Posted by:
Clayton Makepeace
July 17, 2008
Issue #5
- The 3 Types of Graphic Designers – And The ONLY One You Ever Want to Hire …
- How to Become A GREAT Designer In 3 Easy Steps …
- The 2 Simple Things A Designer Must Do To Create Bigger Winners, More Often …
- 4 Graphics Secrets for Generating Maximum Attention-Getting Power …
- 10 Design Strategies for Getting Your Promotions READ and responded to …
- And More!
Dear Business-Builder,
This issue of THE TOTAL PACKAGE will make everybody money – including you!
If you’re a business owner, marketing pro or copywriter, good graphic design is absolutely essential to producing peak response to your sales promotions. I’ve seen poor design cut sales by half or even more. Conversely, I’ve seen stronger graphic design bump response by 20% or even more.
If you’re a designer, reading this may be the most important fifteen minutes of your career. Because I’m going to tell you what’s what. If you can follow some simple guidelines, you’ll be booked solid. I’ll probably be the first in line to hire you!
First, a quick disclaimer …
I am NOT an “anti-artite!”
Please forgive me if anything I’m about to say offends you. Despite what you may think, I really like most of the graphics people I’ve worked with.
I helped put two kids through art school.
Some of my best friends – Ed Elliott, Rob Davis, Larry Owen and Brian Wilson, for example – are designers.
I even gave my blessing when my daughter married an artist.
But we’ve got to talk. Because sometimes, you guys drive me nuts. Much of what I see in first draft art – and a LOT of what I see on the Internet and in the mail – is abysmal.
And the fact is, if I get one more graphics draft with the same old blunders in it, my head’s going to explode.
So please – have a seat … you’re about to get your advanced degree – from The Makepeace School of Art and Design …
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Posted by:
Clayton Makepeace
July 14, 2008
Issue #458
My best-laid plans blown to bits …
Dear Business-Builder,
What a great weekend!
The Redhead and I spent the last few days at The Wentworth Mansion in Charleston, touring historic Revolutionary-War era homes and eating way too much low country food …
Frankly, I had too much fun to write an issue over the weekend. And this morning, with IndyMac going belly-up … Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac imploding … Bernanke and Paulson kicking the printing presses into hyperdrive … and an explosion in emergency projects for my two favorite clients, I simply don’t have time to publish my issue today.
But, we are ready to announce the winners in last week’s twin challenges:
The winners of the “Best Sales Letter” challenge are:
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Posted by:
Clayton Makepeace
July 7, 2008
Issue #453
Here’s something that will make
even the rankest amateur copywriter smile:
Hands-down, the WORST direct mail piece
I’ve ever seen!
Dear Business-Builder,
I’ve got a corker for you this week …
You only think that bomb you just wrote had to be the worst ever. Once you see this piece of certified direct mail doo-doo, you’re going to feel like a genius.
Especially when you think about how the company that mailed this travesty is one of the largest in its industry – and probably paid some huge, international ad agency a king’s ransom to create it.
And that, somewhere, even as you read this, some ka-ka-for-brains creative director is probably being nominated for a place in the Advertising Hall of Fame.
At the very least, this should be encouraging for you.
Because you know what?
SOMEBODY got paid good money to write this!
Nearly every week, I get letters from skeptics who ask if you really can make money as a copywriter.
From now on, I’m going to just send them a copy of this promotion and say, “Could you write a letter like this? If so, YES YOU CAN make good money writing copy. Because somebody actually got paid to write this!”
Of course, if you or anyone else who reads The Total Package ever creates anything like this piece of garbage and I hear about it, there’ll be hell to pay.
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Posted by:
Clayton Makepeace
June 30, 2008
Issue #448
My Secret Weapon:
The “unfair advantage” that has helped me
beat the competition into submission since 1995:
How you can have it, too …
Dear Business-Builder,
They say the ultimate in “chutzpah” is killing your parents, then asking the judge for mercy because you’re an orphan.
I know — gross. But you gotta admire people who know what they want and who’ll go to just about any lengths to get it.
Like the guy I knew who landed an airplane, unannounced at a KGB listening post at the Arctic Circle and bribed a Soviet Colonel to lend him a helicopter — just so his son could make it into The Guinness Book of World Records as the youngest person ever to visit the North Pole.
Or the infamous mercenary and publisher of Soldier of Fortune magazine I spent a day and a raucous evening with in 1980 who got himself invited to tag along on the Bay of Pigs Invasion just for grins.
Or the guy I met just last week, who sold Castro a boatload of coffee for $1.8 million — cash in advance — then told the Cuban authorities his boat had sunk on its way to Havana.
I don’t care who you are; this stuff is priceless.
One of the most lovable scoundrels I’ve ever met
is a guy named Larry Owen …
I met Larry at Will’s Honky Tonk — “A sunny spot for shady people” — one of the raunchiest biker bars in Florida back in 1995. I was just walking away from the bar with an iced-down brewski when I overhead someone mention that he owned an advertising agency.
I spun on my heel and introduced myself. “My name’s Clayton; I’m in advertising too — I’m a copywriter.” Larry gave me a dismissive glance; “I’m Larry Owen,” he said in the most disinterested tone of voice imaginable. “Give me your card — maybe I can give you some work, someday.”
Don’t know if it was what he said or how he said it, but something about his reply really torqued me off. “I’m booked for five years in advance,” I said. Here’s my card … maybe I can give YOU some work.”
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Posted by:
Clayton Makepeace
June 23, 2008
Issue #443
Plus …
-
Four hot new freebies for you (no strings, no pitch, nothing to buy) …
-
The most exciting announcement in Total Package history …
-
Two huge new opportunities to swing for the fences in 2008 …
-
And more!
Dear Business Builder …
Lots of new stuff to report this week — things we’re doing to get you richer, faster …
FIRST, we’re celebrating our third birthday this month — and like always, you get the present! Can you believe it? With more than 440 response-boosting articles in our archives and more than 1,000 pages of “Thank-You” letters in our testimonial file, you’d better!
But there’s a problem …
Unless you discovered us a long time ago — or spent weeks poking around in our archives — you’ve missed many of the best articles on copywriting I’ve ever seen anywhere (I know, I watched me write them!).
And since I’d rather have bamboo splints jammed under my fingernails (or worse: Sit through an entire Obama or McCain campaign speech) than to repeat myself, I’ve been laying awake nights worrying that you’re missing tons of timeless strategies and tactics that would otherwise be getting you bigger winners, more often.
But never fear, dear reader, your team at The Total Package has your back!
Here’s the deal: From now on, Thursdays will be “The Best of The Total Package” Day — the day we reprint one of our timeless and most highly acclaimed articles on copywriting, building a copywriting business, getting better work out of a copywriter — and more.
So I’ll continue publishing my new articles on Monday each week as always …
Tuesdays, you’ll get our guest articles from luminaries like Drayton Bird, Gary Bencivenga, Michel Fortin, Bob Bly, John Forde, Michael Masterson, and many others …
Wednesday is still reserved for our token Canuck and all-around swell guy and brilliant marketer and copywriter – Daniel Levis …
Thursdays, you’ll be treated to the very best response-rocketing articles from our archives …
And on Fridays, you get Troy White’s ingenious insights on growing your small business.
Clear as mud – right? Just hang in there … you’ll get used to the new schedule in no time flat.
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