Postcards Versus Catalogues

What do successful cataloguers do when they market?

There is a secret, or so it seems, in the catalogue industry that has not gotten out of the bag yet. Why is it a secret? It is probably not intended to be that way, but it just happens to remain a ‘not-known datum’. So, what’s the secret, you ask!?!?

That successful cataloguers use postcards to market!

Bah, hum bug, you say! Why would they do that? How can they sell their wares?

Simply and easily. Postcards work because they are inexpensive and they get the attention of the prospective buyer who would like to shop in their particular catalogue. Many big catalogue companies do it – JC Penny, Spiegel, Brighton – they all use postcards.

Now for your next objection: “People already know the products of JC Penny, Spiegel and Brighton so of course they will order the catalogue” (am I reading your mind, yet?) or how about your next consideration, “If the prospective clients do not see my merchandise than they won’t know if they want to order my catalogue or not, much less my merchandise.”

Those are definitely objections, but not necessarily sound ones. Let’s break them down. Just think about it. They get your catalogue (that you spend $4 per piece sending out) and then they throw it away immediately. They do the same with a postcard, but postcards are cheap - .35 cents (that includes postage, design, mailing list, etc.) compared to 4.00 – you could afford to continue to send those postcards out until they finally decide to order your catalogue. You can’t do that with catalogues, it’s too expensive!

The trick with postcards is to advertise on your postcard one of your best selling items and mail it to your prospective buyer list. Then design another postcard with another one of your best selling items and mail it to the same list one to two weeks later. Do the same again and again for about four to five postcards. Make an offer on your postcard, like, you will send them a catalogue for free and 10% off their first order if they order within 30 days of ordering their catalogue.

Then, we you have exhausted those five postcards on that prospective list, you hit ‘em again. Same rotation of postcards mailed out every one to two weeks. And those prospects that didn’t order your catalogue the first time they got the postcards will this time.

And you do it again. And the ones that didn’t order the second round, will this time.

And you do it again….it’s a numbers game; it’s a communication game. Sometimes you have to beat people over with head with an idea before the light bulb goes off. Same with marketing. Except you are gently nudging their mail boxes.

You will get reaches. You will get orders. You will save money. And you will be doing what successful retail and cataloguers have been doing for eons. How do I know? I service some really successful cataloguers and I see what they do that is successful.

So, quit not marketing. It is foolish to be in business these days and not market. You have to market aggressively. There is so much mass communication out there today that you have to constantly be in your target market’s face in order to make an impact. Twenty years ago it was not that way. Forty years ago it really was not that way. Come up to present time and market smart. Postcards are one of the smartest ways to go. Brochures are the next smartest. Postcards followed up with brochures are intelligent.
Joy Gendusa - EzineArticles Expert Author

Joy Gendusa founded PostcardMania in 1998, her only assets a computer and a phone. By 2005 the company did over $12 million in sales, employed over 100 people and made Inc. Magazine’s prestigious Inc 500 List as the one of the 500 fastest growing companies in the nation. She attributes her explosive growth to her ability to choose incredible staff and her innate marketing savvy. As an Expert Author, she is always willing to share her marketing advice through articles, interviews and speaking engagements. Visit her web site at http://www.postcardmania.com

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Waste Not, Want Not - Tough Talk About Direct Mail

Those of us in advertising and marketing collectively have the power to move entire markets. And with all power comes responsibility. One area that needs our industry scrutiny is the overuse of direct mail and the resulting waste of precious natural resources.

As I write my bills every two weeks, I fill two wastebaskets with unwanted solicitations, mostly from financial companies. Two factors are contributing to growth in the unwanted stuff in our mailboxes. The nationwide do-not-call list is growing by tens of thousands of households per month, and massive dollars are being redirected from telemarketing into more and more direct mail. At the same time, changes in bankruptcy law have reduced risk to the credit card companies and increased the volume of solicitations to consumers. The result is a growing flow of junk in our mailboxes that wastes our time and natural resources.

Like most people, I hated the barrage of evening phone calls from roofing companies, finance firms, charities, window cleaners, and publishers. (I often wondered if the advertisers who used this technique gave any thought to the damage this technique did to their brand names.) As annoying as the telephone calls were, the growing avalanche of direct mail is starting to worry me even more. As responsible citizens on planet Earth, do we really want to use our resources in this way? And as marketers, do we have a responsibility to carefully marshal our resources and to judiciously use each channel of communication to its best advantage? Shouldn’t we leave as little waste as possible?

