will try to set something up. It takes no time at all to complete.

Oh, and I've also asked about something entirely different that I am running. It has limited numbers, so I want to know what the likely take up is.

I will tell you what results the survey comes up with, so you will know what interests other people

P. S. The writing webinars will will start in about a week. The delay is because we have spent a ludicrous amount of time looking at the various options. None is perfect, but I think we have arrived at the best.

Also how we take your money is a pain to arrange. Don’t worry. I have a deal for you!

Actually I have

two deals for you - but that's for another day.

But first, please fill in the survey, which takes about 30 seconds. Only you can tell me what you want. I do appreciate it!

Best,
Drayton
www.eadim.com
www.draytonbirdcommonsense.com

He who knows how to manage the media often wins the game. The BP crisis is on everyone’s mind. And before that, Toyota got into a mess. What should you know about public relations?

When clients come to me I often suggest that good PR may be even more important than anything I can do. And I strongly believe that relying on one marketing weapon alone is very short sighted.

Modern public relations – PR - began about a hundred years ago with the world’s richest man, John D. Rockefeller. Rockefeller had a problem.

He had built up Standard Oil very ruthlessly, treating his workers appallingly - though probably no worse than most businessmen at the time. He was so hideously unpopular he could barely go outside without embarrassment. He asked a newsman called Ivy Lee for advice.

I do not know what Lee charged Mr. Rockefeller, but his solution brilliantly demonstrated how to create and manage news. He told Rockefeller to stop hiding away, go out regularly, and always carry with him a supply of 5 cent coins to give to small children.

Lee, no doubt, ensured these generous acts were reported. In no time the ogre Rockefeller was replaced in the public’s mind by the kindly old fellow who loved children.

Was this clever idea an influence for good or bad? It has certainly been much copied. All politicians know it’s a good idea to be photographed with babies, but among the century’s leading experts have been Joseph Stalin, Adolph Hitler and Mao Tse Tung.

Advice from a top expert

When young, I worked in public relations for long enough to know I am no good at it. However a friend, Quentin Bell, was long one of Britain’s leading PR men. He gave me a list of points for good PR, which I have put at the end.

The difference between advertising and public relations is that you pay for advertising space or time; in public relations you only pay for the advice you get. The media print or broadcast what they want about you.

Advertising was once called “the truth well told”. The same applies to good PR. The trouble is, as we all know, the truth can be seen in many ways. If your version of the truth prevails, it is a powerful ally; if not, it can be a disaster. Which it is depends on you.

Public relations are vital when there are problems. The launch of the Toyota Lexus in America was nearly a disaster, because thousands of the first cars delivered had faults. A few years later the Mercedes A-Class was reported to be unreliable on sharp corners. On another occasion a madman poisoned some of the packs of the leading US analgesic, Tylenol.

All three firms acted promptly and managed the news. Toyota recalled every car they had sold and gave owners free replacements while the problem was fixed. Mercedes immediately installed in their A class the same braking system fitted in their most expensive cars and wrote to all prospective and existing buyers explaining the facts. Tylenol replaced every bottle of Tylenol in every store in America.

So none of these firms denied the problem: they admitted there was one and solved it. They told the truth. Moral: don’t lie, don’t hide. Act and be open. I do not think that Toyota and BP, more recently, have managed their PR very well. So what should you do?

Start by asking questions

Good PR – like all good marketing - starts with the truth. First, ask three questions. Who are we? Where are we? Where do we want be or go? If you haven’t asked them, you now know your first – maybe your most important – task.

You must know what you are – not what you hope you are. This calls for research, both inside and outside your organisation. Only then you can work to become what you want to be.

Unlike advertising, PR doesn’t directly promote a product, service or brand. It deals with issues raised by, and surrounding them. They benefit indirectly.

PR is about “our way of doing things” – corporate culture. It takes your special (though not necessarily unique) attitudes and viewpoints and turns them to commercial advantage.

