I’ve absorbed this thing five times now and enough notes to spin out a report.

Though, if I had to sum this chat up, I’d say Clayton’s main suggestion is… to make a premium blend of product launch marketing strategy and copywriting within virgin marketplaces that are undergoing fast changes.

Which means what? Well I guess you gotta ‘put on your copywriting hat’ and exercise the proven principles to really know what he means.

Thanks for the download Clayton and staff!

Happy marketing

I don’t know the breakdown on Frank’s file, but less than 25% of my client’s names are customers.  Probably about half of those have bought a $99 product and the rest have bought more expensive ($1,000 to $2,500) ones.  The rest are opt-ins to a free e-zine.

You’re right to point out that name quality is important to the success of any campaign — but it’s only one of four …

1. The product — it must credibly offer practical and emotional benefits prospects are eager to pay for … 

2. The strategy — it must seize the file’s attention, engage them emotionally, pique curiosity and intensify attention by immersing them in a story line, establish the spokesperson’s advocacy and credibility with free content and solid proof …

3. The file — as you point out, better qualified names will respond at a higher level than junk names.  But there’s more to it than that:  The history the company has created with non-buyers as well as buyers must have been carefully written to create a bond of trust, affection (for want of a better word), implied obligation and dependency …

4. The copy — the missing ingredient in most online marketing today. 

Because the web is still a new medium, companies with good products, solid strategy and qualified names on their files are still doing OK with mediocre (and in some cases, abysmal) copy.

But these things other being equal, great sales copy is the magic multiplier. 

The Web, after all, is nothing more than a new medium. 

And as our history in every other medium has taught us time and time again, the better the copy, the higher the response, average sale and profit.

Hope this helps …

– Clayton

I agree your copywriting skills and topical approach to content are key factors, but I dont think you can overemphasize the importance of your file.

I am guessing your file of 200,000 is much more qualified than what Frank and other internet marketers are used to.

If you are marketing primarily to previous buyers and Frank is marketing primarily to prospects (albeit qualified prospects), there is bound to be a significant difference in response.

Was your file entirely previous buyers?

Anyway, great content.  Thanks for doing this.

Bob McCarthy

PS.  As a long time direct mail guy myself, I agree that much of what I have seen in internet marketing is just a continuation of proven direct marketing strategies.  Thanks for that.

The rest of you can look for LOTS more on this subject from us.  Tony’s covering this — the power of copy to multiply response in e-mail marketing and product launches – on his "Copywriting Conspiracy" daily blog.  The link is at the top of the narrow column to the right.

This is a super-hot topic right now.  Last Friday, I did a special webinar on how to multiply response to e-mail campaigns for the Financial Publishers’ Association.  It was one of those free, by-invitation-only, behind-closed-doors confabs for the CEOs and top mucky-mucks of this country’s largest financial publishers ONLY.

They gave me 15 minutes.  I screamed through my ideas and it still took nearly an hour.  And ever since, my inbox has filled with "Thank-Yous."

Anyway … thanks again everyone!  Your kind comments — and the knowledge that we really are helping you get "bigger winners more often" are what keep us going.

– Clayton

I’ve been a huge fan of Frank, his associates and his products for nearly (only) a year.

I see an email from him, I stop what I’m doing and open it.

I once sent him an email question and to my amazement, he replied to it as if we were best friends. No pretensciousness. No attitude. Just…Frank.

What’s not to like about him?

His enthusiasm helped me start http://www.OneSoundIdea.com

Thanks Frank!

I’ve really been grooving on your stuff during the last few days. 

Looks like I may have been wrong about you being the highest paid copywriters on the planet.  Guess I should pay attention a bit more.

Truth is, most copywriters bore me to death.  And, I seldom pay attention to any of them as their words never really resonate with my particular flow.

I just stuck with Halbert, Carlton, Kennedy, and Kern and called it a day. I  never really saw the reason to branch further then that because what I learned from those dudes seemed like more then enough to fill my pockets for the rest of my life.  Plus, I’m even lazier then Frank.

However, I’m glad to add you to that list of copywriters I will now pay very close attention to.  All the stuff I’ve been reading from you has been Stellar!  In fact, beyond Stellar.

I look forward to seeing EVERYTHING you put out in the coming days, weeks, and years!

Peace,

J-Mofo