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You don't sell people what they need. You sell them what they want.

💨 tl;dr

Gary Halbert's seminar emphasizes the importance of focusing on selling over logistics, choosing proven products, and targeting large, specific markets. Effective direct marketing involves personalizing communication, using compelling headlines, and offering valuable premiums. Building relationships and providing exceptional service are key to customer retention.

💡 Key Ideas

• Focus on selling over logistical details; effective marketing drives success.
• Choose superior versions of already successful products.
• Sell what people want, not what they need.
• Direct mail should appear personal to avoid being discarded.
• Effective marketing requires understanding and using proven selling formulas.
• Direct marketing is like seduction; timing and gradual approach are crucial.
• Clear, personal communication in direct mail boosts response rates.
• Long, relevant copy works for genuine prospects; avoid irrelevant content.
• Repositioning product and appeal can significantly improve profitability.
• Excellent customer service and follow-up enhance customer loyalty.
• Use "How to," "Secrets Of," and "The Art Of" for compelling book titles.
• Newsletters thrive on strong stances and personality; offer valuable premiums.
• Blind ads can initially attract more, but specific ads build long-term relationships.
• Exceptional service and astonishment tactics lead to customer retention.
• Social Security and Medicare are hot topics for successful ads.
• Never forget to directly ask for the order in sales.

🎓 Lessons Learnt

• Focus on selling above all else: Logistics are secondary; prioritize effective product selling strategies.
• Sell products with proven demand: Choose products with a successful track record to minimize risk and maximize profits.
• Target specific, large markets: Opt for enduring markets like health, dating, and golf to ensure consistent demand.
• Offer competitive pricing: Attract more buyers by ensuring your product's pricing is competitive.
• Use effective advertising: Combine your product with compelling ad campaigns to boost sales.
• Sell what people want, not what they need: People are more likely to buy based on desire rather than necessity.
• Master direct mail principles: Understanding direct mail fundamentals can significantly improve marketing results.
• Personalize direct mail: Use real stamps and handwritten addresses to increase open rates.
• Use first-class postage: More reliable than bulk rate, ensuring higher delivery success.
• Write a personal, concise letter: A one-page letter can be highly effective in direct mail campaigns.
• Craft compelling lead-generating headlines: Strong headlines drive interest and action.
• Use long copy if relevant: Don't shy away from long copy if it stays relevant to your prospects.
• Customize marketing materials for specific audiences: Tailor messages to fit the unique needs of different professional groups.
• Be inspired, don't plagiarize: Use successful strategies as inspiration to improve your own.
• Offer valuable premiums for newsletters: Attract and retain subscribers by offering valuable related premiums.
• Build relationships, not just sales: Focus on establishing lasting customer relationships for loyalty and repeat business.
• Astonish your customers: Exceptional service and dedication lead to significant payoffs.
• Capitalize on hot topics: Identify and leverage subjects that generate significant interest for compelling campaigns.
• Ask for the order directly: Don’t hesitate to directly ask for the sale in your pitch.

🌚 Conclusion

Mastering direct marketing means prioritizing sales strategies, understanding your audience, and delivering personalized, compelling messages. By focusing on what people want and maintaining strong customer relationships, you can significantly boost your marketing success.

In-Depth

All Key Ideas

Key Points on Selling and Marketing

• The importance of focusing on how to sell a product over logistical details like printing, fulfillment, and phone numbers
• Success in self-publishing and direct marketing is overwhelmingly dependent on the ability to sell effectively
• The best starting point is choosing a superior version of a product that is already selling well
• Finding successful products involves looking at recurring advertisements and direct mailings

Gary Halbert's Success Strategies

• Gary Halbert attributes much of his success to choosing products that are already selling well rather than to his creativity
• Halbert works with an elite handful of clients, guaranteeing winners if he can choose the product
• Halbert spends significant time selecting products to sell for his clients
• Halbert outlines eight book ideas he believes have proven markets and can generate substantial sales
• The chosen book topics include arthritis pain, picking up girls, negotiation strategies, lowering golf scores, weight loss, prostate health, flattening stomachs, and obtaining government-seized assets
• Halbert emphasizes the importance of selecting products with never-ending proven appeals

