Do You Really Buy What You Need, Or What You Want?

Do You Really Buy What You Need, Or What You Want?

How do you make your buying decisions?

Do you buy what you need, or what you want?

Do you really know the difference?

Let me give you an example:

My little ten year old boy has three wrestling belts (he thinks he’s the heavyweight champion of the world, despite weighing slightly more than a feather).

For the last few weeks he’s wanted the WWE United States Heavyweight Champion belt.

So I looked it up on ebay.

He saw it and said, “Yeh, that’s the one. That’s the United States Champion belt. I want that.”

But I told him he can’t have it straight away. I’m trying to teach him patience.

As time went on he’s been more verbal about it.

He wants it more and more.

It’s got to the point now that he ‘needs’ it.

He has convinced himself he’s just got to have it.

And, you know, I’ll bet there’s a lot of things you’ve got that you bought in the same way.

You’ve wanted it.

And the more time went on, you convinced yourself you needed it.

To the point where you thought you’ve just got to have it.

I know I have.

Now, If you buy like that, isn’t that how most people buy?

Think about how you could use that the next time you try selling something in person, or writing copy.

Here’s a neat little story from Bruce Barton.

He tells how, by just controlling you urges to buy what you think you need, you could actually get yourself a few genuine luxuries.

And how that could impact on other areas of your life.

Cut Down Your Necessities, And You Will Be Able To Afford A Few Luxuries

Most of us do not have incomes large enough to provide both the things we need and the things we want.

We are forced to choose between our necessities and our luxuries. And, very foolishly, we choose to offer up the luxuries.

Thus our existence becomes dull and monotonous.

We can hardly be said really to live: our lives are lived for us cut out and sewed together by the habits and customs of the class to which we belong.

I have established a very good rule, which I pass on to you: Never do anything just because other people do it.

Most of your friends live in city apartments. They pay so much for the use of their rooms, and twice as much for the location and the fine marble hallway.

To live in an apartment like theirs is one of your “necessities.”

If you cut out that necessity, and lived in the country or in an apartment where you had to stretch your legs up three flights of stairs, you would have some money to spend on luxuries.

So with many other things.

Every year, by cutting out a few foolish necessities, I buy myself one big, wise luxury.

Four years ago I bought an automobile. Not much of an automobile. Many of my friends said they would rather not have any automobile than to have one like mine. But it was an automobile.

It has done some wonderful things for me.

For one thing, it has given me my little summer place up in the country.

A modest old white Colonial house, with a brook running behind it, and fruit trees all around a place I had wanted for years, but could not have because it was two miles from the railroad.

But two miles is nothing, even to an automobile like mine.

So I can work in the city and play all summer in the country thanks to my automobile.

It has done some other good things for me. It has improved the country roads between my little white house and town. Before the automobiles began to go by, the roads were very rough. But now all across the country-side mud puddles and deep ruts have vanished as if by magic. The automobile has made the town “dress up.”

And it has made me “dress up” my place, also.

Have you ever noticed how many more flowers are planted around farm-houses than formerly were? Do you want to know why that is ? I will tell you.

It used to make me mad because people who whirled by my place in limousines never stopped to look around. “I’ll make them turn their proud heads,” I said. So I planted flowers and painted my house.

Now, on Sunday afternoons, I lie in the hammock on my porch and listen to people in the cars saying to each other: “What a pretty little place that is! I wonder who lives there?”

That ‘s why there are more flowers than there used to be the automobile has done that.

With a tin pail full of coffee and a basket of sandwiches, I have had more fun exploring the wood roads around my place than Columbus ever had in discovering America.

My automobile has brought my office and my little white house side by side. It has given me a new pride in my place. It has improved the roads around me.

Yes, and it has made me a good neighbor to people whom I have wanted to call on for years, and never brought myself to it, because I hate long, hot rides on the street cars. It has made me a better citizen all around.

Gasoline is very high this year.

I shall have to cut out some other foolish necessity.

Best,
Rezbi
The Copy System
www.directmarketingcourse.com
www.hotbuttoncopywriting.com
www.commonsensedirectmarketing.com

Are You Dreamer, Or A Doer?

Are You Dreamer, Or A Doer?

How often do you think about success?

Do you think of the different ways you could attain it?

Or, are you afraid of it, maybe?

Sometimes it takes more than just the ‘doing’ to get to the level of success you pine for.

It takes thought.

And, a lot of times, those thoughts may come to you when you least expect it.

Do you keep a notebook handy? Maybe next to your bed. Or on a table by your side as you relax. I carry one with me in my right coat pocket.

Do you keep something to record your thoughts in the bathroom? You’d be surprised at the great ideas that spring to your mind while in the shower.

Or, maybe you’re not surprised. Maybe you just don’t note them down. And you forget.

