27KB
Outrageous Advertising That's Outrageously Successful — Chapter-01: Take The OUTRAGEOUS Path To OUTRAGEOUS Success
- Source: /library/Outrageous Advertising That's Outrageously Successful/source-file.epub
- EPUB items: text/part0008.html
- Image note: Embedded images were extracted to the book's images folder; OCR is included beside image markers when text was recognized.
OUTRAGEOUS ADVERTISING that’s outrageously successful
- Take The OUTRAGEOUS Path To OUTRAGEOUS Success
[Embedded image: /library/Outrageous Advertising That's Outrageously Successful/images/00008.jpeg] [No readable text recognized; consult the extracted image asset.]
[Embedded image: /library/Outrageous Advertising That's Outrageously Successful/images/00013.jpeg] [OCR from embedded image; verify layout in the extracted image asset.] DearReader, Sinc Hhisisabok about OUTRAGEOUS adverhisinoIfetCompelLed toStar+ by writing ycu a letlerto Prave a PointYa con always beaderent aod when yau are, yo getnaead. You aluays get nsficed! ThinkabtitTueonlyotehne yovivt Seenoeevioheord about a book hat wasmass-prodlueed and handwcillen,hepreduehon Crew Consisled of chonhnguonks. Imomonk.Idvessbellerwm admerethyaretand aait meh biggerPapheck! MyPointisHhatby hand wahng thebegouigofhishapkes工 focced you noheo and tmenbe curious enougl to ask,“I wonder whatHhnsisabout.”
This is about taking the OUTRAGEOUS path and getting noticed.
OUTRAGEOUS doesn’t always mean getting wild like me in a straitjacket. It can be as simple as changing the font in a letter you send off to prospective customers so that it looks like you wrote it with your own hand.
By the way, if you’re wondering how to get your picture taken in a straitjacket, it’s not as hard as you think. The first time I did it, I just rented one from a local costume store and had one of our staff take my picture with a digital camera. The one that you see on the cover was actually taken by a professional photographer in Dallas, Texas. (Douglas Bryan is a professional photographer who specializes in OUTRAGEOUS shots, including placing you in a straitjacket. He can be reached at (972) 642-2842 or through his web site www.bryanphotography.com.
the path less traveled, think differently
The first mass-produced handwritten sales pitch I’d ever seen was a letter that was sent out by Dan Kennedy. He first saw this tactic used in a letter written by political candidate Ron Paul. As soon as I saw it, I knew that it was something different, and I’ve always looked for ways that others have used to cut through the clutter (see chapter 10).
It’s not easy. The clutter of advertising messages can be overwhelming, but you must cut through it and understand that of the three possible answers—yes, maybe, or no—you have the best chance of getting a “yes” or “maybe” if you do something OUTRAGEOUS enough to get noticed. So I decided to try it at my retail store, Gage Menswear.
Handwrite a letter to my customers? OUTRAGEOUS!
But mine was more than just handwritten; it appeared spontaneous with big letters and small, wildly drawn parentheses, scratch-outs, and hand-drawn arrows pointing to a side note. And it was on yellow legal pad paper. Plus, get this—it was five pages!
C’mon! No one sends out a five-page handwritten sales letter. No one! I mean, who would read it?
Well, it turned out that lots of people read it. But more on the results later. First, take a look at the letter.
[Embedded image: /library/Outrageous Advertising That's Outrageously Successful/images/00014.jpeg] [No readable text recognized; consult the extracted image asset.]
As you can see, there is a lot of copy in a five-page handwritten sales letter. But here’s the thing: it’s not blah, blah copy; it all serves a purpose. And if you study the letter, you will see there is even more. I will summarize the approach.
OUTRAGEOUS yet systematic
This approach was not simply OUTRAGEOUS. There was madness, sure. But there was definitely a method to my madness.
I am about to give you an outline of the five pages. You can certainly see the progression and, in fact, the elements of OUTRAGEOUS advertising, which you will learn in detail in chapter 5.
[Embedded image: /library/Outrageous Advertising That's Outrageously Successful/images/00015.jpeg] [No readable text recognized; consult the extracted image asset.]
