Feedback Form
Home Features Mastermind Forums About Advertise Blog Network Contact Be An Author

The Hidden Key to a Successful Direct-Marketing Package

The Hidden Key to a Successful Direct-Marketing Package

The Hidden Key to a Successful Direct-Marketing Package

There is no one "most important" element to concentrate on or "most important" secret to invoke to guarantee success for a direct-marketing package.

Michael Masterson uses the "Architecture of Romance" metaphor, where he compares a DM letter to a house in order to make this point. What part of a house is most important? All of them!

If you leave out any structural element of the house, the house won't stand properly … and neither will a DM package.

That said, one element of a DM package has power that few copywriters understand: the USP – Unique Sales Proposition.

Every successful promotion MUST have a USP. Of all the copywriting secrets, tips, techniques, and tricks you've learned, none is more important than identifying a compelling USP.

The USP is the one distinct, outstanding benefit of your product that sets it apart from the competition. It answers your prospect's question: "Why should I order your product instead of your competitor's?"

You can write the strongest DM letter possible, and in doing so absolutely convince your prospect that he needs what you're selling. But without a compelling USP, he won't necessarily buy YOUR product. He might buy one that's similar, one that's cheaper, or one that's conveniently available at the supermarket.

Finding the USP for a product may sound relatively easy. But finding a truly compelling USP requires digging deeper than other copywriters would.

Several years ago, AWAI Board Member John Forde created the following list of questions to help identify any product's USP.

And keep in mind that you're not limited to only one USP for a product. Think about checklists you've seen that compare their product with several named competitors … and how effective they've been in getting you to buy.

Here are John's questions:

How is my product really different from the competition?

Is my product of better quality?
How so – stronger, longer lasting, more beautiful, etc.?
What are the features of my product?
Does it have more or better features, and what are they?
How does my product's performance compare to the competition?
How do we compete on price?
How clearly expressed are the benefits?

Can I assign a number or statistic to my product's performance?
How much larger is the promise than the promises of competitors?
Do we beat the competition on customer service and fulfillment?

How fast do our orders arrive?
Do we offer email delivery or online archives?
Do we tell customers where/how to buy other products we recommend?
Do we have a telephone hotline?
What kind of guarantee do we offer?
What bonus gifts come with my product?
Do the premiums satisfy specific needs addressed in the promotion?
How can I show that my product is reliable?

How long has my company been around?
What's our track record?
What's the background of our product guru or "champion"?
What reputable 3rd parties use my product?
What's the process by which we create the product?
What testimonials do we have?
Where do you find answers to these questions?

Start with your client: the marketing director, the product developer, maybe even the company president or CEO. If it's an information product, talk to the person who writes or edits it.

[WARNING: If you are working on a spec assignment, do NOT bother the client with these questions.]

Next, go to the Internet. This is a good place to find out about your competition's products and what they identify as their USPs.

You should also study spec sheets, manuals, testimonials (if available), and any other written material for your product and those of your competition.

Coming up with your product's USPs does not take a great deal of work. And the time you put into it will pay off with significantly greater response, because you will have specifically told your prospect what makes your product better, different, unique.

Link directly to this article »
Quick Tip:
2 Free Online Calendars
by Will Newman

If you do not have a computer-based calendar program (like Outlook, Entourage, or iCal) to manage your time, Google and Yahoo have full-feature online calendars to fill that void.

In fact, their features rival – and in some cases surpass – the more traditional computer-based programs.

Both calendars are easy to use, and both allow you to share your schedule with others. Why would you want to share with others? Planning family events, coordinating work schedules, and organizing meetings and phone calls with clients are three good reasons.

And both allow you to limit who has access to your shared calendars (Google having more options in this regard).

The Google and Yahoo calendars are free and fully support the following browsers:

Microsoft IE 6.0 (Windows)
Firefox (Windows Mac Linux)
Safari (Mac)
* JavaScript and cookies must be enabled on all browsers.

Both have too many features to describe here. However, they are worth taking a look at, even if you already use a computer-based calendar program.

How to Get There

Google Calendar:
http://www.google.com/
Click on "More" in the top link bar, then click "Calendar" on the drop-down menu.