Marketing Principles

• You don't sell people what they need; you sell them what they want.
• Reading the SRDS Consumer Magazine book and list descriptions is crucial for understanding viable markets.
• Writing a book that sells well is more sensible than writing one that sells poorly.
• Becoming a student of markets is essential.
• Selling formulas and delivery systems are key to an effective marketing campaign.
• Understanding the principles of superb direct mail is fundamental, regardless of the direct response marketing form you use.

Gary Halbert's Direct Mail Marketing Challenges

• Gary Halbert's initial failure in direct mail despite extensive study and adherence to traditional methods
• Halbert's personal sacrifices and struggles, including financial hardship and domestic issues
• The traditional method of direct mail marketing as promoted by advertising agencies
• The real-world inefficiencies and issues in direct mail marketing, including dishonest letter shops and postal system flaws
• The significant loss in the delivery rate of bulk mail due to various factors (dishonest letter shops, unforwarded mail, and discarded bulk mail)

Direct Mail Insights

• People sort their mail over a wastebasket, and 75% of marketing mail gets thrown away unopened.
• Mail gets divided into two piles: the A-pile (appears personal) and the B-pile (obviously advertising).
• A-pile mail is always opened, while three-quarters of B-pile mail is discarded.
• Personal letters do not have teaser copy or bulk rate stamps; they use real postage stamps and personal addressing.
• Bulk rate mail is often discarded by the postal system, leading to potential losses.
• To maintain the personal feel in direct mail, even when including brochures or order coupons, use plain white sealed envelopes with a prompt to read after the main letter.

Direct Marketing Tips

• Direct marketing is compared to seduction, emphasizing the importance of timing and a gradual approach.
• Asking for a purchase too early in direct mail is ineffective and likened to asking someone to sleep with you on a first encounter.
• Direct mail should feel personal, using first-class postage and direct impression addressing.
• Including brochures and order coupons should be done discreetly within a sealed envelope.
• Successful direct mail can significantly increase response rates when done correctly.
• Common sense practices in direct marketing include making mail appear personal and avoiding obvious advertising mail.
• Print advertising should mimic editorial content to increase readership, as ads with an editorial look get 500% more readership.
• Writing a self-generated rave review for your book that appears as an article can boost sales.

Key Points in Advertising and Marketing

• The importance of clear ordering instructions in advertising
• Different delivery systems for direct marketing: direct mail, space advertising, and small space display ads for lead generation
• The inefficacy of classified ads for most offers and the need to use display ads instead
• Waste circulation is the most expensive aspect of advertising
• Longer letters generally result in higher response rates
• Teaching people how to think about marketing is more effective than teaching every specific detail

Marketing and Advertising Insights

• Non-prospects won't read long ads; genuine prospects want detailed, relevant information.
• Long copy is fine if it's relevant; avoid adding irrelevant content.
• American Business List offers a database of ads from yellow pages, categorized by various business metrics.
• Gary Halbert's newsletter and book, "How to Make Maximum Money in Minimum Time," includes back issues and additional material.
• Halbert's new marketing plan involves sending customized letters and books to specific professional groups (e.g., attorneys, dentists).
• Repositioning your product and advertising appeal can significantly improve marketing profitability.
• Recommendation of the book "The First 100 Million" by E. Julius Hadleman for its timeless publishing insights.