OUTRAGEOUS resource
City Print specializes in printing on legal pads. To contact City Print, call 1-866-907-1222 or visit http://www.cityprintusa.com.
[Embedded image: /library/Outrageous Advertising That's Outrageously Successful/images/00016.jpeg] [OCR from embedded image; verify layout in the extracted image asset.] FRom:BillGlegoR 6:43pm Buver/CogMenSueak llSmETimes wHen Times AeE TovGH -You'vEGor To Do SOMEPRETTYDRASTIC THINGS... Deon Gag Cunt andFiud Ll Igjist got lis very mpulsue idedIhad toimp ONLY outcesrl A-PER OFTHESE JustinCaneyiudtKuboe,LimHhy war uyle ValleyCendtfe Shsppimg Contek inOwings Mills. CLEMS Lxe pustedinwmarLim lringt alonut1oFell yo ooLapologuganLlihandwillen NoTE..Bur mgtrou Lim imKeroYoek siingatyk aiprt wauring fn myFlighthoe.paabanPrsblam is.my busimessono diffauutfhomanyoYhare TARCA iS going to START airing: THE BY"SRANELSS
Page #1 of Bill Glazer’s award-winning five-page handwritten sales letter written on a yellow legal pad. You can see this in full color when you claim your FREE CD of all of the exhibits in this book by using the form on page 312.
PAGE ONE - The first page, as you can see, introduces that a sale is going on, why I am writing the letter, and that the recipient of the letter is a preferred customer. I also note that the business is in a tough cycle and I need to do something drastic to reduce inventory before the new stuff arrives.
“Reason why” copy is critical for results. The response goes way up when you give the recipient a reason why you are making him or her an offer, and it is best relayed in the form of a story, as I did on page one of this letter.
That’s right; everyone needs to know the reason you are doing something. What have we all heard about a free lunch? There’s no such thing! No one believes in a deal that’s too good to be true. So I gave the readers a reason why I was making what was about to be a tremendous offer and a reason why they were receiving a handwritten letter from me. (And in a side note on page one, I refer to “Shameless Bribe” coupons on page five of the letter.)
In fact, all great copywriters and marketers often use stories. People like hearing stories. It’s because we were raised on stories. Our parents and relatives told us stories when we were children growing up, so we were trained to listen to stories.
So there you go. On that first page, I gave “reason why” copy in the form of a story.
[Embedded image: /library/Outrageous Advertising That's Outrageously Successful/images/00017.jpeg] [OCR from embedded image; verify layout in the extracted image asset.] ATTLVING OUTRAGEOUS ADVEISING
OUTRAGEOUS exercise
Develop your business story.
• Why should people utilize your products or services?
• Develop a main story.
• Think of three others you can use for a particular offer or promotion or event.
[Embedded image: /library/Outrageous Advertising That's Outrageously Successful/images/00018.jpeg] [OCR from embedded image; verify layout in the extracted image asset.] NeweRLwekdoe Lefone andI Hope lo Tlu my mhieSTock of"THis SEASou” 格YATUPTO70%OFE CAiNmOsT mayor difbrence buneis h fate AvusTotyoend eSellnySunsav and wo ouk Solsttion'sts lowut.
THArsRl6T!l gouwegung togetEveRymHins! ZveRySUiTSVeRySPORTCoT!EVERy POiL g DRESSSUACKS/ EVERy SPORT KNIT SHiRT! EueRyykngot 6 Au Lu NaT goung tohek bock any bends %t60 othee..JosephAbboudDKNYZonathi og BxstyThalyCHAPs hyPhepl LoueneJack iscudel.
Page #2 of Bill Glazer’s award-winning five-page handwritten sales letter written on a yellow legal pad. You can see this in full color when you claim your FREE CD of all of the exhibits in this book by using the form on page 312.
PAGE TWO – The second page provides details of the offer—all the pertinent information. How much will I save? What’s on sale? What brands? What categories?
Pertinent information is another key element when you are developing an advertisement. Just think about it. If you left out just one piece of pertinent information, it could make the difference (and often does) as to whether someone responds to you or not.
For example, let’s say you are a dentist and you forget to list your phone number. How are potential or current patients going to call you to make an appointment?