Think about all these things. And start making records of your dreams.

But take care: It’s not enough to just dream. You need to be a doer, also.

Here’s an old article by Bruce Barton. You’ll see how the dreamers achieve, not by just dreaming, but by doing also.

Perhaps You Don’t Dream Enough

A certain man went to work for John D. Rockefeller in the early days.

After he had been there a couple of weeks, Rockefeller dropped into his office one afternoon and said: “Just as soon as you get this job organized I want you to look around for some one to turn it over to. Then you put your feet on the desk and dream out some way of making more money for the Standard Oil Company.”

It was a rather startling order for a new man to receive from his boss. Apparently it violated all the time-worn precepts of business progress.

Here was an employer willing to pay only small salaries to the kind of men who keep their heads forever bent over the desk, and reserving his big salaries for the kind of men who sit with their feet piled on the desk.

A curious contradiction of all the First Reader stories.

Yet there must be something in it: For on the foundation of that philosophy Rockefeller built the biggest fortune in the world.

As a matter of fact, there is a great deal in it.

The world would not have advanced very far had it not been for the contributions of its dreamers.

It would never have gained its steamboat, nor its Atlantic cable, nor its wireless telegraph, nor its electric light.

It would never have acquired any really great enterprise.

For a little enterprise may be rustled and worried into being: But a really great program or movement or business must be dreamed.

Over in West Orange, New Jersey, I stood one day in Mr. Edison’s laboratory, talking with him. And as we talked I looked out across the huge expanse of concrete factories stretching all around us.

Shop after shop, all full of men and machines, all turning out their special part of the product.

And a certain sense of awe came over me. To think, I said to myself, that all this huge pile of factories should have been spun out of one single little human brain.

Thousands of tons of iron and concrete and brick and mortar, all built on what? On nothing but one man’s ideas, and faith and dreams.

Most of the work of carrying on the world is necessarily hard and dull and routine in character: And for it the world needs us men and women who can steel our souls against weariness and monotony, and press forward with good cheer.

We are entitled to respect just in proportion as we do our work without grumbling, in a spirit of real devotion.

We can not by the mere wishing become Edisons or Watts: It would be worse than folly for us to pile our feet upon the desk and say, “Go to, now; I will not work any longer: I will dream a dream.”

But almost any one of us could vastly increase the amount of imagination that he uses in his daily life. The faculty of vision, like any other human faculty, grows through exercise.

It is easy to become so engrossed with the mere mechanics of business as to lose the habit of thought. Easy to say, “Yours received and contents noted” a certain number of times during the day, and go home with the notion that one has done a good day’s work.

When the really valuable work of the day could have been and should have been done under the shower-bath in the morning, or in the fifteen minutes’ walk across the park to the office.

One man in a million wakes up, like Lord Byron, to “find himself famous.”

But the majority of famous men are not taken unawares by fame.

On the wall of their minds hangs their own vision of what they ought to be and can be.

They are not surprised by success when it comes; because they have seen it coming, and planned out its coming, in their dreams.

Best,
Rezbi
The Copy System
www.directmarketingcourse.com
www.hotbuttoncopywriting.com
www.commonsensedirectmarketing.com

Guest Blogging And How To Drive Traffic To Your Site

Guest Blogging And How To Drive Traffic To Your Site

Have you heard of guest blogging?

Do you know what it is – I mean really what it is and what it can do for your business?

There are people on the web right now who are raking in the dough with the aid of syndicated guest blogging.

It’s an excellent way of driving traffic to your own site. If you do it right.

Why am I talking about guest blogging, you may be wondering?

Here’s why…

I’m looking for guest bloggers.

I’m looking to build up a network of people who want to benefit by being a part of a small group of guest bloggers.

But that’s not all.

Once I’ve got a decent number of people interested, I’ll also show you how to use this strategy to get tons of traffic and build your list.

And, as you probably know, the money is in the list.

But be warned…

It’s not a quick fix. You won’t succeed overnight.

It’s a long term strategy.

If you’re interested, let me know in the comments and I’ll send you an email.

Best,
Rezbi
The Copy System
www.directmarketingcourse.com
www.hotbuttoncopywriting.com
www.commonsensedirectmarketing.com

Is Email Marketing Dead?

Is Email Marketing Dead?

email marketing

Is Email Marketing Dead?

I’ve seen this question bandied about quite a bit recently.

But, you know what?

That’s what people were asking about direct mail – snail mail – when everyone and his uncle were first raving about email.

Funny isn’t it, how things come around?

And, as you probably know, direct mail is still the multi-billion dollar industry it was.

So how about email?

Well, think about it…

How easy is it to build a list?

If you know what you’re doing it can be very easy. Even a small list is enough to get started.