Yahoo Calendar:
http://calendar.yahoo.com/
[NOTE: No "www"]





The Hidden Key to a Successful DirectMarketing Package - To learn more about this author, visit AWAI’s The Golden Thread 's Website.

Like this article? Share it with your friends

Article Feedback
 Article Feedback No article feedback found.
  Leave Your Feedback
article feedback

Article Feedback
Anne Barr
Anne Barr has over 26 years experience in sales and marketing, six years as a franchisee. She has assisted over 367 business owners and purchasers to achieve their goals in career change, transition and exit strategy. She holds the designation of Certified Franchise Executive from the International Franchise Association, Certified Business Intermediary from the International Business Brokers Association and Board Certified Broker from the Texas Association of Business Brokers. Anne is active in professional organizations, networking groups and volunteers for non-profit entities. As owner/operator of four successful businesses, Anne has proven people skills and enjoys helping clients find the right "fit" in business ownership. Visit www.FranchiseOpportunitySpecialist.com for more information about me and my company. - Visit Anne Barr's Website

Kim Castle
With nearly two decades in the advertising and design business, with clients like Domino's Pizza, General Motors, Direct TV, Pedigree, Wolfgang Puck, Higher Octave Music, Hollywood Celebrity Products, Disney, and Paramount, as well as thousands of entrepreneurs around the world define, structure, communicate, and position their business for greater profits, BrandU(R) co-creators Kim Castle and W. Vito Montone discovered that entrepreneurs could experience the same power that big brands command for a fraction of the cost with the world's only process-based results-drive Integral approach to business creation. BrandU(R) is helping entrepreneurs grow with the power of extreme clarity from idea...to brand...to market(TM) and helping one million entrepreneurs become successful and whole so that they can make a difference in the world. Are you one of them? If you want to experience clarity all the way to the bank(TM), get started now at http://www.brandu.com. - Visit Kim Castle's Website

Jeff Foster
WebBizIdeas.com is a Minneapolis website design company founded to help people start an internet business by providing them with website, business, and internet resources that help foster the growth of successful online businesses and develop innovative Internet business ideas.  We specialize in internet consulting & internet marketing
- Visit Jeff Foster's Website

Stephanie Robey
Stephanie Robey is President and CoFounder of Pivot Positive, LLC - an Internet marketing business focused on helping people start work at home ventures. Previously, she was employed at The Search Agency with over 20 years experience in graphic design and 10 years experience in online marketing. She was responsible for launching the Conversion Path Optimization (CPO) unit where she and her team have conducted hundreds of optimization tests for online companies across multiple verticals.

She is a successful entrepreneur having started and sold 2 companies and remains on the board of directors of the third, PhotoSpin.com   Stephanie began her career in the direct marketing realm creating and producing direct mail for many of the major cable television companies and directly attributes her understanding of Internet marketing to those early offline experiences.  Stephanie is a graduate of San Diego State University with a BFA in Graphic Arts and also holds an Executive MBA from the Graziadio School of Business and Management at Pepperdine University.

Read Steph's Blog
Meet Steph and Dave
Sign up for our Free 7-Day BootCamp: Self Employed & Rich
- Visit Stephanie Robey's Website


To learn more about the Evan Elite Author Program please contact us.

About The Author


AWAI’s The Golden Thread
(Visit AWAI’s The Golden Thread's Website) This article appears courtesy of The Golden Thread, an e-letter from American Writers and Artists Inc. (AWAI) that delivers original, no-nonsense advice on how to build your freelance copywriting business. For a free subscription, visit http://www.awaionline.com/thegolden thread. AWAI is the publisher of the world's best home-study programs for learning the art and science of direct-mail copywriting. Formed over 11 years ago by master copywriters and marketers out of an industry-wide need for talented copywriters who can deliver copy that sells, AWAI boasts a staff of more than two dozen accomplished professionals – all of whom have contributed to growing and perfecting its extensive lineup of available programs. AWAI's Accelerated Program for Six-Figure Copywriting (http://www.thewriterslife.com/evan carmichael/) gives step-by-step instruction in one of the most lucrative fields of writing that there is: direct-response copywriting. The program not only teaches the skills needed, but then gets the individual working and making money as a professional copywriter as quickly as possible.