Heck, I even know one company that forgot to put their name on their advertisement. I guess they’re still waiting for someone to call.
[Embedded image: /library/Outrageous Advertising That's Outrageously Successful/images/00017.jpeg] [OCR from embedded image; verify layout in the extracted image asset.] ATTLVING OUTRAGEOUS ADVEISING
OUTRAGEOUS exercise
List the pertinent information that prospects or customers would require in order to help them make a decision whether to respond to your advertising or not. Here’s a partial list to consider:
• Name of the business
• Location
• Hours of operation
• Phone number
• Web site
• Items you sell
• Brands you sell
After you make your list, include it in its entirety every time you write your advertisements.
[Embedded image: /library/Outrageous Advertising That's Outrageously Successful/images/00019.jpeg] [OCR from embedded image; verify layout in the extracted image asset.] +AND KNIT SHiRTS als0Frm#1999！！ LIrow gou alady Krwfhe Bulity Sebriswsl You Know Hhw OuBeueyAbue ykoul Bur hese prices AeEU'T GCOD EvOUGH For Yol! IMehu itJwetgbu o Coam nglfwou DBES BRIBES.“>(SCETHELASTIGC) ust come mto thur store lehre Sunday gueg Ish on Tol gwegon Yhaae Coupow's erey SuT$lOe OPEBveey SPoncoe Ond5OFFoerypaiofDRessPaTS. *FReepad of dlesiner socks yust fn
Page #3 of Bill Glazer’s award-winning five-page handwritten sales letter written on a yellow legal pad. You can see this in full color when you claim your FREE CD of all of the exhibits in this book by using the form on page 312.
Once again, the handwriting itself, along with the copy, gives the letter tons of personality as well as personalized selling with hand-drawn arrows and asterisks and underlines and, well, writing. And of course, all of these wild, hand-drawn graphic messages are mixed beautifully with the specific message that you can save up to 70 percent on everything! And I name names of merchandise.
[Embedded image: /library/Outrageous Advertising That's Outrageously Successful/images/00020.jpeg] [No readable text recognized; consult the extracted image asset.]
OUTRAGEOUS boost
Never make the mistake of thinking that current customers know everything about your business just because they’ve patronized you in the past. Include your pertinent information in every ad you create.
PAGE THREE - By the third page, the readers know why I am giving a sale, what is on sale, and for how much, but now I declare in huge bold handwritten print surrounded by big parentheses: (BUT THESE PRICES AREN’T GOOD ENOUGH FOR YOU!)
And I proceed to again mention the “Shameless Bribe” coupons first referred to on page one. This time, I give the specifics of what they are about and how much can be saved. One coupon is even for a free pair of designer socks just for coming into the store.
This free gift is called a premium, which can result in an increased response of as much as 30 percent. (For more, see chapter 8.)
Much of this whole approach is to let the reader of this letter know that I, Bill Glazer, am talking to him or her as a person and not some random number or customer. “I mean it,” I wrote. “I want you to come in right now so I’m willing to give you ‘4 Shameless Bribes.’”
What you are trying to accomplish is for the reader to feel like you are writing specifically to him or her. Making the letter personal is incredibly effective, but this third page offers one more essential element: a deadline. “Just come into the store before Sunday, July 15 …” You’ll learn more about deadlines and why you must always have one in chapter 5.
[Embedded image: /library/Outrageous Advertising That's Outrageously Successful/images/00021.jpeg] [OCR from embedded image; verify layout in the extracted image asset.] New, ybu mighf ask gewvel,why's Bitt ave already Pock-Bottou...l miyhtSoundabitCoeny,ButIHhinkYou desenvEit!Im ONuy'Sonlungoutafaw hane kelpud mahe us"Baltimoter Best Men's CLotingSToeE. Selotonol bSwbcttoluFree.Foe-Aul a nguiar cuslonunswlowiul-no SouBr WiaPidkyhurghouSeloethinandtake HoMEle"BesTofHBesT”.So,DaNT MIssour! IURGE YOUTO NOT WAIT ANOTHER DAY! ThanksfozTalers heTmto Aaa RiskordwHon awlprsoaleydiicult to Naad leteR.Cutefranhly aaut to e boad my f Soeyuat THESHHHIELESS Gaee BRIBES"ARE Wantregaids- ON THE NET
Page #4 of Bill Glazer’s award-winning five-page handwritten sales letter written on a yellow legal pad. You can see this in full color when you claim your FREE CD of all of the exhibits in this book by using the form on page 312.