Don’t get me wrong. I am not against the use of direct mail. Used appropriately, it can be a powerful tool. It is just plain awful marketing that bugs me, and this leads to incredible waste of our most precious natural resources.

As I write this article, I am preparing for a meeting with a small national manufacturing company that is looking for new advertising counsel. They just completed a very large national direct mail program to support sales leads for their dealership network with disastrous results. The program cost $250,000 and netted 250 leads and 30 new customers. This means that inquiries cost $1,000 each, and customers cost $8,333 each. The company makes about $600 in profit per customer and needs to be finding them for less than $300. Oops. Even taking out one-time creative development costs from the equation, each new customer cost over $4000. Clearly, this was a flop.

What is sad about this is that any professional in our business would have looked at the initial strategy and predicted failure. This was a case where direct mail was not appropriate for accomplishing the goals. There was no mailing list available that was targeted enough to warrant the very high per-contact cost of direct mail.

The advertiser was a victim of his own misconception of the power of direct mail. Before the tactic of direct mail was chosen, this advertiser should have evaluated all possible channels of communication available to him. This was a case where a combination of targeted national cable combined with a really strong dealer referral program on the Web site most likely would have yielded the results needed for the same test budget. And the advertiser wouldn’t have sacrificed a single tree in the process.

Direct mail has been oversold as a marketing tool, and it is time to start thinking about being far more judicious when we choose this medium. With the emerging Internet and the newly found television interactivity, direct marketers have better, more socially responsible ways to meet their goals. Those of us who make choices every day in the use of media channels should be more thoughtful about the impact our choices will make on future generations.

With all this, I am not too worried about the current glut of junk mail continuing. There is sort of advertising eco-system in place that will slow the process in a few years. The more people sign up for the do-not-call list, the more calls that will go to those who haven’t yet signed up. This will increase their unhappiness. This will increase the rate of sign-up for the do-not-call list. This will increase the amount spent on direct mail which will further fill our mailboxes. The more filled our mailboxes become, the more diluted the response rates and the harder it will be to make mail pencil out. So ultimately mail volume will drop.

Let’s help it along by only choosing this medium after a careful evaluation of all alternatives.

Bill Fritsch is president of Hydrogen Advertising, an award-winning, Seattle-based advertising agency emphasizing superb ideas efficiently produced. Reach him at 206-389-950o, ext. 24 or email bill@hydrogenadvertising.com. For more information, visit http://www.hydrogenadvertising.com.

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Patience is a Virtue: Be Patient with Postcard Mailings

If I've heard it once, I've heard it a hundred times: less than ten days after their first postcard is mailed, the client calls me and says, "Rachel, it should have arrived a few days ago, but my phone hasn't rung yet. Are you SURE the postcard was mailed out?" First I reassure them that we mailed it. Then I remind them again that it usually takes several mailings before the phone starts ringing off the hook.

Sometimes my clients believe me… and a few months later, they start seeing great results from their postcards. Sometimes my clients don't believe me… and they give up on postcards before ever really giving them a chance.

You remember when Grandma told you that patience is a virtue? You might not have realized it then, but she was talking about your postcard marketing campaign, too.

The truth is, anyone who doesn't live under a rock already knows that successful advertising campaigns are based in repetition, repetition, repetition - and consistency. Let's take a few examples. What comes to mind if I say…

"Tastes Great, Less Filling"

"Where's the Beef?"

"I just saved a lot of money on my car insurance!"

Getting the idea?

We remember successful advertising campaigns for many different reasons - they are clever and well-written (I'll address this in subsequent articles), but more than that, we remember them because we hear or see them over and over again.

Yet when it comes to postcard marketing, many of my clients seem to think that one huge run of postcards is sufficient for their advertising needs for the whole quarter or the whole year.

Use common sense by thinking about your own buying habits:

Do you buy a product the first time you see it advertised?

Do you buy a product the second time you see it advertised?

Aren't you much more likely to buy a product after you have seen it advertised several times?

Here are some tips to help you get the most out of your postcard marketing budget.

1. When you create your postcard marketing budget, plan for a minimum of eight mailings.
As I always tell my clients, your money will be put to better use by mailing 1,000 people eight times than 8,000. Even if you can only afford to mail a small number of people on a monthly basis, this is a better strategy than mailing a large number only once or twice.

