Brought to you by Concept Marketing Group, Inc.

Unsubscribe instructions, past issues, and additional information can be found at the bottom of this email or by visiting http://www.marketingsource.com/newsletter/

In this issue:
• Marketing Article: 10 HEAVY DUTY Online Sales Grabbers
• Marketing Article: 7 Fatal Flaws of Direct Mail

Associations and non-profit groups are a powerful resource for building and expanding networking and business opportunities, finding jobs, evaluating goods and services, and industry publications.

Our database puts you in direct contact with these organizations.

1. Give your prospects extra incentives so they will order quicker. It could be free shipping, a faster shipping option, free gift wrapping, etc. Another common example that we have all heard of is buy one get one.

2. Make your small business look big on the world wide web. Design your web site using professional graphics, ordering systems, organized layouts, etc. It's obvious, if you look professional more people will come to you.

3. Attract a lot more customers by giving them clear ordering instructions. Give them all the information they need so they can complete their order easily. People hate nothing more then having to go back and ask for help becuase it wasn't explained right in the first palce.

4. Give your customers buying incentives so they'll make repeat purchases. Offer them discounts, free gifts, bonus points, etc. Give them a reason to come back to you and buy again.

5. Tell people about your site whenever you get a chance. Those people will tell other people and so on. It's a cheap way to multiply your advertising. Word of mouth spreads very fast and the more places you advertise the better off you are.

6. Write and send press releases for your web site. Use a strong headlines, make it newsworthy, and tell the journalist why their readers would like it. Think big and think of the greatest reasons for why your business exists.

7. Use a lot of headlines on your web site and ezine. Some types of headlines are free offers, questions, problem solvers, sales, and statistics. It makes it seem like you are offering more and you can give a better first impression.

8. Design graphics, templates, buttons and banner ads for other sites. Allow people to use them in exchange for your web link on their home page. Make good relations with other web sites and advertise for each other, it could benefit you alot and you may get some good deals.

9. Use time saving promotional software. You can automate your search engine submissions, posting to online classified sites, etc. Automatic submissions are so much better then doing it the manual way one by one, you'll never finish and just waste time.

10. Advertise your online business by dressing in clothes that are imprinted with your ad. It could be a T-shirt, ball cap, coat, etc. We've all seen people dressed like that, wether it be for a construction business or McDonald's.

---------------
Visit http://www.fastestmoneymaker.com where you will find a sales grabber that may change you life. You won't believe how effective it can be if used properly. Learn the methods of the top earners!

Direct mail can be extremely effective if done properly. Successful direct mail doesn’t depend on fancy, four-color design or “creative” copy. This article discusses the seven most common direct mail mistakes and how to avoid them.

Flaw #1: Ignoring the importance of the mailing list

Too many businesses shop different direct mail companies based on price per piece without taking into consideration the value of the list. There are numerous types of lists available on the market, the cost of which varies based on the criteria used.

The quality of the list, however, is the most important factor in direct mail success. Never sacrifice the quality of the list to get a better price per piece. You may pay less per mail drop, but your true cost per “up” and actual sale will be significantly higher.

Flaw #2: Failing to use a letter

A package with a letter will nearly always out-pull a postcard, a self-mailer, or a stand-alone brochure. And there are various types of envelopes that can be used to ensure these letters will be opened.

Why do letters pull so well? Because a letter gives the impression that you are communicating directly with your prospect versus the impersonal approach of an advertisement.

Flaw #3: Not having an offer

An offer is the tangible benefit that the reader gets when he or she responds to your mailing. A direct mail piece should sell the offer in addition to the product. To maximize your response, there needs to be a well thought-out offer in every mailing. Depending on the mailing, there are an endless number of creative offers that can be used to increase your response rates.

Flaw #4: Failing to use “magic” words

What is a “magic” word? In direct mail, there are a handful of magic words that can dramatically increase the response from your mailing. A good offer with the right wording is like a magnet, driving your potential customer toward you.

One of the most successful words is FREE. Say Free Gift. Not gift. This little change can make a big difference.

Others that work well are THIS WEEK ONLY or LIMITED TIME ONLY. These words create urgency which will increase your response rate.

The word NEW has always worked well. New is sheer magic in consumer mailings. Make sure that your mailing has the necessary “magic” words to help increase your response rates.

Flaw #5: Falling for the graphic trap

Too many marketers are overly concerned with the graphic design of a direct mail piece. Direct mail is not meant to be pretty. Its goal is not to be remembered or create an image or make an impact, but to generate a response NOW.

If you are only concerned about building a brand, then that is different. But the majority of businesses that do direct mail are doing it for one reason only: to generate new business today. Create a piece that uses the “magic” words and has an offer that will generate response. These items are much more important than the graphic appeal of the piece.

Flaw #6: Not measuring the results

Too many businesses spend valuable ad dollars without adequately measuring the success. This is especially true with direct mail.

There are a number of ways to track the success of a direct mail campaign. If your piece has a special offer, it usually requires that the prospect bring the piece to your place of business. But regardless of how they are to respond, you need to have a process in place to track the leads that are generated from your direct mail campaign.

In addition, you need to track your phone ups to determine the source. The company, Who’s Calling, offers one of the best call tracking tools available to the industry.

If you accurately track the “ups” and sales generated by your direct mail campaigns, you can determine your true ROI.

Flaw #7: Failing to test different types of mailings

In order to determine which mailer works best in your marketplace, you need to try different mailings to different lists with different offers. If you are doing a good job of measuring the results as suggested above, you will be able to compare the results of the different tests. This will allow you to use the mailing that pulls best in your market and ultimately sell more.

Final Thoughts: Go hunting with a rifle, not a shotgun!

Direct mail is one of the unique advertising methods that truly allows you to target your audience with pinpoint accuracy. In addition to avoiding the seven fatal flaws of direct mail, I highly recommend that you consider direct mail campaigns versus an occasional mail drop. A well thought-out campaign will give you a steady flow of “ups” and revenue. It will also allow you to take advantage of seasonal trends.

------------------
Grant Dunning is President and CEO of On-Target Direct. Since 1986 Grant has been providing businesses throughout North America with direct marketing programs. On-Target Direct is a full-service direct marketing company that is focused on setting new standards in cost-effective business development. You can contact Grant Dunning at gdunning@on-targetdirect.com or call 888-212-3098.