PAGE FOUR – The fourth page is a personal message again reminding the readers that Gage is Baltimore’s best men’s clothing store and that they are my preferred customers; not everyone is getting this letter about these incredible savings.
I point the reader again to the “Shameless Bribe” coupons on the final page.
[Embedded image: /library/Outrageous Advertising That's Outrageously Successful/images/00022.jpeg] [OCR from embedded image; verify layout in the extracted image asset.] *Ps.DouT Fngt lo bing w Ye “SHAMEESS BRIBE"Cos lelsw...Do it BeforeJuen isyh,zool lo get you aklitionae dis couuhs. Bnibe Coupou Fozau ABSoLUTeLy tFpeey pan oy DasigmoR Socks! SHAMELESS ISHAMELESS rroel Taeanaltimul CFFIOOFF EVERySPORICOAT!! EVERYSUIT (exp.7is0sku:o0 SHAMELESS SHAMELESS ITaluoadlitiyul FREE $S0OFF PAR OFDESIGNER EVERYPMROE Socks! DRESSSUACKS! (p.7/sjoSru:05909 (o%p:7/8/0)sxu:o25A10
Page #5 of Bill Glazer’s award-winning five-page handwritten sales letter written on a yellow legal pad. You can see this in full color when you claim your FREE CD of all of the exhibits in this book by using the form on page 312.
PAGE FIVE – This page includes information on the deadline as well as four hand-drawn coupons for savings on various types of merchandise—with deadlines.
The idea of a “Shameless Bribe” was funny and eye-catching, and it fit perfectly at the end of this long letter that appears to be written in a rush but is actually planned and executed.
[Embedded image: /library/Outrageous Advertising That's Outrageously Successful/images/00017.jpeg] [OCR from embedded image; verify layout in the extracted image asset.] ATTLVING OUTRAGEOUS ADVEISING
OUTRAGEOUS exercise
Present your offers differently and people will take notice of them. So, develop three OUTRAGEOUS ways to present your offers as I did with my handwritten “Shameless Bribe” coupons.
translating to other media
So now I had this wonderful letter that was generating results (more on that later) and I wanted to take advantage of what I had created out of an idea that I had swiped from a politician.
So I looked outside of the direct mail media for other ways to reach my customers with this obviously successful approach. And from my five-page sales letter I created a one-page newspaper advertisement that featured the “Shameless Bribe” coupons.
And then I also used this one-page creation as a fax that I sent out to the many customers who gave us their fax numbers. So this one OUTRAGEOUS creation translated into three media—all OUTRAGEOUSLY successful.
[Embedded image: /library/Outrageous Advertising That's Outrageously Successful/images/00017.jpeg] [OCR from embedded image; verify layout in the extracted image asset.] ATTLVING OUTRAGEOUS ADVEISING
OUTRAGEOUS exercise
Review your previous advertising for ideas that were successful. How can you use these ideas in other media?
OUTRAGEOUS produces results from … EVERYONE
As you saw in the preface, this five-page handwritten letter won the prestigious Multi-Media RAC Award at the 2002 Retail Advertising Conference.
But winning an award doesn’t pay the bills. Money pays the bills, and this advertisement was my most successful ever. At my menswear stores, I had many successful campaigns. In fact, from 1996 to 2006 I delivered eighteen direct mail campaigns per year—each and every year. That totals 180 different campaigns. While most of them were successful, the five-page handwritten sales letter printed on yellow legal paper received the highest response of any of them.
Who responded? Presidents of banks responded. Board members of Fortune 1000 companies showed up for our sale. Accountants responded; doctors responded; lawyers responded; and they came to our sale because they saw a piece of mail in their mailbox that could not be ignored.
It looked handwritten. It looked important. So when the bank president/doctor/lawyer came home from work, his wife gave him an envelope and said (we were later told), “You’ve got to see this. It looks important.”