Don't give up after just a few mailings. Our company once had a real estate agent client who mailed NINE months in a row without a single phone call. He had decided that if he didn't get any results on the tenth mailing, he was calling it quits. On that tenth mailing, his postcards yielded three high-quality listings. Just one of those listings was more than enough for the ten months of postcards.

2. Be as consistent and frequent as you can afford.
We are a culture of very busy people. Very busy people share something in common - very short attention spans. If you want people to remember your company, your name, your product, mail them at regular intervals - weekly if you can afford it, but at least monthly. Mailing once per quarter can work for certain clients - for example, retail clients who have a big quarterly sale that their current clients already know about might benefit from a quarterly postcard, especially if they are also utilizing monthly postcards. But once per year? What advertising do YOU remember from one year ago? If you can't remember, how do you expect your prospects to remember YOUR advertising if you're only doing one mailing per year?

3. Use your budget, your consistency, and your frequency on ONE group of people. Just recently, a client mailed a list of 2,500 people. For his second mailing, he chose a new list of 2,500 people, and he hasn't gotten a single phone call. Groaning, he called us and said, "Why didn't I listen to you??" Even though he's now done two consistent monthly mailings, he may as well only have done one mailing for those two groups of 2,500. Each group will have only heard of him once, not twice. It can be tempting - especially when our budget is small - to reach out to more and more people by mailing to a different group every time. However, this is another strategy that flushes your advertising dollars down the toilet because it breaks the rules of consistency and repetition.

4. Above all, be patient! There are plenty of people out there who will try to tell you that they can get you rich quick with little marketing, no marketing, or cheap marketing. The people selling get rich quick schemes are preying upon our unwillingness to be consistent and patient. Don't fall for it. As one famous advertising slogan goes, "Good things come to those who wait."

About the Author
Rachel Medlock is an account representative and website designer with Mr. Postcard, LLC, of Atlanta, GA. For over ten years, Mr. Postcard has been helping real estate agents and business owners in the Atlanta area and beyond to succeed through direct mail and postcard marketing. In addition to postcards, Mr. Postcard designs and prints business cards, stationary, newsletters, and websites. If you need help on your next marketing campaign, turn to the experts. http://www.MrPostcard.com.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Rachel_Medlock

Think You Don’t Have What It Takes To Own Your Own Business? Think Again!

Years ago when the Internet first started, just about everybody thought they could jump in and profit from their own home-based business. And why not?

The optimism is warranted. A home-based business can give you immense time freedom to be with the ones you love, pursue your interests, or simply earn a good income without having to commute to a job and boss.

Within a few years, just about all of us working online knew people who had succeeded magnificently in their home business,many earning hundreds of thousands or even millions of dollars.

But, sadly, the vast majority of people didn't make much if any money in their home-based business. They quickly discovered some of the pitfalls.

The biggest problem was after you sold your shiny new product to your friends and family, you didn't have anyone else to sell it to. You made some money your first month, but soon the business died from lack of customer interest.

Let's face it, advertising, prospecting, and selling are probably the hardest parts of running a business. You may be thinking you can't own a business because you don't like to sell.

Today you don't need to be a selling dynamo or know all the ins and outs of advertising to really make a business go. There are fabulously powerful systems that use search engines to drive non-stop traffic to your web site. Then a professional sales team,staffed with top-notch sales people, can talk with and SELL each of your prospects for you.

By the time you hear from the prospect, they're more than ready to sign up and buy from you.

Does this cut down on the time you spend running your business? You bet is does. I've seen people, including myself, use this system to work just 5 minutes per week and earn a full-time income.

This kind of smart outsourcing is just what you need to make the home-based business dream come true for you. When you've got lots of cash coming in from your business, while experts are running much of it for you, you can spend your time doing the things you love.

One woman keeps your home-based business running in the background while she runs a community center that is being lauded everywhere for its important work.

Anther man runs his home-based business on the side while he travels the world with his wife. The business gives him all the money he needs while the outsourcing the hours of work to others who specialize in those tasks.

So don't let your vision of owning your own home business wait. You CAN own your business NOW, even if you don't like to sell or have much extra time to run it.

Lena Kova has a complete automated lead building and selling system in place for you.

Reach Lena at lena.kova@yahoo.com

As an experienced business professional, I've worked with many different companies. I've gained a great deal of knowledge and experience, so I know what really works and what doesn't. I am a successful entrepreneur, and I'm excited to help others accomplish their dreams of building wealth through this home business income opportunity.