Insights on Book and Newsletter Appeal

• Human nature never changes, and this is reflected in consistent book appeal statistics.
• Sex is the number one appeal for books in America.
• Changing a book's title can significantly increase sales, sometimes by 500-1000%.
• Effective book titles include formats like 'How to,' 'Secrets Of,' and 'The Art Of.'
• Newsletters are the most difficult form of information to sell, appealing mainly to intelligent and dedicated individuals.
• Successful newsletters are 'personality letters' where the writer takes a strong stance.
• Newsletters that don't offend anybody have lower renewal rates.
• To sell a newsletter effectively, give away a valuable premium that the subscriber can keep even if they cancel.

Key Insights from Gary Halbert's Marketing Strategies

• Gary Halbert's book, "Maximum Money," polarizes readers, attracting those who seek straightforward information and repelling superficial readers.
• Blind ads promising mystery success stories outperform specific ads by a ratio of 3:1.
• Purchases from blind ads seldom lead to ongoing customer relationships, unlike specific ads that build lasting connections.
• The first sale is typically unprofitable but crucial for establishing a long-term customer relationship.
• An experiment showed that offering the book for free generated 3.2 times more orders than selling it for $10.
• A personalized follow-up letter with a dollar bill attached is used to thank customers and encourage them to read the book.

Customer Service and Marketing Strategies

• Astonish your customers with exceptional service and dedication
• Example of Japanese hotels responding promptly to minor issues
• Sending a letter with a dollar bill to thank and astonish customers
• Sending the book via first class priority mail
• Following up with a Federal Express letter for further engagement
• Direct mail strategies: deposit on Saturday, mail arrival days, counting orders by day twelve as half of the total
• Advertising response patterns in newspapers and phone orders
• Emphasis on active listening, viewing, and watching
• Concept of becoming an 'opportunity detective'

Social Security and Advertising Insights

• The "Request for Statement of Earnings" form was highly requested when mentioned, indicating Social Security is a hot topic.
• An ad titled "How to Collect from Social Security at Any Age" was created, offering a book and assistance in getting a government statement.
• The ad was highly successful, generating significant orders and netting a million dollars.
• The original ad has been frequently copied, leading to a new ad titled "How to Collect from Social Security and Medicare at Any Age" incorporating modern advertising techniques.
• The speaker offers to sell books for others, providing financing, writing the ad, and handling sales, in exchange for a commission.
• A common mistake in sales is failing to ask for the order.

All Lessons Learnt

Key Strategies for Effective Product Selling

• Focus on selling above all else: Worrying about logistics like printing, fulfillment, and 800 numbers is secondary; the primary concern should be how to sell your product effectively.
• Learn from successful products: Instead of pioneering new ideas, find successful books or products and create superior versions to sell.
• Get on mailing lists: To identify successful products in the market, subscribe to various mailing lists and observe which products are being repeatedly marketed.
• Avoid reinventing the wheel: Use existing successful models to guide your product development and marketing strategies, as this is more cost-effective than starting from scratch.

E-commerce Product Strategies

• Sell products with proven demand - Focus on selling products that already have a successful track record to minimize risk and maximize profits.
• Thoroughly research before choosing a product - Spend significant time and effort in selecting the right product to ensure it meets market needs and has high potential.
• Target specific, large markets with your products - Choose products that cater to broad, enduring markets such as health, dating, negotiation, and golf, which have consistent demand.
• Offer competitive pricing - Make sure your product pricing is competitive compared to similar high-cost options in the market to attract more buyers.
• Capitalize on enduring appeals - Select product themes that have long-lasting appeal and proven success, like weight loss, health issues, and government auctions.
• Use effective advertising to boost sales - Combine your product with a compelling ad campaign to significantly increase sales.
• Leverage personal expertise and successful past strategies - Use your own successful experiences and strategies as a blueprint for future projects.