Internal PR comes before external PR. It conveys these messages so well that everyone you work with understands and eventually “owns” them. They become company ambassadors. You know you’ve succeeded when they talk of colleagues as “we” instead of “them”.

Your message must embrace all those groups your success depends on. Not just your people, but suppliers and distributors, communities, investors, regulators, and the media.

One of my partners once told me the best advice his father ever gave him. It was, “If you’re talking, you can’t be listening. And if you’re not listening, you can’t be learning”. PR only succeeds if it is a dialogue – not a one way “top down” monologue. Listening is vital if you wish to respond.

PR is not about slogans and slick phrases. It’s about style plus substance: 90% is about improving the reality, only 10% about promoting it. Image and reality must match. You cannot pretend to be what you’re not – for long.

Don’t rely entirely on the PR agency or marketing department. Your message must course through the veins of the company – inspired by those at the top. Your top PR person is the CEO – the public ambassador. PR should be an important part of his or her job.

Good PR is consistent and continual: inspiration, consistency and dogged determination differentiate the winners from the losers.

Top ten tips for dealing with the media

What if you have to face the media? It can be frightening – unless you’re prepared. Here is Quentin’s advice:

• Know your message: identify your three key points; stick to them; don’t be afraid of repeating them; don’t get sidetracked.

• Be the victor not the victim. You know more about your subject than they do; an interview is an opportunity, not a threat; you can turn their negative into your positive, or at least paint a balanced picture; be businesslike – it’s better to be respected than liked.

• Prepare and rehearse: think of all likely difficult questions for a requested interview – and know your answers.

• Send out all your bad news at once, not bit by bit. Release it with bigger news of the day as a smokescreen. If it’s good news, check the next day’s media agenda for a slow news day.

• Know what the media want: ask them for their angle – they’ll willingly tell you; don’t “answer” but “respond”; use the question as a chance to say what you want to say.

• Admit your mistakes: others will forgive you. Don’t cover up; but always “regret” rather than being “sorry” - that implies guilt. Never speak “off the record”. Assume all you say will be broadcast or published.

• Be humble: be confident but not arrogant; stay calm and “smile” (if only inwardly, because it shows on TV). Remember, an aggressive interviewer gains you public sympathy; don’t lie (you’ll be found out and make matters worse). If you don’t know the answer, say so.

• Speak in headlines: talk about benefits, not features. Think in pictures, not words; keep it simple; listen to questions carefully; don’t fill silences – it puts the onus upon the interviewer.

• Don’t refuse to take difficult phone calls. But give yourself thinking time (“I’ll phone you back in ten minutes”); never say “no comment” - it implies guilt; it provides a vacuum to allow the media to invent their own “truth”.

• Never pretend to be what you’re not, personally or corporately. If the public perception is false, make the truth clear; get the endorsement of your top PR person – the CEO.

Best,
Drayton
www.eadim.com
www.commonsensedirectmarketing.com

How To Charm Your Prospects

Last week I sat beside Drayton and watched him go through copy written by one of his clients. Keep in mind this piece of copy wasn't bad.

Drayton just sat there, in front of his screen, and edited it with such ease it was amazing.

By the time he finished, it was a masterpiece.

Best,
Rezbi
www.eadim.com
www.commonsensedirectmarketing.com

Drayton Bird On The Most Common Copywriting Mistake

In copy one of the worst things you can do is to drag on about irrelevant things.

This is a mistake I always made before Drayton kept drumming it into my head. I guess I still do make this mistake, but not as much as before.

As David Ogilvy used to say, "You can't bore people into buying your product. You can only interest them in buying it."

Best,
Rezbi
www.eadim.com
www.commonsensedirectmarketing.com

Watch Your Tone!

Do you suffer from a crippling condition called deadline panic?

I do - and it attacked me with some ferocity recently when after a few glasses of cheering sangria I looked at my schedule for the week.

I was immediately reminded of a maxim by one of my old bosses: "Whatever you're doing, you should have started sooner" - Bill Phillips.