I'll work closely with you every step of the way. I'll provide you with a detailed manual explaining how to effectively start your home business income opportunity. This will help jumpstart your efforts, so you can generate income right away. The manual covers a variety of topics, including training and marketing. The bottom line is you won't be alone in your efforts. I'll give you the tools and guidance needed to make everything work. All you need is the desire, drive and determination to succeed. http://www.easywaytomakemoneyathome.com/ Get started now to earn THOUSANDS per month working as little as 5 minutes per week. Reach Lena at lena.kova@yahoo.com

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Direct Mail Reply Devices Must Tell Sales Letter Buyers How To Respond

My brother-in-law says you should be thankful for truckers because everything you buy was handled at some point by a trucker. LoWayne is a trucker, so he’s biased. But I think he’s right anyway.

You depend on truckers for your life. And, if you are a direct mail marketer, you depend on direct mail response devices for your livelihood. Response cards and order forms are the devices that deliver the customer’s order to your business. Without them, no direct mail transaction takes place.

That’s why one of the most important parts of your direct mail sales letter is the copy that tells your buyer how to order. Somewhere in your letter and on your coupon you need to give explicit instructions telling the prospect what the prospect must do to close the sale. Here are a few ideas.

1. Tell them to complete the form

This sounds self-evident and redundant, but you must tell potential buyers what they need to do. So start with telling them to complete the order form. In your letter, say something like this: “Complete the enclosed order form now.”

2. Tell them how to return the card

If you are using a business reply card, tell the buyer right on the card to complete and return the card to you. Make sure buyers know that they are required to do something.

3. Tell them what to include

If you are using a business reply envelope, tell buyers what they need to put in it. Maybe it’s a check. Maybe a survey. Spell out what you need the buyer to do: “Return this card in the enclosed postage-paid envelope with your check for $96,989, made payable to Sharpe Copy, Inc.”

4. Tell them what they get in return

Whenever possible, describe the benefit that buyers receive for completing and returning the reply device or order form. For example, “Complete and mail this card today to receive your free Oriental Tea Sample Pack.”

Sales people don’t make a sale until they ask for the order. And your sales letters won’t close sales unless you ask for the reply device.
Alan Sharpe - EzineArticles Expert Author

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About the author
Alan Sharpe is a business-to-business direct mail copywriter and lead generation specialist who helps business owners and marketing managers generate leads, close sales and retain customers using business-to-business direct mail marketing. Learn more about his creative direct mail writing services and sign up for free weekly tips like this at http://www.sharpecopy.com.

2006 Sharpe Copy Inc. You may reprint this article online and in print provided the links remain live and the content remains unaltered (including the “About the author” message).

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Alan_Sharpe

Free Sample Sales Letter Is As Close As Your Own Mail Box

The best resource for a free sample sales letter or sales letter templates is in your own mail box.

Why?

Just think of all the free, unsolicited direct mail you get every day. You often think of it as junk mail. But consider this: most professional marketers and copywriters keep what they call a "swipe file." A swipe file is selection of sample sales letters you get that you like — that some how grabbed your attention.

You can create your own swipe file of free sample sales letters (and generate a sales letter template from them) by just spending a few extra minutes a day opening your junk mail.

If you collect these for a few weeks, you'll begin to notice that some large companies that send them to you are repeating the same ones. That's often because they have tested this sales letter template or format and know that it works (which is why they send it more than once). Big companies spend hundreds of thousands if not millions of dollars testing sales letters to find out which ones work best. So if they repeat them, you can be nearly certain that these are working, and not just tests.

By spending some time building and analyzing your own swipe file you can take advantage of lots of expensive testing done by professional direct mailers, and create your own template for a successful sales letter.

Scott Thompson, publisher of http://www.OneHourMarketing.com, has nearly 20 years experience in helping business owners create affordable small business marketing programs that successfully attract new prospects, convert them to buyers, and keep them as repeat customers.

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Premiums in Request Letters Asking for Donations: Examples, Samples of Pros and Cons

Q. What is a premium?
A. In direct mail fundraising letters, a premium is an item offered to a donor, usually at no charge, to encourage the donor to make a donation.

Q. What’s the difference between front-end and back-end premiums?
A. Premiums that are included in the mail package are called front-end premiums. Premiums that the donor must request are called back-end premiums.