Marketing Strategies

• Sell what people want, not what they need - People are more likely to buy things they desire rather than things they logically need.
• Use the SRDS Consumer Magazine book - This resource helps identify viable markets by showing the circulation of special interest magazines.
• Study mailing lists from SRDS - Reading descriptions of mailing lists can provide insights into market size and purchasing behavior, aiding product idea generation.
• Become a student of markets - Understanding market dynamics and consumer behavior is crucial for successful marketing.
• Write books with high demand - Focus on topics with proven high sales potential, like weight loss, to maximize your effort's return.
• Develop and refine selling formulas - Create effective sales presentations and adapt them into various delivery systems for maximum impact.
• Master direct mail principles - Regardless of the marketing medium, understanding direct mail fundamentals can significantly improve results.

Best Practices for Direct Mail Campaigns

• Don't rely solely on traditional direct mail methods - Following expensive traditional methods can lead to significant financial losses.
• Be prepared to adapt and learn from failures - If initial attempts fail, reassess and try different tactics.
• Ensure transparency and honesty in your mailing process - Some letter shops might not deliver all the mail you paid for, leading to wasted investment.
• Use first-class postage instead of bulk rate - Bulk rate mail often gets discarded or not forwarded, reducing delivery effectiveness.
• Check your mailing list for accuracy - A significant percentage of mailing lists can be outdated or incorrect, leading to undelivered mail.

Best Practices for Direct Mail Campaigns

• Avoid teaser copy on envelopes - Personal letters are opened to discover what's inside; teaser copy gives away the content and reduces open rates.
• Never use bulk rate - Bulk rate mail often gets thrown away unopened; it’s known as the 'dumpster rate.'
• Make your letters appear personal - Use real stamps and handwritten or typed addresses to ensure your mail lands in the A-pile and gets opened.
• Use plain white sealed envelopes for additional materials - If including brochures or order coupons, put them in a plain white sealed envelope with a note to open after reading the letter to maintain a personal touch.
• First-class mail is more reliable than bulk rate - Even though bulk rate can sometimes be cost-effective, it risks not being delivered, as evidenced by a case where 600,000 bulk rate letters were discarded.

Direct Marketing Tips

• Timing matters in direct marketing - Don't ask for the sale too early; warm up your audience first.
• Personalize your direct mail - Make it look like it's from one human to another to increase engagement.
• Use first class postage and direct impression addressing - This makes your mail more likely to be opened.
• Include brochures and order coupons in sealed envelopes - Keeps the main letter personal and less like an ad.
• Follow unconventional methods if traditional ones fail - Trying new approaches can yield better results.
• Write a personal, concise letter - A one-page letter can be highly effective.
• Print ads should look like articles - Editorial-style ads get more readership than obvious advertisements.
• Write your own rave review - Craft a positive, article-like review for your product to draw interest.

Effective Advertising Strategies

• Study great ordering instructions: Effective ordering instructions are crucial for successful advertising; analyze and learn from the best examples.
• Use small space display ads for lead generation: These ads have the highest success rate on a limited budget compared to other marketing models.
• Avoid classified ads for general offers: Classified ads work for specific categories like jobs or rentals, not general products.
• Craft compelling lead-generating headlines: Strong headlines like 'free report reveals how to pay zero taxes' can drive significant interest and action.
• Minimize waste circulation in advertising: Avoid paying for broad audience ads when only a small percentage are your target; focus on targeted lead-generating ads.
• Send hard-hitting multi-page letters: Longer letters (up to 32 pages or more) tend to outperform shorter ones, engaging the reader more effectively.
• Teach people how to think, not just what to do: Understanding the reasoning behind actions helps in adapting to various scenarios and making informed decisions.

Effective Marketing Strategies

• Long copy is effective if relevant: Don't shy away from using long copy in your ads as long as it stays relevant to your genuine prospects.
• Utilize comprehensive databases for targeting: Consider using databases like American Business List to target specific companies effectively.
• Customize marketing materials for specific audiences: Tailor your marketing messages and products to fit the unique needs of different professional groups (e.g., attorneys, dentists).
• Be inspired, don't plagiarize: Use other successful marketing strategies as inspiration to improve your own, rather than copying them directly.
• Reposition products for enhanced profitability: Reframe your products and advertising to appeal to different customer segments to significantly boost profitability.
• Seek out valuable historical marketing resources: Obtain important out-of-print books like 'The First 100 Million' by E. Julius Hadleman for timeless marketing insights.
• Market products in bulk to increase sales: Offer products in bundles, as Hadleman did with the Little Blue Books, to encourage larger purchases.