Bill Phillips ran Ogilvy & Mather when I sold my old agency to them, and we both like quotations.

(One of his I particularly appreciate is "A neat stall is the sign of a dead horse" - and if you saw my desk, you'd know why)

Anyhow, I realised with some alarm that I was going to Bucharest and Kiev that week to do 4 seminars, one of which I hadn't written yet.

Since it takes a couple of days' work to put together a good talk, this was quite a worry, so I started going through possible material.

And by chance I found one or two good quotations. Here is the man who wrote the first:



Did you recognise him? It is Evelyn Waugh, one of the great comic writers of the 20th century, and a wonderful stylist.

During the Second World War he and his wife used to write to each other and on one occasion he wrote complaining about how dull her letters were.

"A good letter is like a conversation," he wrote.

This reminded me of a meeting I had with the managing director of Mercedes Passenger Cars about 17 years ago when we started doing their direct marketing.

He was concerned about the tone of their copy - and in fact that is why we got the business.

We talked about this for a while, then I said,

"Have you ever actually sold cars?"

"Yes" he said.

Then I asked: "Did you talk to your customers the way you've been talking to me?"

"Yes."

"Well," I replied. "That is the kind of tone your direct mail should have."

The difference between good copy and so-so copy is largely about tone. Of course, few writers even understand the basics, but even if they do most write with a sort of half-witted enthusiasm, where everything is "fabulous" and "exciting". So the copy lacks credibility. Readers say, "Oh, come on."

The really good copy is conversational in tone, and is adapted to suit the context

Read your copy out loud. Does it sound like someone talking? It should.

And does it sound like typical "sales" copy any one of your competitors could run. It shouldn't.

The other thing to watch out for is that the language must be appropriate to the writer - and the recipient.

If you're supposed to be the chairman, write like a wise and friendly adviser. If you're writing to another chairman, write as an equal. If you're supposed to be someone who handles complaints, adapt accordingly. And so on.

It's deceptively simple - but not that easy to do. You just have to work at it.

Best,
Drayton

P.S.  This is number 25 of Drayton Bird’s 101 free helpful marketing ideas.  You can sign up on the link below for the rest.

—————————————–

www.draytonbirdcommonsense.com / www.eadim.com

Who Else Wants To Write Better - Or Knows People Who Do? Friday's Response Thrilled Me To Bits (With A Couple Of Surprises)

If you follow all these disjointed ramblings you know I vented a little spleen last week about an e-mail I got, and said I would run a series of webinars on better writing.

Three things happened. First, a surprising number of people said they'd be interested, including one of the best copywriters I know. Second, the man whose firm ran the copy sent a very temperate comment whilst lolling in his second home in Italy - paid for by such seminars. And third, one of my heroes, Denny Hatch, sent a congratulatory note.

Well, thank you to everyone who replied - and what can we learn from this?

1. Many people realise that bad writing holds back careers, plays havoc and bedevils business.


2. The people who want to improve are often the people who are good already. The useless carry on regardless. So, the good get better and the bad fall further behind.


3. Quality matters more than technique. If what you offer is appealing even bad writing, within reason, won't kill it as long as the benefits are clearly described, which they were in this case.

A delightful story was told by the great cartoonist and writer Thurber about the eccentric editor of the New Yorker magazine, Harold Ross.


Ross was a gloomy nit-picker, hardly ever satisfied, and with little apparent sense of humour. On the rare occasion when he saw a contribution he liked he would murmur, "I am encouraged to go on."


Well, I am encouraged to go on - I have a few other subjects that may interest you like positioning, fund-raising, briefing, research and testing, brand building, how to present, how to be a good creative director, creative analysis and so on.


Let me know if any of those sound interesting, please - or if you have any other suggestions.


I will now prepare the better writing webinars. They will chiefly be concerned with writing to persuade - but cover everything from what to do before you write and how to manage your time to how to get ideas, with advice on better writing from George Orwell and much more.