And it was important, OUTRAGEOUSLY important!
Now think about what I just said to you. People who you would normally think would not respond to five pages of UGLY handwriting responded. These are what we would normally categorize as educated, professional, affluent people, and they responded to a handwritten sales letter.
Whenever I deliver a seminar and show many of my OUTRAGEOUS examples to the attendees, there’s always one or two of them who come up to me after I finish speaking and say, “While what you showed us was great, my customers won’t respond to that kind of advertising because they’re too sophisticated for it.”
No, they’re not! If it’s interesting, people respond. Just as all kinds of people responded to my handwritten sales letter, they’ll respond to your OUTRAGEOUS advertising. Everyone responds to OUTRAGEOUS advertising.
That’s why I wrote this book—99 percent of small business owners are dissatisfied with the results they get from their current advertising. But it doesn’t have to be that way. I am here to help. Remember, EVERYONE responds to OUTRAGEOUS advertising.
ideas are in every industry
A theme you will see emphasized throughout this book is that my best ideas came from somewhere else, and I am not speaking of a vacuum. I do business in the world, and so I pay attention to everything I see around me—especially other advertising.
The idea for the five-page handwritten letter, as you know, came from my first seeing the technique used by Dan Kennedy, who saw it used by a political candidate. I was in the menswear retail business. Why would I be looking at what a political candidate was doing? Wouldn’t I have been better off looking at what other menswear stores were doing? After all, they knew what they were doing, right?
NOT!!!
I looked outside my industry. I looked for something that had never been done inside my industry. I looked for an idea I could translate successfully into my industry.
[Embedded image: /library/Outrageous Advertising That's Outrageously Successful/images/00020.jpeg] [No readable text recognized; consult the extracted image asset.]
OUTRAGEOUS boost
If something is working in an industry, it will typically translate to others. In fact, it will often work better in others since it is new to them.
And the truth is, that’s what I am always doing.
And I am looking for others who are looking for ideas as well, so I have joined Marketing Mastermind groups in the past and I continue to do so. In fact, I now lead three of them with over 140 extremely successful entrepreneurs.
In 1999, I was in a Marketing Mastermind meeting that was being facilitated by Dan Kennedy and others from over eighteen different industries. I was the retail guy. There was also a guy from the mortgage industry who was sending out pre-recorded messages that appeared on people’s answering machines.
[Embedded image: /library/Outrageous Advertising That's Outrageously Successful/images/00023.jpeg] [No readable text recognized; consult the extracted image asset.]
OUTRAGEOUS resource
There are Glazer-Kennedy Insider’s Circle chapter meetings and Mastermind Groups in most cities throughout North America, run by certified independent business advisors. You can see if there’s one in your area at www.dankennedy.com.
This had never been done in the retail world before, so I wanted to try it. I essentially brought voice broadcast into the retail world, and it worked. It worked great. In fact, the very first time I tried it, it resulted in a 92 percent increase in response when I added it to a previous successful promotion. This was a breakthrough I made by looking outside of my industry.
ideas are everywhere
Once I started developing OUTRAGEOUS advertising, I was always looking for opportunities to use it. Mostly because it works. But partly because it’s fun.
When my wife and I went on a vacation to the Middle East, we went on a camel ride in the desert. Of course I had a picture snapped of me on a camel that I could send out to my customers. In fact, I sent it to the customers of my menswear stores and also to the members of Glazer-Kennedy Insider’s Circle.
It made for big laughs and big sales.
[Embedded image: /library/Outrageous Advertising That's Outrageously Successful/images/00020.jpeg] [No readable text recognized; consult the extracted image asset.]
OUTRAGEOUS boost
Always carry a small digital camera with you because you never know when you might see an oppertunity to snap a photo that you can use OUTRAGEOUSLY in your advertising.
[Embedded image: /library/Outrageous Advertising That's Outrageously Successful/images/00024.jpeg] [OCR from embedded image; verify layout in the extracted image asset.] I'm in the Negev Desert inthe Middle Last looking For you! Bill
You can see this photo in full color when you claim your FREE CD of all of the exhibits in this book by using the form on page 312.
