Posted by:
Bob Bly
August 3, 2010
Issue #980
Dear Business-Builder,
When asked if he could write an effective direct mail package on a complex electronic control system, a well-known direct response copywriter replied, “No problem. It doesn’t matter what the product is. You are selling to people. And people are pretty much the same.”
He’s wrong.
(more…)
Posted by:
Bob Bly
June 15, 2010
Issue #945
Dear Business-Builder,
A couple of my copywriting colleagues from Germany came to visit me in my office, and as we were chatting, the question came up: “When you sit down to write a promotion, where do you start?”
While there is no right answer – you should do whatever works for you – an informal survey of copywriters reveals that these are the most common starting points:
(more…)
Posted by:
Bob Bly
April 27, 2010
Issue #915
Dear Business-Builder,
Newsletter publishers have been taking a beating in the marketplace as of late, with failed launches and weak tests outnumbering the success stories. Direct mail isn’t working as well as it used to, and most publishers have not figured out how to profitably acquire new subscribers on the Web.
To increase your chances of success, here are the most common reasons why newsletter ideas and promotions don’t work – and one good way to overcome each:
(more…)
Posted by:
Bob Bly
March 16, 2010
Issue #885
Business-to-business copy persuades readers by giving them useful information about the products being advertised. The more facts you include in your copy, the better.
When you have a file full of facts at your fingertips, writing good copy is easy. You simply select the most relevant facts and describe them in a clear, concise, direct fashion.
But when copywriters don’t bother to dig for facts, they fall back on fancy phrases and puffed-up expressions to fill the empty space on the page. The words sound nice, but they don’t sell because the copy doesn’t inform.
Here’s a four-step procedure I use to get the information I need to write persuasive, fact-filled copy for my clients. This technique should be helpful to copywriters, account executives, and ad managers alike.
(more…)
Posted by:
Bob Bly
December 29, 2009
Issue #830
For dentists, consultants, attorneys, accountants, advertising agencies, public relation firms, and other organizations and individuals offering professional services, direct mail can be an effective means of generating a controlled quantity of highly qualified leads quickly and at low cost. However, the majority of professional practices are unsuccessful with direct mail - largely because they do not understand how it works or how to use it. Following are some suggestions on how to successfully use direct mail to generate new business for consulting or professional services:
(more…)