So if more of you are interested, let me know that too.

Best,
Drayton
Websites: www.commonsensedirectmarketing.com / www.eadim.com

The Little-Known Secret to Happiness and Success

My God. Is this an important newsletter!

How many people do you know who are highly
successful?

I'd be surprised if you know more than a handful in
your entire life.

But suppose I asked you a different question.

How many people do you know who are both truly
happy and successful?

I'd wager a lot that you'd be hard pressed to name
even one or two people who are blessed with both
of these rare qualities.

I've known many, many, self-made millionaires.
Indeed, I've mentored many of them. And I know
numerous heirs to a large fortune.

Whether inherited or earned, it's indeed rare to find
even a single person in a lifetime who has unlocked
both the secrets of happiness and success.

Let's look at what does and does not provide
happiness.

For sure happiness is not about money. As
mentioned, lots or even most wealthy people are not
at all happy.

Indeed, contrary to common thought, instead of
enjoying life, many rich people are extremely
miserable and depressed.

It's not even about health. You can be physically
very healthy. But mentally you can still suffer from
sadness and depression.

Happiness is not about how big your house or yacht
may be. Or toys, fame, influential friends, or even
business success.

I'm a happiness freak!

As a small boy I concluded I didn't want to be as
miserable as the adults around me seemed. So I
decided to study the topic.

In a lifetime pursuit of personal happiness I've
invested lots of time and money in books. Seminars.
Group therapy. And studying various philosophers
and religions.

None of these pursuits, while helpful, fully
answered the crying human need we all have for
happiness.

** What is the answer to happiness? **

The good news, I believe, is surprisingly simple.

I like what President Abraham Lincoln, who
suffered so much in his life and overcame it all,
said. He made the most intelligent comment I've
ever seen on the subject of happiness.

Lincoln said, "Most folks are about as happy as they
make up their minds to be."
By contrast, most people suffer from stress and are
in a constant state of worry and anxiety. A big
contributing factor to unhappiness is to observe
others and copy them. Simply do what most humans
do. Get up in a hurry. Never examine your life.
Instead stay stressed all day long until you flop into
bed at night.

** The key to happiness **

I find that the closest any of us can come to being
happy each and every day of your life rests on a
simple important principle.

How you start your day.

It's all about how, upon awakening, you spend the
first 20 minutes.

Here is what I do each and every day. (Before I
shower or have breakfast.)

1.  When I awaken the first thing I do is verbally
acknowledge what a priceless gift this day of life
really is. We both know in our heart of hearts this
day, or any day, is promised to no one.

Our life is finite. It could end at any moment. I
simply thank my higher power for this special day.

(I won't get into long a religious discussion here. I
believe it suffices to say this. I believe there is a
higher power out there, however you wish to define
it for yourself.)

2.  I count my blessings each and every day. Both
the great big massive ones. And smaller ones too.

Big blessings for me include my health and that of
my loved ones. My children and grandchildren. My
friends. My clients. My career. My readers. My
freedoms. Books I've written. My business ideas.

Somewhat smaller blessings include my toys. My
houses in three countries. My travels. My
acquisitions. My sports, tennis, swimming, walking
and weightlifting. Books I love to read, etc.

3.  I say several personal affirmations out loud. If
you'd like a free copy of what I use, click here:

http://snipurl.com/x70r6

After the first 20 minutes I'm now mentally ready
to take on the challenge and opportunities of this
special day.

I believe that I'm a truly happy person. And the
more I follow the above procedure the more
successful and happy I seem to become.

I strongly recommend you try my 20-minute
program. Be sure you let me know your results.

Your correspondent,
Ted Nicholas

—————

“This article appears courtesy of THE SUCCESS
MARGIN, the Internet’s most valuable success and
marketing e-zine. For a complimentary
subscription, visit http://www.tednicholas.com/

Is this gibberish REALLY how to communicate? Hard to believe – and I have a suggestion

Do you feel successful? I don't.