In fact, I often view my vacations as marketing opportunities, and one of my best campaigns occurred when my wife and I went on a cruise to Alaska. Prior to the cruise, I had seen a postcard of the cruise ship with Alaska in the background. I liked it. I thought it would be a nice thing to send to my customers.
But I wanted to OUTRAGEOUSLY personalize it, so I wrote on the front of the postcard in pen, “Even when I’m on vacation, I’m thinking of you …” and then atop the cruise ship, I drew a little stick figure with an arrow pointing to it that said, “ME.”
[Embedded image: /library/Outrageous Advertising That's Outrageously Successful/images/00025.jpeg] [OCR from embedded image; verify layout in the extracted image asset.] Greetings from Alaska!
You can see this in full color when you claim your FREE CD of all of the exhibits in this book by using the form on page 312.
And on the back of the postcard, I put a coupon for $10 off any purchase, with a date to respond by.
And since I was actually heading on a cruise to Alaska, I wanted to mail the postcards so that they came with an Anchorage postmark. And I had a few customers.
I went to my printer and had them print up 10,146 postcards with this message that I wanted to send to my favorite 10,146 customers. Each was addressed, and I had stamps put on. All I needed was an Anchorage postmark. So I had my printer put all the postcards into a box and off I went with my wife on a nice vacation beginning in Anchorage.
When we arrived at the hotel, I went up to the clerk and asked if I could mail postcards at the hotel. She smiled and said sure. So I reached down and picked up my box of 10,146 postcards. I smiled back and told her that I wrote them all last night and my arm was killing me. We laughed. I continued on my vacation, and then when I came back home, I found out that the postcard campaign was a huge success.
As if you haven’t already figured this out … OUTRAGEOUS advertising not only works, but it is fun!
In fact, when I finally figured this whole thing out, it became the most enjoyable and fun thing that I did in my business.
[Embedded image: /library/Outrageous Advertising That's Outrageously Successful/images/00017.jpeg] [OCR from embedded image; verify layout in the extracted image asset.] ATTLVING OUTRAGEOUS ADVEISING
OUTRAGEOUS exercise
Think of photo opportunities from everyday life or a vacation that can translate into an OUTRAGEOUS advertising campaign.
defining results
The title of this book is OUTRAGEOUS Advertising That’s OUTRAGEOUSLY Successful. I’d now like to take a moment to define what it means to be successful.
In this chapter, I showed you my five-page handwritten sales letter written on a yellow legal pad and I told you that of over 180 campaigns that I created for my menswear stores over a ten-year period, the handwritten letter received the highest response.
But achieving the highest response doesn’t necessarily mean it was the most successful campaign I’ve ever created. In fact, as of the writing of this book, I’ve written nineteen sales letters that have generated more than $1 million in sales for my clients or one of my companies.
Certainly, the five-page handwritten sales letter was very … very … very successful for my menswear stores, but it didn’t generate $1 million in sales for them.
So this brings me to how you need to define and measure what OUTRAGEOUSLY successful means. The way you define success is not by the percentage of response you receive. The way you define success is by the amount of money the advertisement generated versus the amount you spent to get it out.
This is what we call ROI (return on investment), and it is the only way I measure success—how much did you spend, and how much did you get back?
[Embedded image: /library/Outrageous Advertising That's Outrageously Successful/images/00026.jpeg] [No readable text recognized; consult the extracted image asset.]
Sizzling Outrageous Summation
-
Always be on the lookout for OUTRAGEOUS opportunities to use in your advertising.
-
The more you tell, the more you sell. Don’t be afraid of long copy to tell your entire story and pertinent information.
-
Successful OUTRAGEOUS advertising can typically be moved from one media to the next.
-
Everyone responds to OUTRAGEOUS advertising. Don’t make the mistake of thinking your customers are too sophisticated for OUTRAGEOUS advertising.
-
Study what’s working outside your industry. OUTRAGEOUS advertising can often be moved from one industry to the next with terrific results.
-
Join Mastermind groups to share ideas and network with other smart and open-minded entrepreneurs.
-
OUTRAGEOUS advertising is fun, and it lets you make your business fun.