Q. What are some examples of front-end premiums?
A. Labels, note pads, greeting cards, calendars and decals.

Q. What are some examples of back-end premiums?
A. Books, DVDs, tote bags.

Q. Which kind of premium is the most popular among mailers?
A. Front-end premium.

Q. Why do non-profit organizations mail premiums?
A. To boost response rates.

Q. What are some advantages of premiums?
A. Premiums tend to attract more gifts when mailed to current donors, and attract more first-time donors when mailed to prospective donors. Also, because of their bulk, they tend to encourage more people to open, rather than pitch, fundraising letter envelopes.

Q. What are some disadvantages of premiums?
A. Premiums tend to attract gifts that are smaller than those generated by packages that contain no premium, and they attract donors who are less likely to give again. Some donors who are acquired with premiums can only be renewed with premiums. Premiums also attract gifts from donors who are motivated by guilt or obligation rather than by philanthropy.

Q. How do I know if premiums are right for my organization?
A. Test and find out.

Q. What kind of premium should I offer?
A. The most important factor in choosing a premium is that it complements your mission. Greenpeace offers a cotton tote bag that is an environmentally friendly alternative to plastic shopping bags. The Billy Graham Evangelistic Association offers books written by Billy Graham. Avoid premiums that appear to be nothing more than subtle bribes.

© 2006 Sharpe Copy Inc. You may reprint this article online and in print provided the links remain live and the content remains unaltered (including the "About the Author" message).

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About the author
Alan Sharpe is a professional fundraising letter writer, instructor and mentor who helps non-profit organizations raise funds, build relationships and retain loyal donors using creative fundraising letters. Learn more about his services, view free sample fundraising letters, and sign up for free weekly tips like this at http://www.RaiserSharpe.com.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Alan_Sharpe

Direct Mail Still Works For Lead Generation

You probably wonder why when you go home to your mailbox everyday and open it up there’s dozens and dozens of postcards and other direct mail pieces sitting waiting for you everyday. If you’re like me you’re probably tired of having to weed all that junk mail out and drop it straight into the recycling bin before you even get inside the door of your house. Well the cold hard fact is that companies spend a lot of money on direct mail because it works. Direct mail is still a great way to get to specific prospects with a specific offer and this is no less true in the B to B space than it is in the B to C space.

Companies that put together compelling offers, purchase the proper lists and have a strong letter or piece of ad copy can still generate very respectable response rates from direct mail campaigns. Many companies use that as a tool in order to generate first level leads into their system that they can then nurture along through email campaigns or telemarketing; they can be qualified through telemarketing.

Other companies use direct mail in order to approach companies that they want to market to and warm them up to sales calls. You can target personalized letters to the executives that you want to reach inside your target prospect company and then following up with a direct sales phone call with the goal of selling an appointment and getting in front of a customer.

So direct mail still has it’s place in the overall marketing mix and a lot of people have become disappointed or desensitized to the power of direct mail but when it’s done right a combination of a great list, a great offer and great content direct mail can drive new leads into your companies door that will help you to accelerate sales.

About Cube Management
Cube Management provides sales acceleration services to emerging growth and mid-market companies in the technology, manufacturing, healthcare and business service sectors. The experts at Cube Management work across the entire spectrum of marketing, sales and business development to provide customized solutions that drive revenue and profit growth. Cube Management combines Strategy, Process & People to produce winning results.

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Don’t Always Make Direct Mail Headlines Positive

The most powerful headline I ever read and acted upon was a negative headline. It changed my life.

Yet most books on direct mail copywriting will tell you to cast your headlines, overlines and Johnson Boxes always in the positive. But sometimes being negative is positively good for business. Or, to say it another way, negative headlines in your direct mail advertising are not always bad.

The headline that changed my life appeared in a small display ad in the Daily Mirror, a British daily newspaper. Here’s what it said:

“No Pleasure Cruises in the Royal Marines.”

That’s a negative headline, no question. The copywriter wasted no time turning a negative into a positive. In fact, he turned a positive into a negative.

Beneath the headline was a photo of several heavily armed Royal Marines crouching in a rigid raider assault boat, manfully pounding over the waves towards an assuredly nasty landing on some distant enemy beach.

Beneath the photo was this simple body copy:

“Some of the toughest training in the world. That’s what makes Royal Marines Commandos ready for anything. If you think you’ve got the determination and you’re over 16, here’s your chance. Find out more by sending off the coupon.”