Yes, I have moments of euphoria, usually after I’ve written something pretty good – but it’s not long before I decide I’m useless.

So I read about a seminar in “power talking” and “communication skills” with great interest - especially when it said that 80% of people fail at work because they don’t “relate well” to other people ...“a clear case of failed communication”.
.
Well, the seminar was cheap, the course leader is practically a genius – “multi skilled as an Occupational Psychologist, Executive Mentor, Presenter and Counsellor” - and the subject is highly relevant.

But the copy put me off. As far as I or anyone else who cares for the English language might be concerned it was indeed a case of failed communication. It had more clichés and jargon in it than a politician’s speech.

I was promised “user-friendly, high-level skills” and “solution-focused communication techniques”. There was obsessive use of expressions based on the word “impact” – “impacts on”, “impactful”, “high-impact” and “positive impact”. And naturally that shop-soiled word "engage" popped up (why not "intrigue" or "interest"?)

If that's how people who teach communication write, it explains a lot of the mindless tripe we all have to plough though - in documents, on the internet, in meetings: everywhere.

Every day you are trying to get colleagues, bosses, customers – maybe family – to do what you want. Whether you like it or not, life is one long sales pitch – and most of that selling is done in writing.

So how do you avoid boring the hell out of people? How do you write well? It really matters, as two old colleagues, Ken Roman and Joel Raphaelson, revealed in their splendid book “Writing that Works”.

It seems that when the Chief Executives of top U.S. firms were asked what they would most like to change in business, the majority pleaded: “Can someone please teach people to write better?”

Now if you’re wondering where all this has been leading, let me ask you a question.

Would you or your colleagues be interested in three short webinars on how to write better? I have been teaching this for nearly 30 years, and my normal rate is £5,000 per day. But if enough of you are interested I will do them for £39 each.

In my time I’ve written books, scripts, articles, ads, brochures, presentations, speeches, emails, editorials – you name it – and got paid for them all. I’ll tell you what I’ve learned.

The last time I did a seminar on this subject it was for the world's largest conference organisers. People said the were "inspired". I can't guarantee such giddy heights of joy, but I think you'll find it worth it.

Can you take a second to email me and say if this interests you? Just write saying yes or no to Drayton@draytonbird.com.

And, just so I know where you're coming from, do me a favour and type in 'marketing sleuth' anywhere in the email.

Thanks!

Best,
Drayton

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Website: www.commonsensedirectmarketing.com / www.eadim.com

Drayton Bird: Understanding People

Drayton Bird on why understanding people is good for good marketing.

How The Richest Guy In "Information & Education" Did It

Would you believe that there's a guy who has made himself billions selling information and education... that you've probably NEVER heard of?

Go watch this free video to see how he did it (and how
you can ride the same trend that he's riding to create
income for yourself):

http://gurublueprint-go.directanddigitalmarketing.com/

You'll also learn a time when money can NEVER be
made - and how to make sure you avoid the mistake
of trying when it's literally impossible.

As you've probably seen, most of the big money that's
being made online right now by "regular people" who
are working from home in the "Information Products" and
coaching business.

In this video, you'll learn why this is, how the trends are
changing, and what to do NOW so you can capitalize
on what's coming (and why home-based businesses
have a higher chance of success than businesses that
are NOT run from home).

You'll also learn why so many more people are heading
for tough financial times because they aren't creating
their own online "Information Businesses."

This video is taught by a guy who has sold a hundred

MILLION dollars worth of Information Products, by the

way.

Here's the link again, watch this video NOW if you want
to take full financial advantage of this little-known
information:

http://gurublueprint-go.directanddigitalmarketing.com/

This video will only be online for another couple of days,
so watch it right now.

Best,
Rezbi

Space Advertising Secrets

Perhaps the best-known secret of the world's most successful Internet marketers is this.

Applying the hard-won lessons learned in building successful marketing campaigns offline to the online marketing arena is the reason for the really big successes.

While, of course, everything offline does not apply exactly to online marketing, the major principles do.

