I’m willing to bet that in the past week, you’ve come across two very different types of advertising.
It may have been when you were watching TV, going through the mail, checking email or even driving on the highway.
Chances are, what you saw most what what’s called “brand advertising” or “identity advertising.” This approach banks on the idea that prospective customers will see a billboard or a TV commercial over and over and over again and when it comes time to purchase, the name of their company will pop into their head and they’ll buy the product.
It’s generally impossible to track the results and is aimed at the masses.
Brand advertising is the go-to style for big corporations with giant marketing budgets and it works great…for them.
However, when you’re working with a small budget and attempting to bootstrap your way to success you don’t have the luxury of buying ad space on giant billboards or running any ads at halftime of the Super Bowl. Nope, as entrepreneurs we have to be creative and use guerrilla tactics to maximum results out of minimum inputs – that is spend a little to get big results.
Welcome to the world of direct response marketing. Here, every dollar you spend is held accountable for bringing in more money in the form of leads, customers, and ultimately sales.
What Makes Direct Response Marketing Different
Instead of relying on repetition and mass appeal it is precisely targeted to a specific market segment and asks for an action to be taken. A lot of the stuff you get through the mail is direct response in it’s original form: direct mail. Today, it goes far beyond the mailbox and has become as much of a mindset as a tactic.
You see it being used on late-night infomercials as the driving force behind huge successes like P90X and Proactiv. You see it being used in the classified sections of newspapers. And, you see it working like magic all over the web propelling the growth of startups and turning one-person operations into radical successes.
Here’s the resources I used to go from knowing literally nothing about direct response to effectively applying what I learned and having a lot of fun through the whole process. Start with these resources and then immediately apply what you learn. Self-education can change your life, but it won’t have a chance if you don’t practice what you learn and apply it to real-life projects.
Here’s we go…
#1. David Ogilvy reveals the secret weapon that helped him build one of the most powerful ad agencies in the world.
He’s been called “the Father of Modern Advertising” and for good reason – Ogilvy injected mass media advertising with a dose of direct response methodology and built one of the greatest ad agencies of the “Mad Men era” in the 1960’s.
In this video you’ll learn why direct response is so powerful and what sets it apart from the brand advertising you’re bombarded with day after day.
#2. Immerse yourself in the world of the “Millionaire Maker” Dan Kennedy.
After spending a few months reading his books, newsletters and soaking up as much as possible on Kennedy, I felt a total shift in my mindset. Once you start down this path there’s no going back, and the rabbit hole is deeper than you could ever imagine.
You’ll come out of this step eating, thinking and breathing like a true direct response marketer.
Kennedy will turn your world upside down. His most important message is this, “You are not in the [whatever business you think you’re in], you’re in the marketing business.”
He’ll give you a glimpse into the reasons why some businesses (who use DR Marketing) become wildly successful and generate instant demand for what they sell.
If you’re new to his work, this book is a good starting point (aff. link).
#3. The most valuable resource I’ve ever found on the basics of direct response copywriting.
In 1984 legendary copywriter, Gary Halbert, spent a short time behind bars for selling more orders than he could fulfill and subsequently being convicted for mail fraud. He spent his days at Boron giving his son a long-distance, but world-class copywriting and direct mail education through a series of letters. This collection of letters is one of the most incredible sources of real-world marketing advice you’ll ever find.
And, thanks to his son, Bond Halbert, the letters are now available to anyone who wants to read them for free at thegaryhalbertletter.com.
Go read or download the letters for free here.
By following these steps, you’ll have a great start on the path to learning the secret weapon of David Ogilvy and countless others who’ve made millions through the written word with direct response advertising. You know, it might just be that you decide to take this knowledge and build on it to turn this fascinating stuff into your own copywriting career or ad agency.
If you check back in from time to time, you’ll find many more articles like this that direct you to the very best resources on the most important skills to learn for business and personal success. I hope you find this stuff as incredibly helpful as I have so far. It really will open up your eyes to what’s possible if you keep fighting for your own education.
After you check out the resources above drop a comment below or shoot me an email to let me know what you learned and how you’re applying the lessons to your own business or side project.