Tips for Writing Effective Newsletters

• Change book titles to boost sales - By changing a book's title without altering its content, sales can increase significantly, sometimes by 500% or more.
• Use proven title formulas - Titles that start with 'How to,' 'Secrets of,' 'The Art of,' or 'An Amazing Way to' are highly effective for attracting readers.
• Newsletter writing demands constant effort - Writing a successful newsletter requires continuous engagement and dedication, as it is a reflection of the writer's life and thoughts.
• Inject personality into newsletters - Successful newsletters, or personality letters, should reflect the writer’s strong opinions and authentic voice to resonate with readers, even at the risk of offending some people.
• Be an expert in your field - To write a credible newsletter, ensure you are thoroughly knowledgeable in your subject area; faking expertise will not work.
• Offer valuable premiums for newsletters - To attract and retain subscribers, offer a valuable premium that can be kept even if the subscription is canceled, ensuring it is related to the newsletter's content.
• Take a stance in your writing - Strong stances in newsletters help to create a loyal readership, as it shows authenticity and conviction in the writer's opinions.

Customer Relationship Strategies

• Build relationships, not just sales: Focus on establishing a lasting relationship with customers rather than making a one-time sale. This approach leads to long-term loyalty and repeat business.
• Blind ads can generate high initial responses but lack lasting relationships: While blind ads may pull in more initial customers, they often don't lead to ongoing relationships. Be clear and specific in your advertising to build trust and long-term engagement.
• Satisfy customers beyond expectations: Deliver more than what your customers expect. This rarity in the market will make them loyal and encourage repeat purchases.
• Experiment with pricing strategies: Offering a product for free can generate significantly more interest and orders compared to selling it at a low price.
• Personalized follow-up can enhance customer engagement: Sending a personalized letter with a small gift (like a dollar bill) can grab attention and reinforce the value of the product, thus encouraging further interaction and loyalty.

Customer Service Tips

• Astonish your customers: Providing exceptional service and surprising your customers with quality and dedication pays off significantly.
• Send a thank you letter with a dollar bill: Including a dollar bill with a thank you letter can make a strong impression and encourage customers to value their purchase.
• Use first-class priority mail for shipping: Sending products via first-class priority mail ensures they arrive quickly and adds a touch of importance to the delivery.
• Follow up with a Federal Express letter: Sending a follow-up letter by Federal Express can make the customer feel valued and important.
• Mail direct mail on Saturday: Depositing direct mail at the post office on Saturday can help ensure it arrives on optimal days (Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday).
• Track the 12-day response pattern: When using direct mail, expect to receive about half of the total orders by the 12th day after mailing.
• Opportunity detection: Be alert and focused to identify and seize opportunities, acting as an 'opportunity detective.'
• Active listening and viewing: Stay conscious and focused to make a difference in interactions and observations.

Marketing Strategies

• Capitalize on hot topics - Identify subjects that generate significant interest and response, like Social Security, to create compelling marketing campaigns.
• Use double coupons to increase engagement - Implement double coupon systems in ads to drive higher response rates and provide value to the customer.
• Understand circulation response rates - In direct marketing, knowing the percentage of responses per circulation can help gauge the success of an ad campaign.
• Reinvent successful ideas - When a successful ad or product idea is copied, rework it with updated techniques to stay competitive and relevant.
• Ask for the order directly - Don't be shy about directly asking for the order in your sales pitch; it’s a common mistake to avoid.
• Offer risk-free propositions to attract partners - Propose deals where partners don’t have to invest money or take risks to draw their interest and collaboration.