And with an autoresponder service it’s very easy to mail to that list and get statistical information at the click of a mouse. (That’s an affiliate link. See below if you’d prefer to go direct without going through my link)

What do I mean by ‘statistical information’?

It’s simply:

• Knowing whether or not your email is getting delivered.
• How many people are opening the email you’re sending
• How many people are clicking on the links inside your email…

…etc.

There’s a ton of useful stuff you can use if you subscribe to a good autoresponder company.

In fact, email is a very powerful and flexible way to market to your list. Use it correctly and you’ll soon be hearing the kaching! of your cash register as the cash rolls in.

Here’s what I’m trying to say: Used the right way, you could build your whole business on just email marketing. It’s that powerful.

But, you have to do it right.

Want to know how?

Well, there are a few courses out there. But the best ones aren’t cheap.

And there’s a reason why they’re not cheap. They’re an investment.

The information in these courses could make you – dare I say it? – rich.

One course I recommend highly is Ben Settle’s.

One guy who bought this course more than doubled his sales in the first month. An increase of 111.47%.

In fact, he made back the money he paid for the course and more, within the first month.

I’m on his list and I’ve sees the changes in the way he writes his emails. There’s a world of difference.

If you want to check out Ben’s course, here’s the link http://www.StreetSmartEmail.com.
(That’s not an affiliate link – I don’t get paid a penny).

So, my friend, here’s what I’m trying to say in a roundabout kind of way…

Email marketing is not dead. It’s alive and well, and will be for a looong time.

The only difference now to how it used to be is that you have to work a little harder to get it right:

You have to get past privacy filters and comply with SPAM laws. And you have to know how to write each email so it pushes the right hot-buttons.

That’s it. In a nutshell.

Hope that helps.

I’m going to give you more info. on email marketing in coming articles, so watch out for those.

And here’s that direct link to the autoresponder service I mentioned… if you can’t bear the thought of me getting paid an affiliate commission. http://www.imnicamail.com/. It’s the same company I use.

Best,
Rezbi
The Copy System
www.directmarketingcourse.com
www.hotbuttoncopywriting.com
www.commonsensedirectmarketing.com

We Sell Or Else

We Sell Or Else

There are two types of advertising:

1. General advertising
2. Direct response

Differences

In direct response:-

• You know what works and what doesn’t – down to a dollar.
• You know two minute commercials are more cost effective than 10 or 30 second commercials.
• You know that fringe time TV commercials sell mroe than prime time.
• In print advertising you know long copy sells more than short copy.
• You know that headlines in copy about the product and its benefits sell more than cute headlines and poetic copy…

… you know it to a dollar.

In general advertising:-

• The general advertisers and their agencies know almost nothing for sure because they cannot measure the results of their advertising.
• They prefer creativity over results.
• They think 30 second commercials are more cost effective than two minute commercials.
• They think short copy in print sells more than long copy.
• They prefer to entertain than sell.
• They have no idea whether their advertising works.

In direct response advertising, you know to a dollar whether or not it’s worked.

“Nobody should be allowed to create general advertising until he’s served his apprenticeship in direct response.”

“… the trouble with many copywriters and general agencies is that they don’t really think in terms of selling.”

Best,
Rezbi
The Copy System
www.directmarketingcourse.com
www.hotbuttoncopywriting.com
www.commonsensedirectmarketing.com

Are You Young Enough To Read This?

Are You Young Enough To Read This?

Last week I made a comment on one of John Carlton’s blog posts. Here’s what I said:

A couple of days ago I was invited to look over the new campaign a local firm is working on.

I took a look at one of their brochures, the covering letter and an email article they’re getting ready to send out on May 1st.

One look told me all I needed to know. I then told them what you said in #3.(You can check that out on his blog).

I asked them if any has a kid, nephew, niece, whatever, who is no more than 10 years old.

Then I said, picture that child reading what you’ve just shown me.

Will that 10 year old understand?

One of them said, “What about our more intellectual readers?”

I replied that he wasn’t giving his readers English lessons: He’s trying to make a sale. If the 10 year old can understand his writing, then he can be sure pretty much everyone will get the message.

The problem is, not everyone can put themselve in another’s shoes. Like imagining how a ten year old would react to your writing. Maybe you’re one of them.

Fear not, you.

Today I got an email from Perry Marshall. In it he says more or less the same thing.

He also includes a link to a tool he made. All you do is copy and paste your article into the box and click the button.

Hey presto! You get a complete analysis of how easy your writing is to read.

What more do you need?

And even better, it’s free.

So why don’t you go on over there and check it out. Have a blast checking out your old articles.

One last thing: I hope you found this article easy to read. The Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level for it is 3.4. Not bad at all.

It falls down a little on the you/me ratio. But that’s because of the comment on John Carlton’s blog.