As attractive as marketing on the Internet can be, I submit it's a big mistake to limit yourself to any advertising medium, online or offline. Ideally, you use a combination of both.

Today I'm going to discuss offline space advertising.

It's a great and profitable skill to actually sell products and services right off the page in magazines and newspapers.

In fact, you can make a huge fortune quickly once you learn the secrets of marketing utilizing space advertising.

But perhaps because there are several critically important things which very few people in the world know, almost all marketers who try space ads fail miserably.

Failed space advertisers tend to quit in disgust. And considerably poorer. And not necessarily wiser. Even worse, they simply don't know what they did wrong.

Those who have followed my career know that for 21 years I was perhaps the most successful user of space advertising in the U.S. to sell products directly off the page.

Frankly, most people think my unprecedented space ad success is due completely to my copywriting skills. And while, of course, powerful copy plays a big part, there's  much more to the picture.

Here are some basic tips regarding what I learned the hard way in over 20 years.

** The look of the ad **

The way most space ads are laid out, whether created by direct marketers or ad agencies, practically scream, "I'm an ad." This is a huge mistake.

Consumers don't like to read advertising as such. They do seek and enjoy information. Your ad should scream "Here is some valuable information." That's why all my ads have an editorial look.

Copy should be dense. Column length of body copy should be no wider than a good newspaper or magazine. A full-page ad should have 3 columns.

Photos when used should be mostly of people, not products. Products in an ad will immediately flag out that you may--God forbid--be selling something. This tends to turn  people off. People should be looking directly at the camera. Photos should always, always be captioned.

Tip: Once again, for the umpteenth time, a great headline is critical to the success of the ad. Without a compelling headline, your ad doesn't stand a chance of succeeding.

** The position of the ad **

In a magazine, a space ad should always be on a right-hand page. And it should be up front in the magazine, ideally on the first five right-hand pages. When a space ad is, for  example, on page 177, your results will be extremely light. Reason? Most people are so busy they do not get a chance to read the entire magazine.

Ads on left-hand pages generally produce less than half the sales of a right-hand page. You must insist on a right-hand page. Or pull the ad.

In a newspaper, urgently request your ad also be above the fold.

** The media selection **

A great ad in the wrong media will bomb. You must choose magazines and newsletters carefully. In the U.S., Standard Rate and Data Service (SRDS) can be subscribed to or found in a good library. Every magazine and newspaper published and worth considering is listed. A good basic approach is to simply call publications in which you may be  interested and request a media kit.

The media kit will contain all kinds of useful demographic information and a sample of the magazine.

Tip: Avoid publications which have no direct response or mail order ads. This indicates the readers are not accustomed to buying off the page.

** Cost of media **

Advertising rates are almost always negotiable. At my seminars I teach a negotiating technique which usually reduces advertising costs by 50% to 80%.

** Space ad copy **

The copy style, beginning with the headline, must be even more powerful and "tighter" than a sales letter, where comparatively you get away with murder. You must  mercilessly cut any unnecessary words or sloppy phrasing.

** Legal factors **

While the following is not legal advice (I am not an attorney), I will give you a few practical ideas.

Once you seriously begin advertising in space, your activities are much more visible to everyone. This includes, of course, your competition. And government agencies.

Tip: More people will try to cash in on your success, "rip off" your successful ads. My ads have been ripped off by many marketers (the names of some of them would shock you).

A good protective step which costs nothing is to add to each ad you produce the copyright symbol © followed by the words Copyright, followed by the year and your  company name. This helps to provide you common law copyright protection. Often a cease and disease letter from you or your attorney will prevent further violations of  your copyright.

As to government agencies, if your ad is on the edge or actually breaking some law, you will undoubtedly hear about it sooner than otherwise.

Adding space advertising done correctly to your marketing program can easily put millions of additional sales in your bank account.

But, you must get the details right. As with all marketing, success is in the margin.

Your correspondent,
Ted Nicholas

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