Welcome back to the club!
What’s happening in the Clubhouse
Click here to join the conversation
Latest Activity
-
The Marketing Rebel Team wrote a new post 10 years, 10 months ago
John Carlton Marketing Tips – What you are selling
In this clip from his Simple Writing System course, John Carlton helps his students understand what they are really selling is not the […] -
The Marketing Rebel Team wrote a new post 10 years, 10 months ago
Marketing Tips: How to Define Your Product
In this clip from his Simple Writing System course, John Carlton discusses how defining a product or service is essential in marketing, […] -
The Marketing Rebel Team wrote a new post 10 years, 10 months ago
Simple Writing System: Closing the Sale
In this clip from his Simple Writing System course, John Carlton talks about the psychology of selling. Selling is an inherently hostile a […] -
The Marketing Rebel Team wrote a new post 10 years, 10 months ago
John Carlton Copywriting Tip – Get Your Prospect's Attention
In this copywriting hot seat, John explains how to attract your prospect’s attention at the start of your copy. Video t […] -
Dave Mitchell posted an update 11 years, 1 month ago · updated 10 years, 11 months ago
Direct mail review please!
These are the first two letters I have for a direct mail sequence for building contractors and trades businesses. The goal is to drive them on-line or to call for a free industry report and then sell a half-day bootcamp on the back end.
First letter will be accompanied with a toy top emphasizing the “momentum” aspect:…Read more
Recent Member Lessons
John Carlton’s Best Ads: Wickedly-Clever Grabbers
You can't see the grabbers that were attached to the following letters. The first was a simple, commercial packet of flower seeds. The second was a clever magnetized calendar for the fridge. The last was a simple business card with a hand-written...
John Carlton’s Best Ads: No-Rules Cage Fighter
My clients had roasted the self-defense magazines for years using what we called “down and dirty” print ads — no photos, no graphics, just 3 solid pages of hard-charging copy. Worked like gangbusters, hauling in cash by the barrel load. Then the competition started...
John Carlton’s Best Ads: Hyper-Effective Cover Letter #8: An Urgent Note
THIS IS THE EIGHTH IN THE SERIES OF HYPER-EFFECTIVE COVER LETTERS...THIS INTRODUCTORY POST REFERS TO ALL OF THEM. WE ARE REPRINTING THE SAME POST FOR EACH LETTER. One of the biggest mistakes marketers make... is to get tired of their own advertising before the ads are...
John Carlton’s Best Ads: Hyper-Effective Cover Letter #7: Bargain Alert
THIS IS THE SEVENTH IN THE SERIES OF HYPER-EFFECTIVE COVER LETTERS...THIS IS AN INTRODUCTORY POST THAT REFERS TO ALL OF THE LETTERS. WE ARE REPRINTING THE SAME POST FOR EACH OF THEM. One of the biggest mistakes marketers make... is to get tired of their own...
Premium Programs
Platinum Mastermind
The Simple Writing System
Enter The Clubhouse
Kick-Ass Copywriting
Carlton Swipe Files
The Freelance Course
Hi Dave. Part of this depends on your current relationship with the folks you’re mailing to. If it’s a cold mailing — meaning, they don’t know you from Adam — then you need to establish your credibility more strongly. You’ve written this first draft as if you believe your reader “should” know who you are… a very dangerous assumption. If you…Read more
Great stuff, John. I will take this back and do some rework.
Thanks
OK. Version 3. Am I getting warmer?
Link: https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/35667862/Marketing%20Rebel/Direct%20Mail1%262_PMR_V3.pdf
Hi Dave. Gosh, it’s refreshing to hear from a guy familiar with old-school direct mail terms like “Johnson Box” (which, to today’s kids, sounds kinda dirty).
Couple of things on the new versions:
1. If you do send “real money” — like stapling a dollar bill to the top of your letter — then do not announce it on the outside envelope.…Read more
Hopefully I am getting close.
I have been working on the report (now calling it a mini e-book) and ready to send out the mailer.
Here is the most recent edit: https://www.dropbox.com/s/3bq4tsafu32nkes/First%20letter%20final%20edits.pdf
Just chiming in here, why not up your bet to “I’ll bet you $250 I can help your business generate more profits. (and here is the first in good faith)” or something along those lines.
Depends on your confidence level, but then (at the risk of sounding crass) you really are “putting your money where your mouth is” and as a business owner this…Read more
Not a bad insight, Michael. Not any different than a money-back guarantee . . .
All right, Dave. Time to get down to brass tacks.
1. Why are you mailing to these guys? Have you tried to reach them via the Web yet? You’re a rookie at marketing to them, and all rookies need to learn as fast and cheaply as possible if their marketing angles are working or not. Direct mail is great, an overlooked and very effective way to reach…Read more
Before I go on, Thank You. It’s an honor to be getting insights from a legend.
Here are the brass tacks:
1. I recently did a 30 min seminar for some of the home builders Association and had everyone there give me a card asking for the same ebook that I am offering in the letter. My current clients are about 60% construction and industry clients…Read more
The “seminar” I did was really a 30 min presentation. I am wanting to get them first into the e-book to get a measure of interest and then use that more “hot” list to get them to a paid half-day seminar. Are there too many steps? Should I just do the direct mail and promote the half-day paid seminar only?
What I thought was so clear is beginning…Read more
Yes – I already have them in the list with follow-up procedures.
The $1 bet is because of the dollar bill I plan to attach to it. . .