The Easy Way to Gather Testimonials

   Whoever thought it would be so easy to get people to write nice things about you, even if they don’t mean it.  Just kidding, of course.  I’m sure they mean it…  Anyhow… it really is this easy. Dobkin, in a more sober moment, or is that somber moment, writes the entire plan in his own exquisite clarity of style in just under a thousand words.

Postcards: Improving Readership & Response

   Postcards are easy to mail and can have high readership if created correctly.  They can be very effective marketing tools if written and designed well.  This is a three part article series on writing and designing postcards to achieve maximum readership and response.  This article sheds some light on a defining moment – when the reader first picks up your postcard.  You have 2 seconds – this better be good.?  Here’s how.

FUNNY:  Picking on Old Folks and the Physically Challenged

   Does Dobkin ever cross that fine line between what’s really funny and what’s really offensive?  You’re damn right he does.  But does that make him bad person?  Yea.  Yes it does.  So if you’re that kind of sniveling little girly-type of person who always is the first to complain about everything then hey – don’t read his stuff.  

  You’re probably the type that can’t stand the typos and misspellings in his work, either.  But Jeff leaves them in for the picky people who need something to point at and have the compulsion to tell others where they’re so wrong.  Jeff’s philosophy is, you’re not really a man if you have only one way to spell a word.  Last week he said to me, while writing his 6th book, “I have ADD. But at least I don’t have ADD.”  Carry on, Jeff, carry on.  There’s still a few good people who read your babbling.  This article is really, really, pretty funny.

Why My Marketing is Better Than Yours

   How’s your marketing?  Probably very good.  If you do have any questions, this article shows what it takes to create the best marketing program.  Also noted: some of the marketing services that are available from Jeff Dobkin and the team at the Danielle Adams Publishing Company.  

Testing Classified Ads and Direct Mail

     It took me two years of research and writing to develop “The Intelligent Testing System.”  The hard copy of this exhaustive study on how to market with classified ads and direct mail comes in 2 big binders and runs well over 400 pages, with 10 double-sided audio cassettes of completely new material; and ships at 11 pounds with a bonus disk on mailing lists.  
     There are over 15 letters and 5 pages of ad slicks to resell this program (good for any business opportunity program, really) if you want to, with $100 commission on each sale.  This article is a very, very short version and does not include the 100 pages of reference data or the audio, but is is a good article and makes for good reading.

Building Loyalty and Customer Retention for $1.32

   In this fun yet pointed and direct three-article set Jeff takes potshots at the phone companies, banks, charge cards firms while presenting an easy way for you to not run your firm like those bastards.  If you are thinking, “How can I keep a customer for life?” even when your prices are not the lowest in town, these articles may raise some eyebrows with a few easy to follow methods.  Check it out – this is absolutely great bathroom reading material.

Successful Advertising in 7 Steps

   No, this is not some fluffy stuff that I can make into a book.  These are real lessons you should know about.  And you should thank me that I didn’t make you read a whole book based on these seven simple principals.

Retail: Bringing Customers in your Front Door/Part 1

    You’d have to be crazy to open a retail store.  What?  You are and you did. Sigh…
   Here’s how to get customers when they’re not coming in on their own.  Read specific Tips on Successful Retail Store Marketing

Retail: Bringing Customers in your Front Door/Part 2

   Retail marketing II: Finding your best prospects and attracting them, then getting them into your store.  Then getting them back into your store. Ugh.  Hey, you wanted to open a store — I warned you.  Oh well, here’s what you can do now.  I mean, besides just sitting around wondering where everyone is…

Using Customer Satisfaction Surveys as a Sales Tool

Is it really a survey when you don’t care what your customers think, but use this survey format to cleverly seduce your reader to learn about your new products and to call you.  Sure it is.  More or less.  Read this fun but accurate article to learn out how to create “Hidden-Objective Surveys” and “Key Question Surveys.”

Easy Direct Marketing for Insurance Agencies

    The campaign, the follow up, letters, newsletters, testimonials – it’s all here.  Brief and to the point how to get and keep customers.  It doesn’t get any better than this… Oh wait — yea, yes it does.  Bring on the beer, uncork the champaign, put the top down and drive around in that new sports car, and have a chance meeting with that (now recently divorced) cute little red haired girl you liked so much in 9th grade, while you’re away in Las Vegas attending an insurance sales seminar.  Now, it doesn’t get any better than that.

Promotional Marketing

    The pros and cons about different marketing methods.  A more serious look at marketing. Ugh.  But, if you need this, it may save you a ton of money and a lot of aggravation rather trying to figure all this out and do it by yourself.

The Most Effective Single Sheet of Paper in Marketing

    Third article in a series (Building Loyalty and Customer Retention for $1.23; and The Strategic Use of Letters) on building customer loyalty and increasing customer retention.  A good read, and you should read it

The Strategic Use of Letters

    The second article in a series (Building Loyalty and Customer Retention for $1.23) of keeping customers. A good read about and easy to follow effective marketing strategy.

Marketing 101 – An 11 Point Plan

    Lots of people ask me “How do I market something?” So I simply write a marketing plan without knowing what they are selling, their budget, or the basis or bother of any facts or figures at all.  Simple. OK.  So… here it is.

The Most Effective Element in Direct Mail

    If I could only mail once to a list, this is what I would mail.  That says it all.

Using Post Cards to Generate Calls and Referrals

    Compared to most other types of mailings, post cards are easy, fast and cheap.  That doesn’t mean they can’t be effective.  Here’s how to create a successful campaign using post cards by coupling them wiht FREE booklets.  OK, so I gave away the secret… but the article is still very specific in how to receive the maxium response from a post card mailing.  Jump right in – this short article is a great bathroom read.

Driving Response with Great Booklet Titles

    Response can be increased by giving away a FREE Booklet.  It is the title of the booklet that can both limit response from unqualified readers and increase response from real prospects.  Here’s how.  Marketing with free booklets is one of my favorite – and most effective – low cost marketing methods.

12 Questions to Ask a Mailing List Vendor

    Buying a mailing list?  Read this article – you’ll thank me very much sooner than later….

12 Places to Buy a Mailing List

    Probably the  toughest decision you will need to make in direct marketing is the selection of a mailing list.  It’s also one of the most important, because to a great degree your list determines your response rate.  Here are some resources, and this is a full course in mailing lists.