Posted by:
Bob Bly
January 24, 2008
Issue #339
Is the “information explosion” a good thing for information marketers? Actually, it’s a mixed blessing:
- People have too much to read and not enough time to read it.
- More and more information is competing for their attention.
- There is a proliferation of low-cost/no-cost information sources eating into the market for your expensive information products.
Fortunately, you can still succeed in selling information by mail. It’s tougher than it was in yesteryear, I think. So here are some rules and guidelines formulated specifically for information marketers competing in the Information Age:
- Narrow the focus. Although the most profitable product may be one with wide appeal, such as Joe Karbo’s “Lazy Man’s Way to Riches” or Bob Kalian’s “A Few Thousand of the Best Free Things in America,” “goldmine” concepts such as these are difficult to come by. Today we live in an age of specialization. People have narrow, specific areas of interest and eagerly seek the best information in these niche areas. Match your own interests and expertise with the information needs of an identifiable market and you’re on your way.
How big must this market be? Jerry Buchanan, publisher of “Towers Club Newsletter,” a how-to newsletter for information marketers and self-publishers, says that “any group large enough that some magazine publisher has seen fit to publish a magazine about them or for them” is large enough for your purposes.
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Posted by:
Daniel Levis
January 23, 2008
Issue #338
In this issue:
- How simple surveys can lead to product breakthroughs …
- Surveys for dummies …
- How to zero in on the sweet spot of desire that’s hidden within your target market …
- An important caveat …
- And more!
Dear Web Business Builder,
Marketing is really pretty simple.
Just find out what people want, and give it to them. Too simple, right? So simple, few do it … preferring to play blind target practice with their marketing dollars – the financial equivalent to handing a monkey a loaded gun!
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Posted by:
Troy White
January 22, 2008
Issue #337
In this issue:
- 9 easy-to-follow blueprints for dragging out the best stories hidden deep inside …
- How to touch your clients in an emotional way that gets them coming back to buy more – and more often …
- 13 unique reasons why you must start using a good personal story in your marketing mix …
- Finally, 5 simple ways to get your story done quickly …
- And much more!
Fellow business builder,
Don’t you just love a good story? One that touches you and strikes a chord deep inside. I want to start out with one of my own stories– then I will walk you through why I used this kind of story – and what you can do in your business to price-proof your customer relationships.
Getting customers to understand the real you, the real business, and the real reasons why you do what you do is much more important than trying to compete on price.
When you find the right stories that resonate with your customers, you have the beginning of a system that will grow your business as quickly as you can handle it.
First, one of my stories, written last year:
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Posted by:
Clayton Makepeace
January 21, 2008
Issue #336
Why exploring a new way for copywriters and companies to work together is much MORE than just the best way to make company owners and copywriters richer:
Why your business’ survival may depend on it.
Dear Business Builder,
Last week in this space, I talked about insanity – how businesses and copywriters who repeatedly return to the freelancing model expecting better results should have their heads examined.
And we talked about how creating partnerships between direct response companies and copywriters can make both much, much richer.
The response from that article came fast and furiously. No fewer than four of the world’s top copywriters called or e-mailed me personally to forgive me for saying they were insane and to thank me for giving them a whole new range of opportunities.
Their minds are literally buzzing with ways to take their income to the next level!
The comments left by readers here on our site were fascinating, too. Most were very flattering, but a few indicated that my frank but admittedly controversial take on freelancing may have inadvertently stirred up a bit of a hornet’s nest:
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Posted by:
Julie McManus
January 18, 2008
Issue #335
Issue #335
Dear Business Builder,
Happy Friday! I’m happy to have you back. I want to take the opportunity to thank you, dear reader, for your kind comments, words of encouragement and suggestions. Knowing that you’re spending a small part of your Friday reading In the ‘Net Trenches makes it so worthwhile for me. If at any time you have a question or would like me to explore a particular internet marketing or direct mail topic, I hope you won’t hesitate to let me know at askjulie@makepeacetotalpackage.com.
I’ve been doing a bit of reminiscing this week.
Have you ever had one of those weeks where a combination of events just seem to call you back to a time and place gone by?
- An unexpected lunch invitation from a good friend (and previous co-worker) I hadn’t heard from in a while.
- A long conversation with another good friend (and previous co-worker) about how great it was to work together, how much we miss working with each other and just the sheer amazement that no matter where we end up, we manage to stay connected.
- A conversation with a vendor about a print ad I’d placed that took what felt like forever to hit … simply because it was print.
- And Michel Fortin’s 2008 hot trends where he predicted that many of the top marketers we’ve learned from on the web in recent years would either retire or spend the majority of their efforts marketing offline. Not to mention many brand new (and very green) people will start their very first online business. Bringing great opportunity for professionals versed in all aspects of direct response marketing.
All these things combined got me thinking about my professional life before the internet when direct mail was the hottest game in town. When the direct response industries’ biggest conferences were dominated by mailing list managers and print vendors, and e-mail service providers were relegated to the fringe.
What’s amazing is it wasn’t that long ago.
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