Best,
Rezbi
The Copy System
www.directmarketingcourse.com
www.hotbuttoncopywriting.com
www.commonsensedirectmarketing.com

Three Books You Should Read If You Want To Get Ahead In Advertising

Three Books You Should Read If You Want To Get Ahead In Advertising

“Before you do something, learn how to do it.” That was the advice one of my teachers gave me.

Seems obvious, doesn’t it? So how is it so few bother to follow that simple bit of advice?

Go through forums and read the threads where so-called copywriters give advice on how to write copy. With a few exceptions, it doesn’t take a genius to realise these people have no clue what they’re talking about.

“In the old days, advertisers ventured on their own opinions. The few guess right, the many wrong.” That’s what Claude Hopkins said in Scientific Advertising in the 1920s. There’s a few of them about nowadays, too. I would say the majority.

The ironic things is, it doesn’t take much to get started. All you need to do is read. And take it from there.

In the following article, Drayton Bird, gives advice on three books he feels are among the best in advertising and copywriting.

General de Gaulle once advised. “Aim for the top; it is less crowded there.” I wish I had heard that when I was young, because instead I aimed for somewhere near the bottom.

Despite this I consider myself to be exceptionally fortunate to stumble into a profession or trade that requires modest talent, allows for long lunches, and has the huge added advantage that most of its people haven’t bothered to find out what it is about.

Under such circumstances even a sluggard like me can look quite good if he reads a little. In fact I would say that if you only read three books, and re-read them regularly, you will have an enormous head start over those who think this business can be conquered with flair, looks, or even just intelligence.

Of course, intelligence helps; but it is no use if not properly directed. Even interviews with the latest creative genius in these pages (and there are so many, aren’t there?) won’t teach you all you need to know, any more than film magazines will make you a great actor. And more to the point, learning everything from scratch takes years and involves re-inventing the wheel every day. Why do it the hard way, when people cleverer than you have already discovered almost all you need to know?

The best modern book

Ogilvy on Advertising is the best modern book on the subject; in fact if you are in a hurry to be well-informed, or just lazy, this one book is sufficient as long as you read and re-read it. The reasons are simple.

First, David Ogilvy was an unremitting student and had read just about everything on advertising. Second, he was friendly with many of those who shaped it – his mentor was Raymond Rubicam, and he knew Leo Burnett and Bill Bernbach well. Third, he was a brilliant copywriter and a fine writer (not the same thing). This comes out in the laconic wit that makes the book such an easy read. His descriptions of the role of the account handler and the reasons why agencies take so long to produce work are both hilarious and instructive.

Ogilvy worked before the second world war for George Gallup, perhaps the most influential figure in market research. In fact I spent an evening with him – Ogilvy, I mean – at his chateau while he showed me some of the bound volumes he had written about the “marquee value” of pre-war film stars. During the war he was with British intelligence. These experiences gave him a taste for intellectual rigour. When you read what he says it is based on fact, not fancy.

Two other superb books

Ogilvy’s brother in law was Rosser Reeves, the man who invented the unique selling proposition and sold it to such fine effect that the agency he ran, Ted Bates, rose to fourth place in the advertising league in about 15 years. When he had done this, in the manner common in many enterprises, Bates summarily dismissed him.

Ogilvy told me that he and Rosser Reeves agreed they had learnt everything they knew from John Caples. Caples was a mail order wizard who wrote a famous advertisement with the heading, ‘They laughed when I sat down at the piano, but when I started to play’. Caples, systematically over many years, conducted tests to find out what makes people read and reply to advertisements. If he was good enough for these two great advertising figures, maybe he is good enough for you. I used to read his book ‘TestedAdvertising Methods’ every year but his last book ‘How To Make Your Advertising Make Money’ is probably better.

True, many of you don’t actually want replies to your ads if only because if the results were measured you would suffer deep embarrassment. So you pretend to some other, higher purpose. But whatever your aim you will not achieve it without provoking a reaction and I can tell you that the things most calculated to provoke a reaction are also most calculated to get a response.

The best book ever on advertising (and the shortest, probably) is Scientific Advertising, written by Claude Hopkins. Ogilvy said that nobody should be allowed to work in advertising until he had read it seven times. I re-read it myself four weeks ago. Every time I do, I learn something.

If you really want to get ahead in advertising, get those books. They’re not expensive. They’re an investment.

You can get Scientific Advertising and My Life In Advertising, both books in one, here. Here’s a link for Ogilvy on Advertising.

I suggest you get the Fourth Edition of Tested Advertising Methods. The later version is not as good. You can get that here Tested Advertising Methods.

(Those are affiliate links. If you prefer not to buy through my link, you can go directly to Amazon.co.uk and get them there. I won’t hold it against you. Honest.)

Best,
Rezbi
The Copy System
www.directmarketingcourse.com
www.hotbuttoncopywriting.com
www.commonsensedirectmarketing.com