->-> And how long should you keep hammering away?
Lara Blythe sent this question. My answer may surprise you:
Dear Drayton,
Please forgive what you might think is a silly question. I am still learning my craft and as you might realise, I have a long way to go.
Do you think there is much similarity between a blog and a direct marketing letter? On the face of it, they are completely different.
One is very direct with the sole purpose of giving an offer for something in return – perhaps someone’s details or maybe immediate business.
The second, to me at least, is indirect marketing with the aim to build up or solidify a relationship with prospects and current clients. As you said in one of your emails, it takes approximately two years from being introduced to a prospect to them becoming a client. In that time, you have to maintain contact and build trust. And blogs can do that.
But both have the same aim. So what, if any, do you think the similarities are between the two?
I’m currently reading “How to write sales letters that sell.” It is borrowed from a colleague. Thank you for the mine of information!
I look forward to hearing from you,
Kind regards,
Lara
You may find my (edited) reply surprising:
You ask “is there a similarity between Direct Mail and Blogging?”
And you suggest a blog is there to “solidify” a relationship.
In “Commonsense Direct and Digital Marketing” I quote an old British army song “We’re here because we’re here because we’re here.”
Many of us just keep ploughing on without asking why.
But it pays to ask simple questions about why you are doing what you do.
Often the answer may shock you in its simplicity.
In reality every message you put out – blog, letter, email, landing page – is just advertising.
You want to tell people about the benefits you offer so persuasively that they act.
If you don’t ask them to act it’s like taking a train to Edinburgh from London but getting off at the stop before Edinburgh.
A completely wasted journey.
Why communicate?
Nobody put it better than John Caples.
In a Wall Street Journal interview said ‘When people have read your copy they want to know what to do. Tell them.”
David Ogilvy’s mentor Raymond Rubicam said “The only purpose of advertising is to sell. It has no other function worth mentioning.”
Therefore, I suggest you always try to get a response or reaction from people no matter what the communication.
In other words, if I ring them up I want them to act. If I send a letter I want them to act. If I stick up a poster I want them to act. If I hand them a leaflet in the street I want them to act.
I cannot see any sense in any message that doesn’t ask people to act. And the act that best solidifies a relationship is often a sale.
If you get my daily emails, or any message from me, it’s most unusual for me not to ask for a response.
This is why we’re here, you and I
There has been a fashion for a while to avoid a response; to tip-toe nervously around your purpose.
The most irritating and silly suggestion – to me, anyhow – was given by the Content Marketing Institute.
(A redundant body, since no message exists without content).
They suggested you shouldn’t try to sell anything at the end of your message.
The theory was that people don’t like being sold tot.
And indeed we don’t if it’s done badly.
But we love being sold to if we’re interested in what’s being sold and the selling is done well.
A good example is the street peddler who gets an audience around him and sells the product.
Wiser heads than mine have pointed out that this person’s success rate is higher than any printed or broadcast media.
That is why when people started running infomercials they just filmed and edited street salesmen – no one could do a better job.
Salesmanship, every time
All the rules of salesmanship should apply to any message you send out.
The street salesman learns that it pays to be entertaining and interesting when you sell and this applies to every medium.
To sum up, why are you doing what you’re doing?
To get attention by being impossible to ignore – and to make sure it leads to action.
It’s folly not to ask for action, no matter what the medium.
Incidentally, small mistakes can make cost big money.
In her question Lara quoted me as saying it takes approximately two years from being introduced to a prospect to them becoming a client.
If I said that I should be shot. I believe and hope I said it takes an average of two years.
There is a huge difference. I have seen it take 14 years for someone to become a client.
A fool once asked me how long you should keep chasing people. The answer is “till they give in”.
And lastly, Lara’s assumption that a blog is the only way to keep in touch is wrong.
I just keep emailing; and many of my emails could just as easily be blogs.
But however YOU wish to succeed we can usually help. Drop me a line now.
Best,
Drayton