“No Pleasure Cruises in the Royal Marines.” When I read that negative headline for the first time, I was slouching at the back of mathematics class, catching up on the comic-strip misadventures of Andy Cap and Hagar the Horrible. The year was 1976. I had just turned 16. My Oxford and Cambridge ‘O’ Level exams — and certain defeat — waited less than a week away. I read the advertisement again. I studied the photograph. I mailed off the coupon that night.

The information package arrived within the week. Nine months later I was PO35440S Junior Marine Sharpe, bayonetting dummies with gusto and throwing up my lunch during nine-mile speed marches. Eighteen months later I was dodging bullets and bombs in Northern Ireland. Five years later I was photographing penguins in Antarctica. Ten years later — and thirteen countries, four promotions, numerous fights and a Falklands War later — I was a civilian again.

That headline would not have worked for me if the copywriter had cast it in a positive way. By promising what I would not get, and by telling me what I should not look forward to, he won me over.

So here’s my advice. Don’t turn all your negatives into positives. Instead, turn your positives into negatives for a change. Don’t be timid.

© 2006 Sharpe Copy Inc. You may reprint this article online and in print provided the links remain live and the content remains unaltered (including the "About the Author" message).

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About the author
Alan Sharpe is a business-to-business direct mail copywriter and lead generation specialist who helps business owners and marketing managers generate leads, close sales and retain customers using business-to-business direct mail marketing. Learn more about his creative direct mail writing services and sign up for free weekly tips like this at http://www.sharpecopy.com

© 2006 Sharpe Copy Inc. You may reprint this article online and in print provided the links remain live and the content remains unaltered (including the "About the author" message).

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Alan_Sharpe

Don’t Always Make Direct Mail Headlines Positive

The most powerful headline I ever read and acted upon was a negative headline. It changed my life.

Yet most books on direct mail copywriting will tell you to cast your headlines, overlines and Johnson Boxes always in the positive. But sometimes being negative is positively good for business. Or, to say it another way, negative headlines in your direct mail advertising are not always bad.

The headline that changed my life appeared in a small display ad in the Daily Mirror, a British daily newspaper. Here’s what it said:

“No Pleasure Cruises in the Royal Marines.”

That’s a negative headline, no question. The copywriter wasted no time turning a negative into a positive. In fact, he turned a positive into a negative.

Beneath the headline was a photo of several heavily armed Royal Marines crouching in a rigid raider assault boat, manfully pounding over the waves towards an assuredly nasty landing on some distant enemy beach.

Beneath the photo was this simple body copy:

“Some of the toughest training in the world. That’s what makes Royal Marines Commandos ready for anything. If you think you’ve got the determination and you’re over 16, here’s your chance. Find out more by sending off the coupon.”

“No Pleasure Cruises in the Royal Marines.” When I read that negative headline for the first time, I was slouching at the back of mathematics class, catching up on the comic-strip misadventures of Andy Cap and Hagar the Horrible. The year was 1976. I had just turned 16. My Oxford and Cambridge ‘O’ Level exams — and certain defeat — waited less than a week away. I read the advertisement again. I studied the photograph. I mailed off the coupon that night.

The information package arrived within the week. Nine months later I was PO35440S Junior Marine Sharpe, bayonetting dummies with gusto and throwing up my lunch during nine-mile speed marches. Eighteen months later I was dodging bullets and bombs in Northern Ireland. Five years later I was photographing penguins in Antarctica. Ten years later — and thirteen countries, four promotions, numerous fights and a Falklands War later — I was a civilian again.

That headline would not have worked for me if the copywriter had cast it in a positive way. By promising what I would not get, and by telling me what I should not look forward to, he won me over.

So here’s my advice. Don’t turn all your negatives into positives. Instead, turn your positives into negatives for a change. Don’t be timid.

© 2006 Sharpe Copy Inc. You may reprint this article online and in print provided the links remain live and the content remains unaltered (including the "About the Author" message).

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About the author
Alan Sharpe is a business-to-business direct mail copywriter and lead generation specialist who helps business owners and marketing managers generate leads, close sales and retain customers using business-to-business direct mail marketing. Learn more about his creative direct mail writing services and sign up for free weekly tips like this at http://www.sharpecopy.com

© 2006 Sharpe Copy Inc. You may reprint this article online and in print provided the links remain live and the content remains unaltered (including the "About the author" message).

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Alan_Sharpe