AWAI’s The Golden Thread is a Platinum author on EvanCarmichael.com
About The Author

View Author Blog
View Author Blog

View Author Video
View Author Video

Free Downloads


AWAI’s The Golden Thread 's

Complete
List Of
Starting-A-Business
Articles

Name
Email
If you enjoyed this article, get AWAI’s The Golden Thread 's Complete List of Starting-A-Business Articles For FREE!

More AWAI’s The Golden Thread
The Newest Way to Expand Your Copywriting Business
Dont Quit
How to Become What You Want to Be
What the Worlds Greatest Pickup Artist Can Teach You About Building a Lucrative Freelance Business
Business Building Tips from a MillionDollar Copywriter
What You MUST Know About Marketing Your Freelance Copywriting Services
Stop Your Inbox From Killing Your Productivity
Lights Camera Action Get Paid to Write Short Video Scripts
Writing Great Copy for Supplements
10 Questions to Help You Determine Why Your PPC Campaign Is Losing Money
Free Downloads


 
 
 


Evan Elite Authors
Linda Richardson  
Staging Diva  
John Brennan  
Evan Elite Authors

Become An Author
Have you written articles that would be of value to entrepreneurs? Become an expert on our site by publishing them! Expose yourself to a wide audience, drive more traffic to your website and get more sales! Click Here for details.
Become An Author

Evan's Latest Video
Modeling the Masters: Learn the true secrets behind Walt Disney's business success factors & grow your company! Video produced by Phanta Media
Evan's Latest Video

Business Opportunities
"Learn straight from Evan how you can Make a Full Time Income (And More) from a Website"

How to Start An Online Business

Click Here To Learn More
Business Opportunities



Evan's Newsletter
Get advice & tips from famous business owners, new articles by entrepreneur experts, my latest website updates, & special sneak peaks at what's to come!
Name:
Email:
Evan`s Newsletter

Free Downloads
Strategic Alliance Icon Strategic Alliance
The $1000 Show Icon The $1000 Show
Personal Leadership Icon Personal Leadership
Workplace Violence Icon Workplace Violence
Employee Engagment Icon Employee Engagment
Free Downloads - Complete List

Entrepreneur Tools and Guides
Top 50 Marketing Blogs To Watch In 2008
Top 50 Marketing Blogs
Top Blogs To Watch In 2008
 
Top 50 SEO Posts of the Year
Top 50 SEO Posts - 2007
Top SEO Posts of the Year
 
Entrepreneur Tools and Guides

SEO For Africa
SEO For Africa
Tabitha Wambui Muraguri Jericho, Nairobi, Kenya,
Tabitha Wambui Muraguri
Jericho, Nairobi, Kenya
SEO For Africa

If I Were A Startup...
Stephen Pollack, $1.2 to $16.2 Mil in 3 Years
Stephen Pollack
$1.2 to $16.2 Mil in 3 Years
Razor Suleman, $143k to $5.4 Mil in 5 years
Razor Suleman
$143k to $5.4 Mil in 5 years
If I Were A Startup... - Complete List

Famous Entrepreneurs
Todd McFarlane, Image Comics
Todd McFarlane
Image Comics
Mark Cuban, Broadcast.com
Mark Cuban
Broadcast.com
Famous Entrepreneurs - Complete List

Entrepreneur Advice
Guy Kawasaki, The Art of the Start
Guy Kawasaki
The Art of the Start
David Allen, Getting Things Done
David Allen
Getting Things Done
Entrepreneur Advice - Complete List

Popular Articles
(Premium Authors)

     Marketing a Book is Too Important to Leave to the Good Intentions of a Publisher
By Scott Lorenz
     How Rachael Ray’s TV Career Was Propelled By Radio
By Scott Lorenz
     55 Reasons To Send Out a Press Release
By Scott Lorenz

Have A Suggestion?
Toronto Salsa Classes / Toronto Salsa Lessons Email us your ideas on how to make our website more valuable! Thank you Sharon from Toronto Salsa Lessons / Classes for your suggestions to make the newsletter look like the website and profile younger entrepreneurs like Jennifer Lopez and Sean Combs!
Have A Suggestion?

More Evan Carmichael
More Information