Rule #2 of No B.S. Marketing
No B.S. Marketing Follows Foundational Rules
I am on a mission to educate and defend small and medium business owners. In the previous article, I explained why it is vitally important that there is an OFFER in each promotion. Without an offer, your advertisement is like the Goodyear blimp passing over, then fading from view. The simple fact is that without a RESPONSE, your add cost is like leaves blowing by...
John Wannamaker
50% or 90% wasted advertising? How do you KNOW?
To be honest, Wannamaker was optimistic! The REAL advertising waste might be 90% - or more! Who knows?
Direct-response marketers are RESULTS oriented. We want to KNOW if we have won or lost, wasted money or received a positive return on our marketing investment.
Management guru Peter Drucker is credited for stating: "Only what gets measured, gets managed. Only what is managed gets improved."
The only way we can MEASURE what is working is by tracking specific offers, then comparing variations between different media. But we first have to overcome the inertia that our prospects will do NOTHING!
Divide your ad cost by views. I guarantee that your bank does not allow deposits of "views" or "likes" or "shares". The success of your promotion is measured in DOLLARS, that is sales! (Now, you might advertise to generate leads, but these leads then receive further promotions to convert them into buyers. So you then have TWO levels of responses to track!)
The hidden cost and failure in all of your marketing are in the "almost persuaded", the viewers that ALMOST took action, but got distracted. There must be a good reason for them not to stop short or delay or ponder. There must be a good reason to RESPOND right now!
No B.S. Direct Marketing imposes discipline.
Your marketing efforts should have a planned objective and target a specific audience. Direct response marketing ASKS the viewer to do SOMETHING! "Almost" doesn't count. We must reach across and drag them over the line, beyond the natural defaults of hesitation and procrastination.
A static ad gets ignored. We go out of our way to avoid advertising. I pay hundreds of dollars to enjoy ad-free radio channels in my vehicles - instead of listening to the FREE local stations. We use ad blockers, or fast-forward past ads.
Your challenge is to first gain attention, then EXTRACT an action: click, opt-in, call, or visit - NOW!
There are many ways to add URGENCY:
No B.S. Direct Marketing has defined objectives - including ACTION!
Direct Marketing provides many options to instill urgency, to incentivize an immediate response:
There is a LIMITED SUPPLY. Act NOW. because when they're gone, they're gone!
Sales are LIMITED to only TWO per customer (or one per household, etc.)
This offer expires at midnight on Saturday.
Special Tuesday night only.
This offer is only available to the FIRST 20 customers.
The first 50 buyers will also RECEIVE an added BONUS (or coupon, gift certificate, accessory, etc.)
The first 100 buyers will be entered into a SPECIAL prize drawing.
This promotional offer is extended to ONLY one business in each category.
Bidding opens at 8:00 A.M.
These are only examples, and each can be expanded to apply to multiple products and services.
Remember, a delayed response should be expected, it's just natural - UNLESS we provide a reason for an immediate action.
The First Rule of Direct Marketing is making an offer.
Rule #2 of No B.S. Marketing is stimulating Action NOW!
No B.S. Direct Marketing principles have been developed into powerful, measurable strategies. These principles apply across the entire spectrum of print and broadcast media - including the latest online advertising alternatives. Many of these principles are derived from "old school" mail order or direct response advertising in newspapers and magazines.
The Rules of Response Driven Marketing are directly quoted from Dan Kennedy's book, "No B.S. Direct Marketing (for NON-Direct Marketing Businesses). The Rules are timeless and dependable as the LAW of Gravity.
Resolve now that every ad you run, sales letter you mail, webpage you publish, everything and anything you do to MARKET your business MUST adhere to the Rules. These are not suggestions, consider them mandates!
The 10 Commandments, from No B.S. Direct Marketing
Have you procrastinated and not ordered your FREE copy of Dan Kennedy's book?
I consider "No B.S. Direct Marketing (for NON-Direct Marketing Businesses) to be REQUIRED reading for my clients, and it is my pleasure to offer you a FREE copy of this book.
Fight back! Take ACTION and place your order - do it NOW! Click HERE.
I am not going to offer you any incentive. Instead, I am going to PROMISE you that your competitors aren't LAZY. They are competing for the SAME customers - and WINNING. Every day that you delay, you are not coasting, you are FALLING BEHIND as they build their base of satisfied customers and loyal, repeat BUYERS.
*** Do you see what I did there? I have never lied to you. I have only provide valuable information and strategies. Therefore, I have EARNED the right to speak frankly. This is No B.S. Direct Marketing! Dan Kennedy is my mentor, and he enjoys the title of Doctor of Harsh Reality. If you have the same status with your customers, you may need to be blunt to combat their lethargy.***
Take ACTION: CLICK Here to receive your FREE book! You will ALSO receive a LONG list of bonuses - and be offered access to even more marketing resources - at your option.
The No B.S. Rules of Response Driven Marketing - or, as Dan prefers to call them, the 10 Commandments of Direct Marketing are universal for product and service businesses.
In the next articles in this series, I will continue to discuss the specific Rules of Response-Driven Marketing. In the mean time, if you would like a PDF copy of these Rules (The 10 Commandments!) to keep on your desktop for reference, Click HERE!
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